It's not clear if this will control the Foxsat STB. I'll keep looking around for something suitable.

Bob_Cat - Are there discreet 'On' and 'Off' codes that you are able to give us in case we have/can find a suitable programmable remote?

The Philips Pronto range of remotes appear to be extendable using "Prontoscript". Here is some code from their website for polling the state of your box, which may support timer + activity :-


Rgds.


Les.

Might have found one !!

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/9593410/Philips-SBCRU885-Learnable-Remote-Control/Product.html?ptsl=1&ob=Price&fb=0&&_$ja=tsid:11518|cc:|prd:9593410|cat:Remote+Controls

Look what it says under Timer Function.

Rgds.


Les.

This product is at least 6 years old and according to the single review on amazon its wasn't very good back then.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?...ntrol&x=7&y=22

Hi GC,

I didn't realise it was that old, but if it can learn from existing remotes, and is programmable with timer function, it might still fit the bill for this unique required circumstance.

The 1 review doesn't look too good, but then, the reviewer doesn't inspire confidence in themselves with their words

If anyone is desparate for this functon, it may be worth a punt from play.com at that price - certainly less than some of the exotic remotes I came across.

Rgds.

Les.

Savvy

For that price why not go for the One for all 12? It's just under £30.00!

<<http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-All-Stealth-URC7781-Universal/dp/B00108D9DG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260906678&sr=8-1>>

Does that have a Timer Function?

Here is a similar looking remote, but I'm not sure if it is the same, but on ebay it is only £12.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Philips-SBCRU8...item518e15c6f6

BTW, I don't need one of these, I don't suffer from power cuts, only trying to help others.

Rgds.


Les.

It says it has a timed macro function. Can a macro be one command?

I'll try and find the manual for it.

Calling Germany Calling

Any chance of a translation (Just the bit about the timer function)

http://safemanuals.com/user-guide-in...SBCRU865-00-_D

Graham

Found the manual for the 885

http://www.p4c.philips.com/files/s/s...00_dfu_eng.pdf

It looks to me as if you can only set an on time but can have more than 1 timer, since the hdr command is a toggle it sounds as if this migh work. Going to order one to try it out.

I'm guessing the timed macro is just a selection of programmed events with a predetermined interval between the individual programmed events, not a timer for the triggering of said macro.

Hi Graham,

Good work on finding the Manual. Yes, reading "Set Timer" on P13, it looks like an Event Timer, the Event being the keypress signal you want to send at the "Start Time". It looks like you can programme up to 8 of these, so the HDR's PWR Toggle Key would give you 4 pairs of On/Off.

Edit : Looked on that philips manuals site at the 865 on Ebay model. It only supports Macros, not the Timer facility, so ot looks like the 885 is the one to go for.

Rgds.


Les.

885 ordered and manual printed out. Watch this space

Your house must be full up with gadgets by now, Graham

Rgds.


Les..

The loft is

Les appreciate your thoughts, reading the manual it appears that you can set 8 timers per device so by using more than 1 device for the hdr it would appear to support up to 64 timer events. Used in conjunction with a macro key it also looks possible to create a rudimentary non-freesat timer (2 birds with one stone )

Graham

Hi Graham,

Yes, reading that manual again, it looks as though both of those may be possible - the power of lateral thinking - but use this remote only for those functions, not for "everything".

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating

Good luck, when it arrives.


Les.

Yes, I thought exactly the same. But, can you program a delay of (say) one minute to give the HDR time to boot up? You might need to set it as two timer events. Also, it might be difficult to overcome the HDR's preference to unexpectedly jump into Freesat mode at the slightest opportunity. Is the Freesat/Non-Freesat selection only a toggling function?

For example I was annoyed to "lose" the end of my HD recording (Unencrypted) of the last episode of "Life". I'd accidentally left a Freesat recording set for 10.00, so at 9.45 the Humax briefly popped up a "change mode" box and before I could grab the Remote Control it stopped the active recording and dumped the STB into Freesat mode (to sit there for 15 minutes doing s*d all).

Incidentally, I've been playing with a OneForAll "URC-5220 VCR Programmer" which I got from Poundland some time ago (it obviouly had no marketable value in the modern world). Remarkably it can actually wake up the HDR ("cable" code 0283) at a selected time but any other commands which might be transmitted are long gone before the HDR has woken up. :yawn: It then puts the HDR back into standby half an hour (or longer increments) later, but unfortunately this is a once-only event (it might be weekly but no other options). So it's not a significant solution to the power cut issue.

Cheers, Alan.

Not got it yet but as far as I can see you need two timer events to send boot/sby commands to the hdr if there has not been a power cut you need two seperated by say 5 minutes. First will boot the hdr, second will restore it to sby. Theres a snag though if there has been a power cut the first will start the clock the second will boot the hdr and leave it on. Hopefully then auto sby will return it to sby restoring the sequence.

For non-freesat recording using the timer should be relatively straightforward if the hdr is on and tuned to the channel you want to record just requiring a record start timer and a record end timer and then a return to sby timer event. Setting it up to record non-encrypted BBBC HD from a box in freesat sby is going to be much harder to accomplish.

The first snag is that the menus remember the last selection so that just to switch to non-freesat mode will require that the same menu item was last used every time. Yes like power the freesat/non -freesat will be a toggle as the remotes going to send the same code each time.

Well so far it turns the hdr on and off with two timer events (not tried a simulated power cut yet though. It also makes a tolerable universal remote. So far set up to control TV, hdr and AV amp.

Buttons available for hdr

Power
Numerics
Menu
Media
OK
OPT+
Exit
Red
Green
Schedule
Guide
Forward/Reverse Skip
Play
Stop
Record
Pause
Up/Down/Left/Right
Prog up/down

Have I forgotten any commonly used keys ?

Yes V-Format for those with HDMI handshake issues

I don't have any

Looks good, and with the Macro Functionality, to switch on your AV kit in the right order, and also to switch inputs for viewing different boxes, it might even be a passable replacement for my Harmony 885, if it ever conks out, at a cheap price; although it probably doesn't remember the "state" each of your boxes is in like the Harmony.

Rgds.

Les.

Compared to the harmony it's very basic Les. You can't build in time delays in macros so if there's a timelag required for say a boot up you have had it. However it has shown that my remote for the hdr is faulty as there's no missed commands or double entries with the new one.

Graham