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Control MediaPortal with Harmony 525 and Sconi IR

The Power Sconi is a special infrared receiver which is able to wake up the computer and as an additional feature it can control RF switches and dimmers with a radio frequency transmitter at 433 MHz

So, for example, you can dim the lights at the moment when movie playback starts. If you press pause or stop, the lights turn on again! Also turning on the TV, the amplifier or the subwoofer is no problem. Let your electric beamer screen scroll down, just when the show begins. You can assign all kind of control tasks to buttons on the remote control, or create a schedule when the tasks will be executed automatically.

1. Setup Logitech Harmony Remote Control

The first step is to configure the Logitech Harmony Remote Control so that all keys will send a command.

As a guideline we use a remote control for a Samsung television. (It does absolutely not matter what device is used; it is only important that there are enough command available which can be configured at the Harmony Remote Control.)

1.1. Add a new device to the Logitech Harmony

Start the Logitech harmony Remote Software and "Add a new device"

Select Television --> TV Manufacturer: Samsung Type: PS-42S5H

1.2. Rename the device

Give this device a better name (e.g. MediaPortal)

1.3. Customize the buttons

Setup the buttons on the Harmony Remote Control as follow:

2. Setup Sconi Software

2.1. Install the Sconi Center

The Sconi Center translates the received infrared commands into WM_Commands which are understandable by the MessagePlugin. This WM_Commands will then be processed by the MessagePlugin and translated into MediaPortal actions.

2.2. Configure Keystroke and Actions

After the setup is run, you had to configure the Sconi Center to understand the infrared commands form the Harmony Remote. Please download the file MediaPortal.scc from the attachment and save it to the Sconi Center program directory (e.g. C:\Program Files\Sconi Center)

Then load this file into the Sconi Center:

Overview of configured Sconi Center: 

2.3. List with WM_Commands

The following is a list with WM_Commands which are transmitted to the MessagePlugin (which is installed later)

In the example above configure in the "Action Panel"

From the MessagePlugin ReadMe.TXT

This plugin listens for Windows Messages of the value 0x8000 (32768) with a WParam of 0x18 (24).
It passes the LParam straight into the Input Handler.  So LParam must represent a Remote Button from the list below.

Remote Buttons
-------------------
NumPad0 = 0
NumPad1 = 1
NumPad2 = 2
NumPad3 = 3
NumPad4 = 4
NumPad5 = 5
NumPad6 = 6
NumPad7 = 7
NumPad8 = 8
NumPad9 = 9
Clear = 10
Enter = 11
Power2 = 12
Start = 13
Mute = 14
Info = 15
VolumeUp = 16
VolumeDown = 17
ChannelUp = 18
ChannelDown = 19
Forward = 20
Rewind = 21
Play = 22
Record = 23
Pause = 24
Stop = 25
Skip = 26
Replay = 27
OemGate = 28
Oem8 = 29
Up = 30
Down = 31
Left = 32
Right = 33
Ok = 34
Back = 35
DVDMenu = 36
LiveTV = 37
Guide = 38
AspectRatio = 39
MyTV = 70
MyMusic = 71
RecordedTV = 72
MyPictures = 73
MyVideos = 74
Print = 78
MyRadio = 80
Teletext = 90
Red = 91
Green = 92
Yellow = 93
Blue = 94
PowerTV = 101
Messenger = 105
Power1 = 165

2.4. Test the configuration of the Sconi Center

Now you can test the communication between your Harmony Remote Control and the Sconi Center. Each time you press a button on the Harmony Remote Control there should be two reactions inside the Sconi Center:

• The status window in the top left corner should show the infrared code and a BIT count
• The correspondent button should show a red point

2.5. Configure the Sconi to wake up the computer from standby

From the Sconi manual:

One of the outstanding features of the Sconi V2 is the ability to wake up the PC with the remote control. Requirement for this function is the suspend to RAM mode, also called S3. Modern operating systems like Windows 2000 or Windows XP support this mode. The PC is not shut down completely but is placed into a sleep state. All peripheral devices like hard disks, CPU or fans are turned off. On first sight there is no difference to a system which is really shut down completely. The big advantage of the S3 mode is that the PC is waken up within seconds and is ready to go just at the exact point where it was before going into S3. Another advantage is the low power consumption in S3 mode, what is more or less the same as if the computer was shut down. Our measurements showed a consumption of 1-2 Watts. Therefore the S3 mode is ideal for home entertainment PCs, because the PC can be started as fast as you are used from other home entertainment electronic devices.

The Logitech Harmony Remote is already configured with an additional button to wake up the computer.

It is possible that you have to enable the USB device so that it can wake up the computer

2.6. Learn the WakeUp command again

In the case that the WakeUp button does not work, it is very easy to teach the Harmony Remote the wake up command again.

Open the Sconi Center Open ---> Options ---> Wakeup Options

Press the Power ON button in the addtionional section of the Harmony Remote

Press the Program button in the Sconi Center

Done

2.7. Control external devices with the Power Sconi

<<<<<<tbd>>>>>>

3. The Message Plugin

The Message Plugin is needed to receive and convert the WM_Commands from the Sconi Center to MediaPortal actions

This plugins was written by Aaron Dinnage

3.1. Installation of the MessagePlugin

Download the MessagePlugin and unzip it to a temporary folder. Then copy the two files:

• MessagePlugin.dll into the MediaPortal\Plugins\Process\ folder.
• MessagePlugin.xml into the MediaPortal\InputDeviceMappings\Defaults\ folder.

(The file MessagePlugin.HIP is not needed)

4. Configure MediaPortal

4.1. Configure the Remote

Activate under Remote the GeneralHID and there the button "Use general HID device"

Disable any other remote plugins

4.2. Configure the Remote Mapping

At the moment there is no need to change the mapping.

5. Troubleshooting

5.1. How can I check that a key on the remote is working

This troubleshooting guide is for all problems with every key on the remote; in this special case we assume a problem with the volume control on the remote.

5.1.1. Ensure that a key is assigned in the Logitech Harmony Remote

Open the Logitech Harmony Software an check that the button "Volume Up" and "Volume Down" has an action assigned.

5.1.2. Check the assignment inside the Sconi Center

Each key pressed on the Harmony Remote should result in an action within the Sconi Center.

You can see on the top left corner inside the Sconi Center a status window with the code of the infrared command. At the same time you should see a little red button flashing to indicate the correct receiving of the infrared command.

If you do not receive a positive feedback from the Sconi Center software, go to the next section "Learn an infrared command"

5.1.3. Learn an infrared command

If there is still a problem receiving a special key pressed, you can teach the Sconi Center this infrared command.

In this example we learn the SconiCenter the infrared code of the key "Vol+":

Click in the event section on the right side of the SconiCenter on the button "IR" to open the "IR Code Selection" window.

Then press the "Volume +" button on your remote. The IR code should appear in the status window and in the "IR Code Selection" window.

Then press "Edit" to assign this infrared code to the "Vol+" item on the left side

The SconiCenter should now display the IR code beside the "Vol+" item and when you press the "Vol+" button on the remote, there should also flash an red light.

6. Files

6.1. Sconi Center Manual

Sconi_Center_Manual.pdf

6.2. Sconi Center Configuration File

HarmonySconi_MediaPortal_20081229.scc

7. Links

• Logitech Remote Controls
• jbmedia Power Sconi
• Message Plugin for MediaPortal