[mythtv-users] How to send alphabetic letters from IR remote number pad?

David Lasker dave at altosdesign.com
Wed Jul 7 20:54:28 UTC 2010


I can't believe I am the first person to try to do this, but my Googling for
help came up empty. I posted this question on the lirc mailing list, and got
no reply. So I hope someone here has more insight into my question:

I would like to use the number keys on my IR remote to send mythtv
alphabetic characters, using the same user interface as is implemented on
many cell phones and A/V equipment. For example:

- Pressing the 2 key briefly sends "2"
- Holding the 2 key for 2 repeats sends "a"
- Holding the 2 key for 3 repeats sends "b"
- Holding the 2 key for 4 repeats sends "c"
- Pressing the 3 key briefly sends "3"
- Holding the 3 key for 2 repeats sends "d"
- etc.

I am using lirc_zilog with a Hauppauge HVR-1600 remote, on MythBuntu 0.23.

I tried many combinations of lircrc parameters, using repeat, delay, and
flags = quit without any luck. The strange part is that it looks like
begin/end blocks containing repeat and delay are being sent on the first
keypress before any repeats happen. 
For example using this very simple lircrc:

begin
    remote = Hauppauge_350
    prog = irexec
    button = 2
    config = a
    repeat = 2
    delay = 2
end

begin
    remote = Hauppauge_350
    prog = irexec
    button = 2
    config = 2
    repeat = 0
    delay = 0
end

When I press the "2" key briefly, irexec sends both the "a" and the "2". Why
is the "a" being sent without any repetition? How can I suppress the "a"?

If I hold the repeat key down, I get one "2" followed by a series of "a"'s,
as expected. But I need help figuring out how to suppress the first "2".

Is what I am trying to do even possible?

Thanks for the help!

Dave





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