<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div>This is my post from Ubuntu following up my problems with ATI Remote Wonder Plus along with some ideas and experiences configuring various ATI RF remotes. Previously I was having problems getting the ATI remote wonder plus working and I was wondering if the myth TV wiki for RW+ was up up to date with the latest ubuntu kernel (it is). Also I had some ideas about using an ATI remote to power on a front end using a backend running all the time with an updated ATI remote driver.<br></div><div><br></div><div>I finally got the remote ATI remote wonder plus remote working. <img class="inlineimg" src="http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" border="0">
Plain and simple you need to patch the driver module to get it to
work, but read on if you are interested in some of my research and
experience with these remotes.<br>
<br>
After purchasing an original "ATI remote wonder" remote I found out it
was plug and play with the standard keyboard/mouse driver "ati_remote"
module which comes with Mythbuntu 11.11 kernel 3.0.0-12-generic.<br>
<br>
Plug in the orig remote wonder usb transceiver (the one with a led on
it) and the mouse works and most of the standard buttons on the remote
work. What doesn't work are some of the buttons which do not map nicely
to X11 keyboard I expected this after reading posts. The buttons can
be mapped later using xev and key mapping. You basically have to map
your buttons to little used keyboard keys. <br>
<br>
The ATI remote wonder plus is essentially the same remote as the
original remote it. Physically it is smaller lighter uses less
batteries and has twice the range as the original ati wonder remote. It
is unfortunately not plug and play with current linux kernels (someone
should update the kernel drivers). Well it is in a way, its USB
receiver (the one without a LED) will be detected as an ATI remote. It
just will not receive signals from the "ATI remote wonder plus". But it
will receive signals from the original ATI remote wonder and appears to
be fully functional. <br>
<br>
To get the "ATI remote wonder plus" to work you need to patch the ati_remote kernel driver module. <br>
Once you do this both the original and the plus remote will work with either USB receiver (orig or plus).<br>
<br>
So to patch the kernel module I used these two web pages as reference, you absolutely need the mythtv page as it has the patch:<br>
<br>
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/compiling-linux-kernel-module.html<br>
<br>
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/ATI_Remote_Wonder_Plus<br>
<br>
The mythtv page instructs you to rebuild your kernel with a new
ati_remote_plus module. I did not know how to rebuild the kernel (well
my mythbuntu distro did not come with the kernel code) so I followed
instructions for just rebuilding a kernel module. <br>
<br>
After rebuilding the module and testing it I found out that the new
module I made was basically plug and play for both remotes so I just
replaced the original ati_remote.ko file. I will outline my build
instructions for those interested:<br>
<br>
1. I downloaded the kernel image for my distro and installed it. This
installs the kernel headers and the zipped up kernel code. The zipped
up kernel contains the original ati_remote.c driver code while the
headers are needed for compiling the module. To get your kernel image:<br>
<br>
sudo apt-get source linux-image-$(uname -r)<br>
<br>
2. Follow the mythtv remote patch instructions for patching the
ati_remote module. No need to change the name this patch appears
compatible with both remotes. I expect it will work for both 64 bit and
32 bit distros. I tested the remote on both 32 and 64 bit and it
worked but so far I have only patched my 32 bit distro. Here are my
somewhat modified instructions:<br>
<br>
So from my unziped package linux.3.0.orig or something:<br>
cp /usr/src/linux-3.0/drivers/input/misc/ati_remote.c to ~/ati_remote_plus/.<br>
<br>
Copy the following patch (the one on the mythtv rw+ web page) to ~/ati_remote_plus/ati_remote.patch<br>
<br>
Apply the patch in the following manner:<br>
cd ~/ati_remote_plus<br>
patch ati_remote.c ati_remote_plus.patch
<br>
<br>
3. Back to my changes create the following Makefile for building
rebuilding the only patched kernel module (not the whole kernel):<br>
<br>
Edit: <br>
~/ati_remote_plus/Makefile <br>
and insert:<br>
<br>
##################################<br>
obj-m += ati_remote.o<br>
<br>
all:<br>
make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) modules<br>
<br>
clean:<br>
make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) clean<br>
###################################<br>
<br>
Finally compile it type:<br>
<br>
make<br>
<br>
The build is quick and creates the kernel module:<br>
<br>
~/ati_remote_plus/ati_remote.ko<br>
<br>
4. So like I said after doing a bunch of lsmod and insmod I found this
driver works for both orig and plus remotes so to install the module
permanently over the original ati_remote.ko kernel module :<br>
<br>
Backup old mod and install new mod:<br>
<br>
cd /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/input/misc<br>
sudo cp ati_remote.ko ati_remote.ko.orig<br>
sudo cp ~/ati_remote_plus/ati_remote.ko .<br>
<br>
5. Reboot and try out the either remote or usb receiver, original "ati
remote wonder" or "ati_remote_wonder_plus. The remote will be plug and
play try lsmod | grep ati you will see ati_remote mod install when you
plug in either usb device.<br>
<br>
<br>
That all that is need to get ati_remote wonder plus to work under
ubuntu linux no lirc code is needed it is a keyboard/mouse you can map
keys using X11 and use lirc for another remote. <br>
<br>
I have not mapped all my keys to mythtv yet but the myth pages seem
pretty strait forward, plus I am sure you will want to do your own
mapping. I plan on mapping apps / scripts and other code to remote
keys. <br>
<br>
So I will talk about the ati remote wonder features...<br>
<br>
The ATI remote wonder plus is not a IR remote it is RF which means it
will go through walls etc... so it will work through cabinets or even
better you pipe the video and sound from your front end in your living
room to your bedroom add still use the remote or another remote from
your bedroom. The ATI remote plus manuals say it has 60 foot range the
original has 30 ft range.<br>
<br>
The next thing you need to know is you can optionally assign a channel
to the remote the remotes support up to 16 channels or if you have 16
remotes you can control 16 computers. The driver uses a channel mask so
you can mask out what remotes you would want to control what PC. This
feature actually gives this remote some interesting flexibility.<br>
<br>
First this is how you set the mask, read the ati_remote.c and
ati_remote2.c files for how to configure each remote. In summary, all
remotes program the same way, you hold down a button, press the channel
number 1-16, press the button gain the remote led will flash your
channel number. Use hand button for orig ati remote, pc button for ati
remote II, and the "ATI" button on the ATI remote plus.<br>
<br>
So to configure you computer you need to specify the modeprobe
channel_mask option. As I said it is a bit mask you set bits default is
zero for all channels are enabled. Setting the mask only turns off
remotes your computer will receive. Bit 1 (value 1) has no effect. For
example 32 (100000) will not allow remote channel 5. ~32 0x1FFDF will
only allow remote 5 which is what you probably want if you use multiple
remotes in your house. To set this channel_mask add the remote file:<br>
<br>
sudo emacs /etc/modprobe.d/ati_remote.conf<br>
<br>
Insert:<br>
<br>
#blacklist ati_remote<br>
options ati_remote channel_mask=32<br>
<br>
That file will let you test out how the mask only blocks channel 5 remotes.<br>
<br>
<br>
The channel mask actually allows some interesting configuration options
for future development with this remote. It should allow a particular
computer, I.E. your backend which may be running all the time to turn on
your front end computers. <br>
<br>
If the ati_driver is modified to mask out all options but the power
button then the channel received from a remote control can be used to
turn on a computer remotely using wake up on lan option configured in
bios to wake up a remote front end on your home network.<br>
<br>
I will elaborate a little, not all computers support wake on usb, for
one it wastes power and two if it does the you need to figure out how
the wake on usb works with your ATI remote. I tried on my laptop with
windows and it didn't wake so it may mean more driver changes for wake
on usb.<br>
<br>
Wake on lan is fairly easy to configure and is supported by linux and
mythtv via ethernet mac address. wol <mac_address>. So lets
assume your mythtv backend is always on. If you plug in a usb receiver
in the backend and modify the kernel module ati_remote.c code to ignore
the channel mask whenever the power button is pressed so that it will
then use the channel id to wake up on lan the front end that remote
controls. The power button then can be used to turn on or off a
particular front end. 60 feet is pretty far to reach any computer in
your house if your backend is centralized.<br>
<br>
Furthermore adding this functionality to a front end or any linux
computer with a usb receiver in your house will allow you to extend the
range of the wake on lan feature... Basically you are using the rf
remote to tell the one or multiple computers in your house to wake up
the computer / front end mapped to your remote.<br>
<br>
I have to get other things working first before I try it out but it
sounds feasible. Ideally a network based remote like a tablet / ipod
with IR (I read about an android tablet which has this functionality)
will give you the ultimate flexibility. Until then you can use a cheap
ATI RF remote to control any computer in your house.<br>
<br>
ATI remotes are X10 based so they may be able to control X10 devices
like lights etc... next on my play list. I driver code indicates the
X10 lola remote is supposed to work with the ati driver. <br>
<br>
I read that the ATI remote wonder II is a Philps remote with ATI name. I
do have one but no receiver yet... so I tried it with my current usb
receivers for orig ati remote and ati rw+ and it did not work. I
expected this as there is an ati_remote2 driver module for linux. It is
clear to me the orig and plus remotes are more available and cheaper
than the ati2 remote, they may also be more flexible since they are
interchangeable. From what I read about the ATI2 remote is it supports a
similar 60 ft range. The one interesting thing it does have is 5 mode
buttons (4 aux and 1 pc button). Essentially giving this remote 4 times
as many button inputs as the original remotes. I guess you could use
these buttons to control additional apps although you may need lirc
because X11 currently only supports 256 key codes. I sill like the feel
of this control's mouse, but its buttons are smaller and harder to
reach than the orig and + remotes. I have a few ati2 remotes and
receivers on the way to try this out. </div><div><br>
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