Re: Microsoft, please, a solution for the STB!!!!!!!

Ed,

Thanks for your reply!. Is there anything that we can do to help progress
any fixes? For example If we can find some software for capturing the raw IR
codes from the remote would it be useful to Microsoft?

Also, if anyone can tell me the answer? When using the MCE to Learn
remote codes, where do the IR Codes get stored? can I edit/view it?

Thanks

Terry

"Ed Rich [MSFT]" wrote:

> Terry,
>
> I'm sorry that you are in this situation. I confirmed that the Media Center
> team is aware of this issue. Unfortuately I cannot guarantee that it will be
> fixed anytime soon.
>
> Kind Regards,
>
> Ed Rich
> Program Manager
> Windows eHome
>
>
> --
> Ed Rich [MSFT]
> edrich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
>
>
> "Terry" <Terry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:B2CB3BE9-4A91-4E58-AA6F-C7BF4BEA629D@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Ed,
> >
> > I have indeed looked at www.redremote.co.uk. I have also emailed them and
> > the reply was
> >
> > This problem is due to a bug in MCE, and there is no fix for it at the
> > moment. I can only suggest you pester your MCE supplier as MS are only
> > likely
> > to fix it of they get enough complaints.
> >
> > But thnks for pointing this out!
> >
> > "Ed Rich [MSFT]" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Terry,
> >>
> >> Have you looked at http://www.redremote.co.uk/mce.html
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Ed Rich [MSFT]
> >> edrich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>
> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> rights.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Terry" <Terry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >> news:B68D7ECD-DDB8-4B92-AA71-A024EDB41159@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> > Ed,
> >> >
> >> > I am having the same issue, with in the UK with NTL Samsung SMT-2100C.
> >> > When two consecutive numbers are the same MCE doesn't change the
> >> > channel.
> >> > The only information I can find from Microsoft Knowledge base is due to
> >> > a
> >> > timing issue - I did try reg hacks but they were unsucessful. After
> >> > much
> >> > searching on the net I discovered that I am by no means the only person
> >> > with
> >> > this issue . It appears to be a toggle bit that is NOT sent from MCE
> >> > IR
> >> > Blaster. I configured the remote as NTL - C1060 this works of any
> >> > number
> >> > that is not repeated for exampl 51 will work but 55 will change to
> >> > channel
> >> > 5.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > I did also tried to use learning remote keys via MCE Setup however,
> >> > when
> >> > you
> >> > press and Hold 0 the first time the system then asks you to confirm the
> >> > key
> >> > press by pressing again, this of course doesn't work as it sees a
> >> > different
> >> > code the next time around (due to the toggle bit). So you end up with
> >> > MCE
> >> > asking for you to press 0 again, and again and again..............
> >> >
> >> > It would be great if Microsoft could sort this out, I understand that
> >> > the
> >> > issue is complex as there are many different boxes out there, but from
> >> > our
> >> > point of view we paid good money out and rightly expect it to work.
> >> > Incidently, TIVO had the same issue and they have resolved it, and also
> >> > a
> >> > number of All in One Learning remotes have the same issue when dealing
> >> > with
> >> > these STBs, so it is not down to a timing issue and Microsoft are not
> >> > the
> >> > only ones that have the issue!
> >> >
> >> > Do you think it would be hard for Microsoft to change the MCE Learning
> >> > to
> >> > detect the toggle of the remote?
> >> >
> >> > "Ed Rich [MSFT]" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Your points are well taken. MCE 2005 only recently became available in
> >> >> Spain. What you are seeing is the daunting task of dealing with
> >> >> dis-similar
> >> >> TV systems throughout the world. This is not me making excuses, these
> >> >> are
> >> >> the problems that the Windows TV team face on a daily basis. We (the
> >> >> eHome
> >> >> team) are working on making this better but it will take time. Since
> >> >> we
> >> >> are
> >> >> both a PC and a platform , we must design our product to work for the
> >> >> broadest audience and don't have the advantage that a dedicated STB
> >> >> (read:
> >> >> Closed System/BlackBox) has where each feature is discreetly handled
> >> >> in a
> >> >> firmware chip or software. While I can't discuss forward looking
> >> >> activities
> >> >> of the team in detail, I can tell you that
> >> >>
> >> >> 1) The team is aware of these issues intends to address them in the
> >> >> best
> >> >> way
> >> >> possible.
> >> >> 2) Evolving an open platform for TV on a PC takes time. We have been
> >> >> releasing code every year for the last 4 years and each release is
> >> >> solving
> >> >> more and more of the TV platform related issues.
> >> >> 3) MCE was released to a total of 33 countries in 2005 (up from 13 in
> >> >> 2004)
> >> >> based on the continual requests from customer and our local Microsoft
> >> >> subsidiaries on behalf of customers and partners. In order to
> >> >> accommodate
> >> >> this (also considering MCE is used for more than the TV experience)
> >> >> certain
> >> >> tradeoffs had to be made to meet the schedule. TV features take the
> >> >> longest
> >> >> to implement so the tradeoffs are more obvious to you the
> >> >> customer/consumer.
> >> >>
> >> >> I am giving you honest answers within the constraints of my being a
> >> >> Microsoft employee. Feel free to ask any long time user of this forum
> >> >> about
> >> >> the honesty/consistency of my responses.
> >> >>
> >> >> I hope you remain a fan and use of MCE while we continue to evolve it
> >> >> and
> >> >> solve those more complex issue in the TV space.
> >> >>
> >> >> Regards,
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> Ed Rich [MSFT]
> >> >> edrich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >>
> >> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> >> rights.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> "Spanish Main" <SpanishMain@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> >> >> message
> >> >> news:41128E09-E2A9-4A1F-969B-6935DDC1F356@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >> >I thinks this is not a solution for all the places. Here in Spain, we
> >> >> >can
> >> >> > access to the payTV only for one way, satellite , and you need the
> >> >> > subscription card from the company of the TV services... here you
> >> >> > cant
> >> >> > choose
> >> >> > the STB... always is the same, the STB from the TV company... and
> >> >> > here,
> >> >> > in
> >> >> > Spain all the systems have the same problem.. not me. And here it´s
> >> >> > normal
> >> >> > no
> >> >> > get this kind of TV and Digital DVB-T... and the system can MIX this
> >> >> > system... with two tuners....
> >> >> >
> >> >> > A lot of problems here in Spain.... not work. And I sure this
> >> >> > problem
> >> >> > of
> >> >> > the
> >> >> > digits of the channels never get a solution here....
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Sorry, but like always...
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "Ed Rich [MSFT]" wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> Hi Spanish Main,
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> The ultimate solution is to not need a STB and go with a closed
> >> >> >> loop
> >> >> >> system
> >> >> >> such as a built-in cable card or a serial cable which some STB's
> >> >> >> support.
> >> >> >> We are not there yet.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> In the mean time, the problem is two fold:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> 1) Some STB's have IR sensors that are either overly aggressive or
> >> >> >> are
> >> >> >> poor
> >> >> >> in design. They end up dropping digits thinking they are repeats..
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> 2) The inherent nature of IR blasting (IR Repeating from the MCE
> >> >> >> box
> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> the
> >> >> >> STB) is that it is an open loop system so we cannot get
> >> >> >> confirmation
> >> >> >> from
> >> >> >> the STB that the right channel was actually tuned and it is also
> >> >> >> subject
> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> interference from other lighting sources such as flourescent or
> >> >> >> strong
> >> >> >> sunlight.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Most people can tweak the IR blaster setting in the registry to
> >> >> >> solve
> >> >> >> the
> >> >> >> digit dropping issue.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Have you tried the new Tweak MCE (Requires Update Rollup 2 for MCE
> >> >> >> 2005).
> >> >> >> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3400190A-511A-4A3A-9B89-524511A76F58&displaylang=en#instructions
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Overview: Tweak MCE gives you access to systems settings and
> >> >> >> options
> >> >> >> not
> >> >> >> normally exposed in the Windows XP Media Center Edition user
> >> >> >> interface,
> >> >> >> ***including remote control settings***, Skip and Replay time
> >> >> >> customizations, user interface options, and more. It also helps you
> >> >> >> to
> >> >> >> optimize Media Center Extender for plasma and non-CRT displays.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Hope this helps.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> --
> >> >> >> Ed Rich [MSFT]
> >> >> >> edrich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> >> >> rights.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> "Spanish Main" <SpanishMain@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> >> >> >> message
> >> >> >> news:F7CFBD8E-9C41-434A-89FD-A3298BC8E511@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >> >> >I can read in all this post a lot of people with the same problems
> >> >> >> >with
> >> >> >> >the
> >> >> >> > STB, the channels with the same number... 11 ...22....33 . The
> >> >> >> > people
> >> >> >> > think
> >> >> >> > this is a problem with the toggle bit of the IR. But, microsoft,
> >> >> >> > if
> >> >> >> > a
> >> >> >> > lot
> >> >> >> > of
> >> >> >> > people have the same problem... When the solution?. It´s
> >> >> >> > important
> >> >> >> > for
> >> >> >> > us..
> >> >> >> > we pay a lot of money for this systems.. and doesnt work.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>
.

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