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UltraGCIR and IR Triggers using the GC-IRE

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    UltraGCIR and IR Triggers using the GC-IRE

    I spent about 8 hours this past weekend adding support for the GC-IRE. At this point, this is an unsupported feature.

    I used the following IR hardware to trigger HomeSeer events using learned IR patterns:
    • From the HomeSeer status web page, click the reconnect option for the Global Cache SERIAL device to establish a connection to the GC-IRE device.
    • Press a button on your IR remote that you would like to learn the IR pattern, then repeat the button press about 4 tor 5 times.
    • From the UltraGCIR > IR Triggers web page, select the Global Cache serial device that is connected to your GC-IRE, then click Update.
    • If the IR pattern was learned, it will display the learned IR pattern. If more button presses are required, simply press the IR button then click update. Then simply enter the button name (e.g. BUTTON_1), then click the add icon to save the changes. Note: The pattern of some IR buttons cannot be learned for use with IR pattern matching.
    • You can then use the learned IR patterns to trigger a HomeSeer event trigger.


    I am providing a few screenshots showing usage. Please post questions or comments on the IR Trigger support using the GC-IRE in this thread.

    Regards,
    Ultrajones
    Plug-ins: UltraMon, UltraM1G, UltraCID, Ultra1Wire, UltraLog, UltraWeatherBug, UltraPioneerAVR, UltraGCIR

    #2
    Screenshots Showing Usage

    [screenshots showing usage]
    Attached Files
    Plug-ins: UltraMon, UltraM1G, UltraCID, Ultra1Wire, UltraLog, UltraWeatherBug, UltraPioneerAVR, UltraGCIR

    Comment


      #3
      I installed the update and find the interface very easy to use. It's a very welcome feature and seems very user friendly. I was able to learn some codes very easily. However, some others are not passing the matching test very well.

      I have a universal remote that I am using to generate a unique set of codes for use with Homeseer. I simply program the universal remote to control a TV device that I do not own and use the number keys to generate the needed codes. So far, I have tried NEC code sets and Radio Shack code sets. Some of the codes work fine, others have a difficult time with the pattern matching. After repeated attempts, I can usually get it to match, but then operation is intermittent.

      I don't know much about IR code patterns, so I don't know if there are any issues with certain keys - like the number keys? I see your note about some IR codes not working and I'm wondering if number keys fit that description or is it certain code sets?

      I need to try some other codes to see what I can learn, but it may be next week before I can mess with it. Fortunately, I don't need any specific codes, I just need to find a handful that are reliable that I can use to trigger devices. If you have any guidance on how to choose codes (or code sets), it would be appreciated.

      Thanks,
      Mike

      Comment


        #4
        I get this error: UltraGCIR Warning - No response/improper response from SERIAL [192.168.1.70] to command 'id'


        What I'm doing wrong?

        Thanks for your help!

        Comment


          #5
          I'm no expert, so hopefully UltraJones will jump in here, but here are a couple of things to check.

          Make sure the GlobalCache SERIAL device shows "connected" on your Status page (if not, use the selector on the right to reconnect).

          Also, the GC-100 only supports one connection, so make sure you don't have any other software maintaining a connection to it (like another plugin, IR learner, etc.).

          Mike

          Comment


            #6
            Why it's so hard to control HS with a true hardware remote?

            Other section of the message board discourage us for trying to get IR input in HS... They say it's no hope. It seems so tricky to get this to work and so hard to find an RF Remote Control alternative... The best I was able to do is to use an X10 IR34a, in X10 mode, CM19a or CM15 as the device to control. This gives me the chance to use all the X10 multimedia keys like Play, Stop, the arrow pad, the numbers etc... It's very reliable, fast and the signal use standard X10 RF. Problem is that HS has no way of getting this kind of signal in... W800 is supposed to be able to receive X10's PC Remote RF signal but this work only with the low-end UR74a model and it's slow as hell... The only way I found to feed this signal in HS is via Girder. Not other app is able to pick up the signal and I must use either a CM19a or CM15a (I use the CM19a to avoid conflict with HS). The the signal is routed through a virtual COM port both Girder and HS are connected to and they exchange information with basic Serial Send commands... It's fast and reliable, no line of sight needed, both I hope some day it will exist a device like the Nevo was, and the Control4 remote is... It's a big gap not filled yet in the DIY HA world...

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by JackStone View Post
              Other section of the message board discourage us for trying to get IR input in HS... They say it's no hope.
              What? Since when?

              When I used the USB-UIRT, I used my IR remote for "everything". That is, mainly showing of to my friends, you know: Pressing play on the DVD dims the living room lights, and so on.


              However, I used it less and less and therefore didn't invest in a Global Cache Serial device. But experience states that if Ultrajones says it works, then it works.
              HSPro 3.0.0.458, Z-NET with Z-wave plugin 3.0.1.190, RFXCOM + 2x RFXtrx433E, HSTouch, Squeezebox plugin, iTach IP/WF2IR & GC-100-6 with UltraGCIR, BLDenon, NetcamStudio, Jon00s Webpage builder, Harmony Hub plugin, SCSIP (with FreePBX), Arduino plugin, IFTTT, Pushalot plugin, Device History plugin.
              Running on Windows 10 (64) virtualized
              on ESXi (Fujitsu Primergy TX150 S8).
              WinSeer (for Win10) - TextSeer - FitbitSeer - HSPI_MoskusSample

              Are you Norwegian (or Scandinavian) and getting started with HomeSeer? Read the "HomeSeer School"!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by JackStone View Post
                Other section of the message board discourage us for trying to get IR input in HS... They say it's no hope....
                If you are referring to the Homeseer GCIR plugin, then I would agree, at least for some users like myself. It was poorly written and very unstable. That is what led me to ask UltraJones to add IR receive capability to his plugin, which he did, and did well. There are apparently some inherent negatives to the way the GC-100 receives IR, but he was able to overcome the issues and make it work successfully. I use it regularly and have no complaints.

                Mike

                Comment


                  #9
                  I forgot about the USB-UIRT, it is there for so long... You say it work well? Maybe it work the try... Anyway, I still think the way to go is RF, all "high-end" Home Automation systems work this way, we're just waiting for the right remote to do it. HomeSeer should build one!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    GC-IRE / GC-CGX / Xantech

                    I just picked up a GC-IRE and am attempting to connect it in this fashion using the GC-CGX cable. For some reason, I am getting an error message indicating that the receiver cannot be found. Does the plug-in only support the GC receiver or will it support generic receivers connected to a connecting block?
                    Attached Files

                    Comment


                      #11
                      OK...I figured this out. Two problems.

                      1) The Serial Connection needed to be manually reconnected via the "Reconnect" drop down.
                      2) The baud rate on the GC-100 needed to be slowed to 9600 from the factory default of 19200.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Glad you got it working, I was just starting to compose some suggestions to start looking at, but poor memory was getting the best of me!

                        One thing to note on the manual reconnection - whenever you restart Homeseer, you'll need to reconnect. Before I moved to a dedicate HA computer, I was restarting more often than I wanted and kept forgetting to reconnect the UltraGCIR, only to be frustrated when I couldn't get my IR to respond. So I add a function to my startup script and created an Event to reconnect it automatically.

                        The Event is a Manual Only event which I called "Reconnect GC-100 Serial". The Action for the event is simply a Device Command for the GlobalCache SERIAL UltraGCIR Plugin with a value of Reconnect.

                        Then the function I added to the end of my startup script is this:

                        Code:
                        ' Reconnect GC-100 Serial Port
                        hs.WaitSecs 60
                        hs.TriggerEvent "Reconnect GC-100 Serial"
                        The delay is an arbitrary amount that I picked, it may not need to be that long. But if you don't add a delay, the GC-100 won't be ready to connect and it will fail.

                        Mike

                        Comment


                          #13
                          The capability of triggering events from IR is interesting indeed.

                          Does the plug-in work with the IR learning receiver on the iTach series of devices for this function?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            >The capability of triggering events from IR is interesting indeed.

                            >Does the plug-in work with the IR learning receiver on the iTach series of >devices for this function?

                            Found the answer (no) in another thread.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              UltraJones,

                              This feature is way cool and works great!

                              I use it to trigger a script when it receives an ON or OFF IR code for the TV. The script then sets up the audio and lighting.

                              Thank you very much for adding it.

                              Ken

                              Comment

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