Using an One For All URC-6131 Remote with a Hauppauge IR Receiver

To me, the most important part of a PVR is the remote control. Thus, it is very important to pick a remote control that feels comfortable. For each person, this will be a different remote. However, if you're using a Hauppauge capture card (one of the WinTV series), then I highly recommend that you get a remote control that is capable of sending RC-5 codes (most universal remotes can do this). The reason for this is that a programmable RC-5 remote can be used with the Hauppauge IR receiver.

I'm using a One For All URC-6131, which has a button for PVRs. Also among its features is the ability to program (almost) any button on the remote with particular manufacturers' codes.

Although the remote control used for this specific example is the One For All URC-6131, the same idea can be extended to other universal remotes that support this functionality (Jarod uses a Radio Shack 15-2116 remote).

Hardware

Initially, I was using an irman, but then I read in the MythTV mailing-list archives how people were successfully using other remotes with the Hauppauge IR receiver. This piqued my curiousity, and I started playing around with my One For All remote. I managed to stumble through it and get it working quite well.

The URC-6131 is JP1 capable, although you have to solder the pins and a EEPROM onto the remote for that capability. The way that I did it does not require any JP1 programming, which means that you can just use an unmodified remote control. This cuts down on cost and complications.

Software

The software used for this will be the same as if you were using a Hauppauge remote control - thus, we will be using lirc. The main thing that we will be doing is replacing the configuration files. You can get my lircd.conf file here, and my .lircrc file (for MythTV) here.

The first file (lircd-URC6131.conf) needs to be renamed to lircd.conf, and placed in the /etc directory (/etc/lircd.conf). The second file needs to be renamed to .lircrc, and be placed in your MythTV home directory ($HOME/lircrc).

Programming the remote

To start with, you'll need to need to configure the remote to use the RC-5 signal protocol that the Hauppauge remote uses. On my remote, I find that VCR device code 0081 works best for this, mapping most keys, leaving about 10 buttons unprogrammed. Many of the One For All remotes (including the URC-6131) support converting any of the device buttons to act as a secondary device of another type. That means that I can convert my PVR button to act as a secondary VCR, and then program the PVR button to VCR code 0081.

For the buttons that don't get programmed using VCR code 0081, we'll be using extended function codes (EFCs) that aren't assigned to anything under this profile. A fairly complete list of all of the key codes that can be used under this code can be found at http://www.hifi-remote.com/cgi-bin2/ueic.cgi?VCR_0081.

Assuming a URC-6131, if you're not using the PVR button for another device (like a real TiVo), I recommend using that button for controlling MythTV. To do this, we want to make the PVR button act as a secondary VCR (these steps are in the manual):

1. Press the PVR button (to select the PVR device).
2. Press and hold the SET button until the LED blinks twice, then release it.
3. Enter 992. The LED should blink twice.
4. Press the VCR button once.
5. Press the PVR button once. The LED will blink twice.
6. Press the PVR button. (Again, select the new secondary VCR device).
7. Press and hold the SET button until the LED blinks twice, then release it.
8. Enter 0081. The LED should blink twice.

Programming the individual buttons with keycodes isn't documented in the manual for the URC-6131, however, I was able to find the information online. The procedure is similar to that of copying buttons from one profile to another.

All that said, here's the step by step instructions on programming the unprogrammed keys on a URC-6131 (should work for other One For All remotes as well):

1. Press the device button you have programmed to VCR code 0081.
2. Press and hold the SET button until the LED blinks twice, and release it.
3. Press 994
4. Tap the SET key. The LED should blink once.
5. Enter a three-digit code from the table below.
6. Press the corresponding remote control button from the table.
7. Repeat for all of the buttons in the table (or, as many as you feel the need to program)

(1) This maps ENTER to act the same as SELECT (so that they send out the same code)

Many of the extended function codes will not match the actual button descriptions from the extended code table. This is not a problem, as our main goal was just to get the remote to send unique codes for each button.