Media Center Edition (MCE) remotes are designed to control PCs running Microsoft Windows with Windows Media Center. MCE remotes come with an external infrared receiver that connects to a PC via USB. Newer PCs may have the IR receiver integrated in the case.
Note: Originally there were two modules lirc_mceusb and lir_mceusb2. These were later merged into a single lirc_mceusb driver. More recently (2.6.35 kernel and lirc-0.8.7) the module was known as just mceusb. You need to adjust all the configuration examples below depending on exactly how the module is named.
*IR transmit and receive are supported on all generations of mce transceivers, as of lirc-0.8.6.
*Some newer devices may require post lirc-0.8.6 cvs for full functionality
*Historically, there were separate 1st-gen and 2nd-gen drivers, lirc_mceusb and lirc_mceusb2. They were merged into a single lirc_mceusb driver as of lirc-0.8.6, which as noted above, supports transmit and receive on all devices.
MCE Keyboard
*Keyboard is supported as a USB HID device
*IR Receiver is supported
*IR Transmitter is supported with lirc_mod_mce > 0.1.3
MCE Remote alternative
* Based on the mod-mce project
* Version 1 & 2 Receivers supported as a USB HID device
* LIRC not required
You can click here Download kernel module source
Installation guides
Be sure your kernel has support for USB. Most default kernels will. You will only need the USB 1.1 driver (OHCI or UHCI) and USB 2.0 (EHCI) is not required. There is no kernel module specific for this device. Before continuing, be sure your device is recognized by your USB host controller:
# lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0471:0815 Philips
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Windows Vista MCE Remote
The new version MCE remote control now responds with the following when you type lsusb:
# lsusb
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0609:0334 SMK Manufacturing, Inc.
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
This window vista remote requires an updated lirc_mceusb2 driver (newer than current lirc-0.8.2 released: 9-Jun-2007) Download just the updated driver (version 1.30 of the file and newer has support) from LIRC CVS or follow the instructions below for a complete CVS checkout.Use the default mceusb2 lircd.conf file and all of the remote’s keys work without modifying the example mceusb2 lircd.conf file.
Download a lirc CVS SnapShot
Generally the latest cvn snapshot from the official LIRC website should work fine. As of writing, the latest snapshot available is lirc-0.8.7pre1. Download and extract it either manually from the previous link or using the following code.
cd /usr/src
wget http://lirc.sourceforge.net/software/snapshots/lirc-0.8.7pre1.tar.bz2
bunzip2 lirc-0.8.7pre1.tar.bz2
tar -xvf lirc-0.8.7pre1.tar
cd lirc-0.8.7pre1
Users of the very latest linux kernels may find they have problems compiling or running code from the svn snapshot. If you have problems with the above install, or just want to run the latest and greatest lirc version, download the latest cvs lirc code using the following method. If that still doesn’t https://iabdm.org/klonopin-online/ work, please report your issues to the lirc mailing list.
Downloading using CVS
- Make sure you have the cvs, autoconf, automake and libtool packages installed (rpm package manager users search for them and install their rpms).
- 2. Type the following on a command line and ignore what it says about not finding /root/…:
cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@lirc.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/lirc login
3. Type the following: cvs -z8 -d:pserver:anonymous@lirc.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/lirc co lirc
4. Type the following:cd lirc./autogen.sh
5. Continue with the following Install section, starting with “./setup.sh”.
You now have two choices, you can either run the Lirc Setup script and accept it installing itself where it wants to, or you can carry out a manual configure. Using the setup script is easier, but it means that the various binararies and configuration files aren’t placed in the normal Gentoo locations.To use the automated setup process:
./setup.sh
Menu Option # (1) – Driver Configuration (enter)
Menu Option # (8) – USB Devices (enter)
Menu Option # (o) – Windows Media Center Remotes (new version, Philips et al.) (enter)
Menu Option # (3) – Save your configuration and run configure (enter)
make install
Important.png Note: If bash returns ‘dialog not found’ when running ./setup.sh, install the dialog packageThis will also create a /etc/lircd.conf file which should work. If it complains about missing fedora source files use “yum install kernel-devel” and rerun ./setup.sh.
To perform the manual configuration:
./configure –prefix=/usr –sysconfdir=/etc/conf.d –with-x –with-driver=all
cp remotes/mceusb/lircd.conf.mceusb /etc/conf.d/lircd.conf
If you get errors during the compile, try to change the .configure step to be./configure –prefix=/usr –sysconfdir=/etc/conf.d –with-x –with-driver=mceusb2 instead of -with-driver=all. You should change mceusb2 to mceusb if you are using the old version of the remote.
If you get an error message that the “kernel source is required”, it actually means the kernel headers. On my system this Ubuntu package was linux-kernel-headers-2.9.12-9-386 to match the version returned by the uname -a command. Installing the right version of the headers to match your kernel version is esssential. You may also need to install the gcc compiler.Load the module and Start lircdTest it with the irw utility. irw will output the commands received by the IR receiver that match your lircd.conf file. So start irw, point your remote and start pressing buttons.
# irw
000000037ff07bfe 00 One mceusb
000000037ff07bfd 00 Two mceusb
000000037ff07bfd 01 Two mceusb
000000037ff07bf2 00 Home mceusb
000000037ff07bf2 01 Home mceusb
If everything works, then autoload lirc_mceusb2 when your computer loads (how to depends on your distro) and start lircd as well (also depends on your distro).One note, I’m running a late-model Gentoo and I have to load lircd with this option:
# lircd -d /dev/lirc/0
Otherwise it fails, as it defaults to /dev/lircd. You will also need to install an lircrc file (note no dot at the front of the filename in the ~/.mythtv directory so that when the frontend starts up it can see the mythtv configuration settings for your remote control buttons.
