Guide - using a Harmony with amlogic devices

Skripo · March 17, 2017 at 3:06 PM

Actually the power button is quite useless because it forces a whole reboot, at least on my device. Apparently suspend does not work. I am actually going to remove it from my harmony and leave the box on all the time.

I also did the whole 2 remotes thing and edited the OPs original file to change the menu key to the context key, which was sorely missing. I very much prefer altering the file to learning codes, that way my Harmony is as stock as possible.

Here is the code if you want it, power was NOT modified:

Code

# Pivos xios ds for harmony
factory_code    = 0xbd020001
work_mode          = 0
repeat_enable     = 1
repeat_delay = 100
repeat_peroid = 100
release_delay    = 100
debug_enable     = 1
 
key_begin
 
; Code    = IR keycode
; Linux   = Linux keycode
; Android = Android keycode
; key id = you'll see that if you press a key and look in the (debug) log.  Can be used in keymap.xml
;
;
;
; Code    Linux  Android        key id            kodi keymap
; ----    -----  -------------  ------           -----------
  0xe3    30     ; A            61505           a
  0xd8    70     ; EXPLORER     61660           scrolllock
  0xd9    35     ; H            61512           h
  0x90    111    ; DEL          61575           delete
  0xd2    108    ; DPAD_DOWN    61569           down
  0x99    105    ; DPAD_LEFT    61570           left
  0xc1    106    ; DPAD_RIGHT   61571           right
  0xca    103    ; DPAD_UP      61568           up
  0x84    33     ; F            61510           f
  0x95    44     ; Z            61530           z
  0xc5    23     ; I            61513           i
  0xd6    46     ; MENU         61507           c
  0x80    113    ; VOLUME_MUTE  61623           volume_mute
  0xe1    38     ; L            61516           l
  0xc2    52     ; .            61486           period
  0xce    28     ; DPAD_CENTER  61453           return
  0xcd    178    ; PAGE_DOWN    61573           pagedown
  0x9a    177    ; PAGE_UP      61572           pageup
  0x85    57     ; SPACE        61472           space
  0x88    25     ; P            61520           pagedown
  0x45    116    ; POWER WAKE   61662           power
  0x96    51     ; ,            61484           comma
  0xe4    16     ; Q            61521           q
  0xd0    14     ; BACK         61448           backspace
  0xc3    19     ; R            61522           r
  0xe0    20     ; T            61524           t
  0xe5    40     ; APOSTROPHE   61479           quote
  0x55    45     ; X            61528           x
  0xe2    17     ; W            61527           w
  0x8c    114    ; VOLUME_DOWN 61624            volume_down
  0xdd    115    ; VOLUME_UP   61625            volume_up
  0x87    11     ; 0            61488           zero
  0x92    2      ; 1            61489           one
  0x93    3      ; 2            61490           two
  0xcc    4      ; 3            61491           three
  0x8e    5      ; 4            61492           four
  0x8f    6      ; 5            61493           five
  0xc8    7      ; 6            61494           six
  0x8a    8      ; 7            61495           seven
  0x8b    9      ; 8            61496           eight
  0xc4    10     ; 9            61497           nine
 
key_end
 
 
 repeat_key_begin
 
         0xdd 115                ;VOLUME_UP
         0x8c 114                ;VOLUME_DOWN
         0x99 105                ;DPAD_LEFT
         0xca 103                ;DPAD_UP
         0xc1 106                ;DPAD_RIGHT
         0xd2 108                ;DPAD_DOWN
 
 repeat_key_end

Display More

Skripo · March 17, 2017 at 8:40 PM

I need some letters for other functions, and Pivos doesn't have any. I know Logitech had a Kodi device but no hardware os you can't really map it.

Any suggestions?

dubbud · March 31, 2017 at 2:04 PM

Thanks trogggy for this post. I have an old 525 harmony remote and I note that you have the same one. Had 2 questions.

1 problem I have been having is that I find the stop function takes about 3-5 sec to work. The video stops immediately but then freezes and it doesn't return to the previous screen for 3-5 seconds. On the other hand, if I access the onscreen control and click on the stop button, it does it immediately.

Also I note that return to dvd menu doesn't work. It shows another screen which is basically blank and after pressing OK, it then goes to the main DVD menu. Again using the onscreen DVD menu button, it works immediately.

Is there anything I can change.

Thanks

trogggy · March 31, 2017 at 2:21 PM

Quote from dubbud

Thanks trogggy for this post. I have an old 525 harmony remote and I note that you have the same one. Had 2 questions.

1 problem I have been having is that I find the stop function takes about 3-5 sec to work. The video stops immediately but then freezes and it doesn't return to the previous screen for 3-5 seconds. On the other hand, if I access the onscreen control and click on the stop button, it does it immediately.

Also I note that return to dvd menu doesn't work. It shows another screen which is basically blank and after pressing OK, it then goes to the main DVD menu. Again using the onscreen DVD menu button, it works immediately.

Is there anything I can change.

Thanks

All I can suggest is what I'd do if confronted by that...
- enable debug logging
- open the log on my pc
- start film
- refresh log and scroll to the end
- press 'stop' on the remote
- refresh the log again, copy the lines showing what happened (on pressing stop) to a new file
- start the film again
- bring up the osd and navigate to 'stop'
- refresh log and scroll to the end
- press 'stop' in the osd
- refresh the log again, copy the lines showing what happened (on pressing stop in the osd) to the new file
Then compare the 2. And if you can't figure it out post the snippets here. And if I can't figure it out start a new thread.

Or to put it more concisely:
Enable debug logging, see what happens when you hit a button.
Same for the DVD menu.

I should say I've never seen those issues, but I don't play DVDs. Does the stop button still cause a 'hang' if playing from a file or stream?

dubbud · March 31, 2017 at 2:37 PM

Thanks again,

I will try and do the logging as suggested and post what I come up with.

dubbud · April 2, 2017 at 12:23 AM

Quote from dubbud

Thanks again,

I will try and do the logging as suggested and post what I come up with.

Just an update, the problem I had appears to be related to the Amber skin I was using. The stop button worked fine using the Aeon not skin. I did try turning on logging but going through the results for some reason didn't seem to bring up any of the ID/codes mentioned in the first page.

Is there a known ID/code for bringing up the DVD menu during playback?

Thanks

trogggy · April 2, 2017 at 12:31 AM

Quote from dubbud

Just an update, the problem I had appears to be related to the Amber skin I was using. The stop button worked fine using the Aeon not skin. I did try turning on logging but going through the results for some reason didn't seem to bring up any of the ID/codes mentioned in the first page.

Is there a known ID/code for bringing up the DVD menu during playback?

Action IDs are here:
Action IDs - Official Kodi Wiki
It looks like you maybe want '

Code

ShowVideoMenu

'. But as I say it's not something I do.

honolulu1 · April 4, 2017 at 12:10 PM

I'm glad to see this thread is still alive.
This tutorial has worked very well for me using my harmony remote but now I've decided to give my amlogic box to my sister.
She doesn't have an universial remote so I'd like to configure any random remote with enough buttons for this box.
I've read something about LIRC may be working for amlogic boxes since one of the former libreelec builds but I can't find a tutorial about how to set it up.
Am I wrong about LIRC working for s905 boxes or is there any other way to make any random remote control compliant with my amlogic device?

Edit: Don't bother, found a way. It's not very easy but gets the job done except for the power_on command which I still have the original remote to use for.

Here the link: thread-3581.html?highlight=remote.conf

dalben · April 11, 2017 at 11:12 AM

Hi.

I'm a bit of a klutz when it comes to IR commands.

Using the first post in the thread I now have my Harmony controlling my S905X box nicely. It even turns off Kodi.

I am having trouble turning on the device with the Harmony. I spoke to the manufacturer and they gave me 0x4d as the remote power button IR code. How do I incorporate that into the remote.conf ? I've had no luck so far.

Regards

David

trogggy · April 11, 2017 at 11:22 AM

Quote from dalben

Hi.

I'm a bit of a klutz when it comes to IR commands.

Using the first post in the thread I now have my Harmony controlling my S905X box nicely. It even turns off Kodi.

I am having trouble turning on the device with the Harmony. I spoke to the manufacturer and they gave me 0x4d as the remote power button IR code. How do I incorporate that into the remote.conf ? I've had no luck so far.

Regards

David

Display More

Do you have the original remote?
Does that turn the box on?

If that's 'yes' and 'yes' it's just a case of using the Harmony's learning function. Learn the power button on your original remote as 'power on' for the pivos xios ds in your Harmony device settings.

dalben · April 11, 2017 at 12:23 PM

Thanks. In the end that was easy. I'm not sure why I got so fixated on 0x codes.

JohnWB · April 27, 2017 at 9:01 AM

Do you know is this would work with a Logitech Harmony One I want to use to control a Wetek Play 2 (running the latest LibreELEC 8.01)

itsmeedoofer · April 27, 2017 at 12:24 PM

Hi,

I'm sure this all works OK, but for a really simple solution maybe try this....

Add a new device in the Harmony software:-

Manufacturer:- AM-Logic
Model Number:- MXIII

This works on my M8 Mini II and my MXIII-G Plus.....

Me.

dubbud · April 29, 2017 at 5:25 PM

Hoping to get some advice again.

I originally set up my harmony 525 following troggy's instructions and all went well. In fact, I only did the first 2 steps (install the "pivot bios ds device" and learn the power command) and it worked.

I have now got a harmony touch and again followed the instructions. However I am having problems with the power function. Everything else works well. After learning the "power" function, I find that I can power on my device but I can't power off.

I then tried to follow steps (3) and (4) but am stuck. I am using MyHarmony (for the harmony touch) but I dont understand how to set the "power on" in Harmony software and "power off" in Pivos profile. In MyHarmony, I can see the devices (Pivos) but it only has a powetoggle. My harmony 525 was set using the previous harmony remote software.

Thanks again

Quote from trogggy

That's now ready to try, so move across to your Harmony:

Install the 'pivos xios ds' device

using your original remote learn the 'power' command.

set the learned power command to 'power on' in the Harmony software

set the power command in the pivos profile to 'power off'

After a bit of experimenting I ended up with the following delay settings for my Harmony:
power on > 1000
Inter-key, Inter-device and repeats (the last one accessed via 'troubleshooting') are all set to 0 (zero).
Before that I had problems with multiple keypresses - it's what works for me / my device / my remote so use it as a starting point.

Momo90 · July 8, 2017 at 1:56 PM

Quote from trogggy
Two ways:
1. Use coreftplite, winscp, filezilla or similar and it's in /.storage/.kodi/.temp

2.In explorer navigate to 'Configfiles' and open the samba.conf.sample in a text editor.
Add the following entries:
Code
[Kodi]
  path = /storage/.kodi
  available = yes
  browsable = yes
  public = yes
  writable = yes
  root preexec = mkdir -p /storage/.kodi


[Storage]
  path = /storage
  available = yes
  browsable = yes
  public = yes
  writable = yes
  root preexec = mkdir -p /storage
Display More
Save the file as samba.conf (make sure you don't make samba.conf.txt!!!). Reboot, and when you open it up in explorer again you'll see the 2 new entries (only the first is needed if you just want to see the log files).

I use number 2.

Ive got a big problem! Did not exactly what trogggy wrote. I created a file called samba.conf and inserted the code as seen in trogggys post. I did not edit the samba.conf.sample. So the content of my samba.conf is only the code of trogggy.

Now when trying to acces via windows username and password is needed...

root libreelec doesnt work. Please help me!

Edit: solved it by renaming the wrong samba.conf via putty

chongwho · January 3, 2018 at 4:39 AM

Hi Guys,

Didnt want to start a new thread, as this seems like the right place to ask.

I have a mecool m8s Pro L, with LibreElec running from an SD card (and using the internal memory for storage)

The remote.conf seems to be working fine, and the controls are working within libreelec, however I can't power off. I had the harmony learn the original remote 'power' button, but it does nothing when the box is on. Even the original remote isn't working anymore.

I'm assuming this is because the remote.conf has overridden the 'power off' button?

Maybe I havent followed the insrtuctions well enough?

bubblegum57 · January 3, 2018 at 8:59 AM

Have you used the power toggle on the harmony rather than power off or power on?

You can put the original remote in the same place as the remote.conf but call it secondremote.conf

blakey · January 3, 2018 at 9:13 AM

Quote from chongwho

I have a mecool m8s Pro L, with LibreElec running from an SD card (and using the internal memory for storage)

The remote.conf seems to be working fine, and the controls are working within libreelec, however I can't power off. I had the harmony learn the original remote 'power' button, but it does nothing when the box is on.

Maybe I havent followed the insrtuctions well enough?

I use a Mecool remote from Harmony database (MecoolM8S Pro) and works great, I didn't learned any commands from the original remote.