HTPC - 'power on' using remote control?

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aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#23106 18-Jun-2008 11:00

Hi!

I hope the issue I raise here is of interest for many other people, maybe it was already solved...

I am able now to shut down the HTPC using the Hauppauge remote supplied with Nova-T 500 HD card, without impairing the functionality in any way. It was easier than I thought, plenty of info around.

Is there a way to have the pc starting up using the same remote? One way would be to build a basic IR receiver and install the terminals in parallel with the on/off button. This system would need power to receive the signal, so I will have to find +5V somewhere even when the pc is in "power off" mode. If this is not an option, maybe a battery can be used to power this device? You need +2.4V to +5V, not necessarily 5V, so maybe 2x 1.5 batteries would do the trick?

But I would like to minimise modifications on the wiring connected to the mobo...

Something based on this idea: http://www.instructables.com/id/Universal-IR-Remote-Switch/ , of course without the relay and all the other bits... or maybe the relay will just keep everything away from the mobo... will give me the "clean contacts" I need...

What would be the most elegant / solution?

i heard about some remote controls, like the one supplied with Windows MCE, able to do that. Not really interested, as I could get two good silent fans for the same money (TBH, I am more in need of those than the remote control...)

mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#138966 18-Jun-2008 14:00

I'm not 100% sure, maybe someone else can clarify, but an option could be to change the shutdown mode to sleep or hibernate or whatever you kids are calling it these days as the PSU should still be putting out power to the components. That way you can grab 5v from one of the rails of the PSU.

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
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#138982 18-Jun-2008 15:59

I think most people I know of use sleep mode to reduce/eliminate noise, and reduce power consumption, while still allowing their HTPC to be woken up at a given time for recordings, and just to be ready for use in a short space of time, as opposed to 45 seconds onwards for a cold boot.

askelon

880 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#138994 18-Jun-2008 16:36

I use hibernate mode with my WinXP/MP rc1 system. I use the remote that came with my PVR-150. Make sure you have the +5v enabled (via the jumper on your motherboard) to get it to turn on. You shouldnt need to hardwire anything. And yes, my system turns on at the correct times to record everything - havent had one failure as of yet (other than the damned powercuts we've had lately!).

I also have a iMon VFD with the imon remote which has a hardwired power setup - hit the power button on the remote and it turns the comp on via the power switch. It was a pity the remote was so horrible to use!

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#139003 18-Jun-2008 16:57

askelon: I also have a iMon VFD with the imon remote which has a hardwired power setup - hit the power button on the remote and it turns the comp on via the power switch. It was a pity the remote was so horrible to use!

Heh, yeah i have the iMon VFD also, but i swapped out the iMon remote for a Harmony 785 and haven't looked back. I haven't bothered to use hibernate on the PC yet though but i think i might have to give it a go.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#139005 18-Jun-2008 16:59

I do not know about the jumper, I will try to find out what the story is with the jumper... are you saying that you can use the remote control to turn the pc on? i know it can record while in hibernation, and then goes back to hibernation state, I only need a way to turn it on whenever I need, using the remote. Not an automated process like setting recordings at preset times.

any ideas for that?

I will study more about the stand by and hibernation, the S1 and S3 states...

askelon

880 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#139006 18-Jun-2008 17:07

Make sure its set to S3, make sure theres power going to the USB ports while turned off (the jumpers normally up around the CPU area of the mb - varies though - your looking for the USB device wake-up). Works perfect on my new board (ASUS M2N-X Plus) but didnt on my old Athlon64 3200+ system.

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#139014 18-Jun-2008 17:43

aucklander,

Is the remote receiver you are using connected to the HTPC via USB? Or directly into the tuner card? If the former, then some systems require a USB hack to make powering up via remote work. I needed to use it on my previous system.

Do you use a cordless keyboard? if so, does it power on the system from standby/hibernate?

Copy these lines below (minus the quotation marks) into notepad & save as USBhack.reg. Make sure you change 'save as type' to 'all files.'

"Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usb]
"USBBIOSHACKS"=dword:00000000
"USBBIOSx"=dword:00000000"

Or you could try this option. http://slicksolutions.eu/

Silverstone LC14 HTPC Case/Intel E4600 CPU/GA-EP35-DS3 MOBO/Asus EN9500GT graphics/2GB RAM/total 2TB HDD space/HVR-2200 & 2X 150MCE tuner cards/LG GGC-H20L BD Drive/MCE2005/Mediaportal/TVServer 1.1.0Final/LG 55"3D LED-TV/Denon AVR-1803 receiver/X1 projector

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Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#139119 19-Jun-2008 09:13

The remote sensor is connected at the back of the tv tuner, not through the USB.
I do not use a cordless keyboard. The range is quite limited, this is why I am trying to make the remote control work. First, to get the pc powering on, and later to get control of the desktop (at least "mouse + Enter" using the buttons on the remote control -> any ideas how to achieve this?).

Can I just create the registry entries, or I really have to create that file?
Where should I save it? Anywhere, and just run it to add the entries?

I came across the MCE Standby Tool before, when researcing a way to do what I need, I did not try it yet.
I will see how it can help with the "power on" issue.

Dingbatt

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#139132 19-Jun-2008 10:21

aucklander: The remote sensor is connected at the back of the tv tuner, not through the USB.
I do not use a cordless keyboard. The range is quite limited, this is why I am trying to make the remote control work. First, to get the pc powering on, and later to get control of the desktop (at least "mouse + Enter" using the buttons on the remote control -> any ideas how to achieve this?).

I too would like the 'IR On' option, but remote is through the tuner card, however in the meantime to control the desktop (and MediaPortal sometimes) I use one of these:

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?item=KEYADE4000

It works through walls, as HTPC is in an AV cupboard in another room. Having read this thread I am going to set about seeing if I can get it to wake the HTPC.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#139215 19-Jun-2008 16:56

Dingbat,

let us know if you get any results...
If not, you still end up with a very nice keyboard.

Dingbatt

6760 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#139220 19-Jun-2008 17:23

No luck so far....
MoBo has wake on LAN, wake on PS2 mouse and wake on PS2 keyboard, but no sign of a wake on USB setting (keyboard has USB RF dongle).
I hibernate my system so that the fans etc stop and the annoying blue light on the front stops flashing. In standby (sleep) the keyboard does wake the system but standby doesn't meet my power/heat reduction requirements. At least I think that's the case, the microsoft explanation leaves it open to question. Maybe I should delve into the MoBo documentation a bit more. I will watch this thread with interest.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Vorbis

176 posts

Master Geek

#139232 19-Jun-2008 18:48

Aucklander, Your (and my) motherboard has support to fire up the pc from 'off' using an i/r remote or usb device. I doubt you will have any luck getting your remote to work if it's connected to a pci/pci-x card when the pc is off, as the m/b supplies voltage to the usb ports (and only the usb ports directly on the m/b not front ports connected by headers) but not voltage to the pci system.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#139311 20-Jun-2008 09:26

I agree with the explanation that the PCi is not powered during Hibernation or standby states.
I also believe something like this might be a quick solution: http://www.instructables.com/id/EDXRQOWIHDEX504DH2/

A quick solution, if you manage to get the parts on the local market. I did not try Dick Smith yet, but I do not think they carry such specialised components. I will try it and post a reply when get results, might be weeks away. I might need to order IR detector and programmable IC from Australia. The IR detector costs $2.60 and the postage $15 !!!

Dingbatt

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#139352 20-Jun-2008 11:41

Dingbatt: No luck so far....
MoBo has wake on LAN, wake on PS2 mouse and wake on PS2 keyboard, but no sign of a wake on USB setting (keyboard has USB RF dongle).
I hibernate my system so that the fans etc stop and the annoying blue light on the front stops flashing. In standby (sleep) the keyboard does wake the system but standby doesn't meet my power/heat reduction requirements. At least I think that's the case, the microsoft explanation leaves it open to question. Maybe I should delve into the MoBo documentation a bit more. I will watch this thread with interest.

Amazing what happens when you read the documentation! Changed one jumper on the MoBo, the rear USB ports are live (front ones can be made live with a different jumper) and now the HTPC wakes when I press the spacebar on the RF keyboard.

The keyboard doesn't quite meet stringent WAFs yet, so I will continue to explore the IR remote solution.

As long as I remember to turn the plasma on before initially booting the HTPC it appears to hold that setting when it hibernates otherwise I'm toast and have no display. But I know this is covered in other threads so will have to look for a solution there. What would be great is a wake on HDMI option, so viera link could be used......I may have to explore that as well.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996