FAQ Overview

Android Apps » General (all Android apps)

The app no longer seems to communicate with a DirecTV receiver (or TV/AVR) that it had previously found. What happened?

Note:  If this happens only with Genie CLIENTS, the problem may be related to this FAQ instead.

 

First, be sure that your mobile device is connected to your home WiFi network and confirm your Whole Home settings if someone else may have changed them.  An even more likely cause however is that the receiver is setup to use what is called DHCP.  What this means is that your home network's router assigns it an arbitrary IP address whenever it needs to be renewed.  Sometimes it happens to assign the same address, but often times it does not.

To correct the problem, you can usually just re-scan for receivers in the app.  Note though that if your receivers are in fact using DHCP, then you may want to consider configuring your receiver for a static IP address or DHCP Reservation.  Static or DHCP reservation applies not only to DirecTV receivers but also is recommended for any network device you'd like to control, including TVs or AVR.

 

It's also worth mentioning here that I have had some reports of DirecTV receivers and even AVRs (A/V Receivers controlled by the Volume Plugin) suddenly not being detected or controllable with the app.  While at first glance it appeared to be a problem with my app, the problem actually resolved itself after rebooting the DirecTV receiver or AVR itself.  So if things seem like they should "just work" but they are not, consider rebooting your DirecTV receiver or TV/AVR!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-14 13:12


Is full version history available for your apps?

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-02 11:17


Do you do beta testing?

I generally do my own testing but I do on occasion send beta versions for people to test.

 

While I have never done "mass" beta testing, if you are a PRO user and are interested in participating in beta testing should I ever decide to do that, just send me an email and let me know you are willing to beta test.  If I ever do decide to send out beta versions to a number of people, I might send it to you as well.

 

Below are a couple issues in DirecTV Remote that I wouldn't mind doing some more testing with.  If these affect you then please send me an email if you'd like to help resolve the issue.  The problem is that I cannot repeat these issues on my own devices, network and equipment which makes it difficult to troubleshoot and fix.

  • WiFi not properly detected on some devices (should be improved in version 2.2.2).
  • Scanning sometimes misses one or more receivers on some devices or networks (but manually adding the receivers works every time).
  • Scanning used to work but no longer does (neither does manually adding a receiver).  I've had a couple reports of this, one of which was resolved by making changes to their router.  I was never able to determine why it suddenly started happening though because the basic principals of scanning in my app have not changed since the first version I released.  I was never able to completely rule in (or out) a specific cause.
  • Some devices vibrate and play a sound when the notifications are updated in the app.  There is a work-around, but I'd still like to test it further and try other things to fix it.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-26 16:00


Do you accept suggestions and ideas?

Absolutely!  While I generally do not promise to add every idea that is sent my way, I am very open to suggestions on how to make my apps better.  Sometimes it is something I was already considering doing and receiving the suggestion may prompt me to do it sooner.  Other times it is something I never really thought of.

 

Some examples of features and options that were either newly suggested to me or something I added sooner as a result of an emailed suggestion are:

  • Adding shortcut support (a very awesome suggestion might I add!)
  • The ability to rearrange and rename receivers, favorites and macros (List Organizer)
  • Labels on the colored buttons
  • Keeping the macro list open after executing a macro
  • On Now (current program info) in the notification area

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:49


I want to help! Do you want a partner?

I've been programming for many years and I've always done everything myself: Programming, documentation, support, managing this website, etc.

While sometimes it can be overwhelming and take up a lot of my time, I don't think I'd want it any other way.  It's something I enjoy doing (usually).

 

If you like my apps though, feel free to spread the word!  Tell friends & family, post messages in online forums, etc.  I don't generally do any advertising myself so word of mouth is my biggest advertisement!  Smile

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:57


Do I need to purchase the app for each of my Android devices? I've paid for the app for use on my phone but would like to use it on my tablet too.

So long as each of your Android devices are using the same email/Google account, any apps purchased on one device should appear as purchased on your other devices.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-11-01 08:07


Is Cognitial Mobile on Google+ or Google Groups?

In all honesty, I still recommend that these FAQs be your first stop for help with my apps, and I also still recommend an email (from within the app preferably) for personal help.  However, if you have a question or comment that you feel would be well-suited to a public forum such as Google+ or Google Groups, by all means drop me a line on there.

 

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google Groups  (feedback & possible beta testing opportunities)

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google+

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 01:39


Advanced support options

In addition to email and the FAQs you are reading now, I can also provide support via a chat room and if you have a device compatible with TeamViewer then I can even remotely control your Android device using TeamViewer QuickSupport!  These advanced support options are free of charge and are part of my commitment to providing the best support possible.


Chat Room

While the chat room is available 24/7, I only log into it when someone is expecting me.  As a result, it is usually empty.  If you would like help via online chat, please send me an email first.  If I happen to be available at the time, I will log in and chat with you.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time to chat.

Click here to go to the online chat room


Remote Control via TeamViewer QuickSupport

Using a free app, I can remotely control your phone or tablet to help set it up or show you how to use it.  This service is only available on certain device brands and models.  At the time of this writing this includes Samsung, Sony, Asus (for business customers), Lenovo, Alcatel One Touch / TCL, Prestigio, Archos, Medion, Caterpillar / CAT, Unitech and more.  See the TeamViewer QuickSupport app (link below) for an up-to-date list.

Before we can use this option, you first need to install the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app.  It may also require a free addon, in which case the app should prompt you about this when you first run it.  Click here to go to the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app on Google Play.

Like the chat room, you will need to first email me and let me know you would like to use this support option.  If I happen to be available at the time and have access to my computer, I will remotely control your phone or tablet and help you with your problem.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time for this.  You will also want to have access to a laptop computer so we can communicate via the chat room or we can also arrange a phone call if preferred.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-03-29 20:30


Android Apps » DirecTV Remote+

I just installed the pro version. Why does the app still prompt me to purchase it when I try using pro features?

Because the free and pro versions are two separate apps, they each require their own shortcut on your home screen.  Most likely you have launched the free version by using your old shortcut.  Please uninstall the free version (recommended) and create a new shortcut for the pro version on your home screen.

 

Newer versions of the free and pro apps warn you if the other version is also installed on your device.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:19


Other DirecTV remote apps in the Android market claim to show the playlist from a DVR. How come yours doesn't?

It was announced by DirecTV in May 2011 that the ability to retrieve the playlists was going to be deprecated in the near future (and since then has been).  Rather than lure you in with a feature that I knew will be broken sometime soon, I chose to leave it out.  Update:  At the time of this writing (March 2012), most if not all receivers have already received the new HD GUI from DirecTV.  Along with this update, the ability to retrieve the playlist using 3rd party apps has been removed.  Playlist support in other apps either no longer works or has been removed from the app.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:33


The Slow Motion button (and / or macros) do not work well.

Unfortunately, the DirecTV H2x and especially the HR2x models are known for getting laggy and slow to respond over time.  Macro reliability depends on a healthy home network and more heavily on the responsiveness of the DirecTV receiver.  The pro version allows you to adjust macro delays.  While the default settings should work well for most network environments, you can try increasing the delays if you continue to have problems.  Try increasing them in 250 ms increments.  If you find that your receiver has been sluggish or macros don't work as well lately, try rebooting the receiver.  It should also be mentioned that immediately following a reboot, the receiver can sometimes be slow the first time or two when entering the guide, menus or viewing the Info banner.  For this reason, you may want to manually navigate these after a reboot before attempting to use macros.  For a bit more related information on this problem, see this question.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:52


Button presses seem to be getting dropped or the receiver is very slow to respond to commands sent through the app.

DirecTV receivers are notorious for dropping commands, especially when sending several in rapid succession (and particularly when in the Guide or Info banner).  Other DirecTV remote apps have this problem, and in fact the actual DirecTV remote is affected by this as well.  Usually rebooting the receiver will alleviate this problem but eventually it can get worse again.  Hopefully DirecTV can make their receivers run a bit more reliably in the future.

 

Also, reliability can be affected by network conditions.  If you have a very busy, overloaded, or just plain slow home network then you can expect delays between pressing a button in the app and the receiver responding to it.  This delay will be even worse if you happen to be actively using DirecTV's Whole Home DVR service to watch content from one DVR on another DVR or non-DVR receiver (often called Multi-Room Viewing or Remote Viewing).  This increased delay is caused by additional network traffic and/or because the receiver's network adapter and CPU are also busy processing the video stream.

 

If you are experiencing this problem within the menus/options of a Genie client, please see this post.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-14 21:00


The DirecTV Remote+ app does not display correctly on my mobile device.

I tried to account for the variety of devices out there when designing the app, but I certainly might have overlooked something.  If the app is not displaying correctly on your device, please contact me please be as detailed as possible about your device and what is displaying incorrectly.  Also, be prepared to send me screenshots in a follow-up email (if not included in your original email) as they would help me to fix the problem in a timely manner.  Wink

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:55


When starting the app or returning to the remote from a different screen (such as options or mini-guide), the phone vibrates or plays a sound several times.

Special Request:  If this happens on your device, please send me an email through the 'Email Developer' button on the Options/Help screen in the app.  Also please let me know if you would be interested in trying "beta" versions that try to correct the problem.  Even if you do not wish to beta test and even if you decide you do not want to keep the app, please consider sending me the email so I can determine which devices this affects.  Unfortunately I don't have a device that is affected by this problem so I have no way of personally testing any attempts at fixing it.  If a recent update (2.2.3 or newer) fixed the problem, please let me know that as well.  I made an attempt at fixing it but since I can't duplicate the problem, I can't test it. Wink  Thank you for your cooperation!

 

I have received two reports of this behavior on a Droid Charge, although it may affect other phones as well.  I am looking into the issue but when my app tells Android to show a notification icon it explicitly requests for it to NOT blink the LED, NOT play a sound and NOT vibrate.  I'm not sure why these settings are ignored on this (or other devices).  There are two work-arounds:

     1)  In the DirecTV Remote Options/Help screen, uncheck the option "Show icon in notification area".  The downside to this work-around is that you will no longer see the notification, which is handy for quickly launching the remote app or seeing which receiver is currently selected.

     2)  This may vary by phone, but you can also disable the haptic feedback options on the device itself.  Below is how to do this on a Droid Charge (kindly provided by a DirecTV Remote Pro user).
          a)  Press Menu > Settings > Sound then scroll to Haptic Feedback
          b)  Check the 'Haptic Feedback' option and that enables the Vibration Intensity setting below it
          c)  Drag the slider to the left to lower the vibration intensity to 0
          d)  Uncheck the 'Haptic Feedback' option to disable it.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-31 08:49


Why doesn't your app (or competing apps) control the TV volume or power?

The reason is because of how these apps work.  The "real" DirecTV remote uses IR signals to control your TV (and DVD player, etc, if you have it setup to do so).  Android devices are not capable of emitting IR signals.  Remote Control apps made for mobile platforms (such as Android or iOS) use your home network to send commands to the device it controls (in this case, your DirecTV receiver).  In order for this to work, the device being controlled not only needs to be capable of connecting to your network, but it also needs to contain software that was written specifically to allow it to be controlled over a network.  In fact, up until around October 2010, your DirecTV receiver could not be controlled over your network. While there are a very small number of TV sets out that have the ability to be controlled over a network, almost all of them do not.  Even so, some of those that do need to be "hacked" in order to make it work, which is something that most people are not going to do.

 

On The Other Hand...  (11/21/2012 ---> Check this out!)

I realize that some people do have network-enabled televisions, audio receivers, etc.  I'd love to add support for these (volume and power only... don't get too greedy!) but adding support for multiple device brands is a bit much for an app that is meant to control a DirecTV satellite receiver.

But, there is a way I could easily integrate this into my app.  Much like my Shortcut Add-on allows you to create shortcuts to buttons, favorites and macros (and use them outside of my app), all it would take is an app that controls your TV or audio receiver to add similar support for external shortcuts or intents.  If there were a way I could send a command to toggle TV power or adjust volume from within my app to the other app, I would add that feature.  So what you need to do is ask for shortcut or INTENT support to be added to your favorite volume-controlling app.  If it does get added, let me know and I will add support for it to my app.  Smile

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-11-22 10:57


How do I remove a receiver from the app?

Free & Pro Versions (starting with v3.7.0):
Prior to version 3.7.0, only Pro users could remove receivers from the app.  However, starting with v3.7.0 free and pro users can remove a receiver from the app by long-pressing on a receiver in the Setup/Scan screen.

Pro version:

In addition to removing receivers in the Setup screen (see above), you can also remove single or multiple receivers using the List Organizer.  To do so, press Menu > More > List Organizer.  Here you can remove, rearrange or rename receivers, favorites and macros.  To remove or rename an item, long-press on the item and choose Delete from the pop-up dialog.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-02-02 03:36


(PRO-only) How does the Mini-Guide Source option work?

The pro version has the ability to display a mini-guide which contains a list of what shows are currently playing on all of your receivers and favorite channels. The speed at which the app downloads this information is related to the speed of your network and the speed of the receiver that the app is getting the guide data from.  By default, it will retrieve guide data from the currently selected receiver in the app.  If you have a fast receiver (such as an H24/HR24) or a receiver that you don't use very often and would like to force the app to always retrieve guide data from that receiver then you can specify this in the prefs screen.  Note that this only affects favorite channel guide data.  The guide data (currently tuned) for your receivers (as opposed to favorite channels) comes from each receiver listed in the app.

 

Important:  It is recommended that you only use this option if you are using static IP addresses (or DHCP reservation) for the receiver you want to specify.  Failure to do so will eventually prevent the app from retrieving guide data and re-scanning your network will not fix it.  When entering the prefs screen, the app checks to see if you specified an IP address for the mini-guide and also checks to make sure that same IP address is listed in your receiver list.  If not, it will revert this option to the default (use current receiver).

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:22


Occasionally the ongoing 'On Now' notification will tell me to check my WiFi, IP or Whole Home settings.

In order to preserve battery, the On Now notifications will be suspended if the app is unable to receive data from the currently selected receiver for several minutes.  This can occur if you leave the area (WiFi disconnects) or the network is otherwise disconnected, if the receiver is rebooted, etc.  To resume notifications, simply press on the notification to open the app or in the pro version on devices with expanded notifications simply press on the 'Refresh' button inside the notification.

Please note that this does not indicate any kind of connection problems under normal circumstances.  The most likely reason for seeing this is when you leave your home.  When the notification is set to update, it may show this notice instead if it cannot connect.  Rest assured that once back home, it will pick up where it left off by refreshing the notification or re-opening the app.

As far as why it also mentions to check your IP or Whole Home settings, while that may sound alarming, that is just to cover all possible reasons.  If you see this in the notification immediately after setting it up then your WiFi is likely connected so it is just telling you what else may be wrong.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-26 16:28


Do you offer technical support?

I've been writing Windows software for many years and I've always tried to offer the best technical support possible.  While this site was initially setup for Windows software, I am in the process of integrating Android information into it.  If you need support with your Android app (made by Cognitial Mobile only), please contact me.  There is a button right inside the app at the bottom of the Options/Help screen.  Using this method, some technical data can automatically be inserted into the email that can help me troubleshoot the problem.  You may also use the Technical Support request form found at this site.  Please include as much pertinent information that you can, such as your phone or tablet make / model, DirecTV receiver model, router, etc, and explain the problem in as much detail as possible.

If you are having problems (errors, crashes, freezes, etc) please send me an email and I will help to resolve the issue or fix the problem in an update (if applicable).  Many feature requests and user problems have been resolved through email, but very few have been addressed based only on feedback left in the market.  The reason is simple:  If I encounter problems here with my test devices, I can and do fix them.  If I see reports of problems that I cannot reproduce locally and I have no way of communicating with the person having the problem then I have little to no hope of fixing it.  Thank you for understanding!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:23


How do I fully exit or close the app?

Android recommends that developers allow the OS to decide whether to suspend an app in the background or completely destroy the task in order to reclaim memory.  Further, if you have notifications enabled, they will continue to appear and update even after you back out of the app or return to your home screen.

 

If you would like to completely exit the app and stop all notifications, do the following from inside the app itself: 

Free and Pro:  While on the main screen in the app (main remote screen), press Menu > More > Exit App.  Alternatively you can long-press on the EXIT remote button.  The app will close and the task will immediately be destroyed.  This will remove any notifications from your Notification tray.  To resume using the app, open it from a shortcut or the App list on your Android device.

Pro:  If your phone or tablet supports expanded notifications, you can fully exit the app by choosing that menu item in the expanded notification.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:25


The app crashes when I try to scan

This is likely related to a known issue with some Android builds where the OS fails to return an app's internal "root" or "app data" path.  According to Google, uninstalling and reinstalling the app may resolve the issue.  If your device contains an SD card then please note that uninstalling the app should not wipe out your settings.  However, if your device does not contain an SD card (or it is temporarily removed or unmounted when the app is run again), you will lose your app settings.

Starting with v2.2.2 the app will handle this problem more gracefully but please note that this is not a specific problem with the app but rather it is a problem with certain builds of Android itself.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-14 17:34


The app keeps asking me to rate it even though I already have

In order to encourage current app ratings, the free and pro versions will prompt you for a rating any time a new version is installed.  The free version also prompts for a rating every X runs.  I don't mean to be pushy with it, but ratings are important and unfortunately many people do not rate apps unless practically begged to do so.  By resetting the rate request prompt when a new version is installed, it also helps to encourage updated reviews to complaints of old problems or requests for new features that have been resolved.

 

If you are using the pro version and you have already rated the app recently and do not wish to rate it again until after the next version, simply choose the option to rate the app then just exit the Google Play or Amazon Appstore app without leaving another rating or choose the new Opt-Out button starting in v2.2.2 and my app will then leave you alone until a new version is installed.  Please note that this only works in the pro version.  The free version will still occasionally ask you to rate the app.

Considering that the free version is ad-free, I consider this to be a very fair trade-off.  Smile

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:32


What are the requirements for the DirecTV Remote+ apps?

IR control requirements:

  • If you do not have any networked DirecTV receivers but you do have a Samsung, HTC or LG phone or tablet with built-in IR, you can still control all of your receivers in the app.  Note though that some features (such as the Mini-Guide and On Now information) require networked receivers in order to work correctly and as intended.

 

Network control requirements:

  • DirecTV receivers and/or DVRs connected to your home network and configured to allow external access.  Be sure to give them a name as well, such as "LIVING ROOM".  Supported models are H21, H22, H23 and H24 HD receivers and HR20, HR21, HR22, HR23 and HR24 HD DVRs.  HR34/HR44 (Genie) and C31/C41 (client) receivers are supported!  R22s may work as well.
  • An Android phone or tablet connected to your home network via WiFi.
    Alternatively (or in addition) you can control one single receiver over 3G/4G, etc.  Genie owners can control the Genie and all clients over 3G/4G!  Read More

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-02-04 19:58


Confirming settings on the DirecTV receiver or DVR itself

Following the steps below, you can confirm that your Android device and DirecTV receiver or DVR is properly configured for network access.

Please follow all of the steps outlined below and include the results when contacting technical support about connection issues.  The reason is because the first thing I will do is point you to this very FAQ and ask what the results of the steps are.  Wink  It isn't meant to be punishment, but if any of these are not correct then it will NOT work, and these are requirements of the app that are completely out of my control.  I can say with absolute certainty that if one or more of your receivers are not coming up in the app (and they are a compatible model and set to allow external access) then the problem is a network issue on your end.  Sorry to be so blunt about it but it is a fact.

As with just about anything, problems discovered below can be corrected!  But the first step is determining what is preventing the app from seeing your DirecTV receiver(s) and that is the goal of this document!

 

New:  This FAQ now includes more clarification on what needs to be corrected in order to get it working.  Where applicable, look for the "solution" text.

 

Tip:  Aside from the DirecTV receivers simply not being networked, a very common issue is #6 (EXTERNAL DEVICE settings)!  Also, if you have a Genie system with CLIENTS, be sure that all clients are powered ON prior to scanning.

 

     1)  Ensure that your mobile device (phone / tablet) is connected to your home network via WiFi.  The DirecTV receiver(s) must be on this same network, but can be connected wirelessly or via ethernet cable.

 

     2)  When scanning begins, a message will briefly appear with the IP address assigned to your mobile device.  Make a note of it and cancel the scan.

 

     3)  Using your real remote, navigate to:  MENU > SETTINGS & HELP > SETTINGS > INFO & TEST > MORE SYSTEM INFO.  Please note that these menus may be different on Genie systems/clients.

 

     4)  Verify the following:

          A)  Receiver:  (MODEL) -  Please be sure that the model listed is one of the compatible models listed in the app requirements.

          Solution:  If you do not have a compatible receiver model then the first step to making this app work is to get one.  DirecTV only allows network control of specific models.

          B)  Network IP address:  (xxx.xxx.x.xxx) -  Ensure that the first three sets of numbers found on the DirecTV receiver's system info screen match the first three sets of numbers as seen in the Android app.  For example, the app reports your IP as "192.168.1.124" and the receiver reports its IP as "192.168.1.112".  If the numbers highlighted in yellow do not match each other, then you will NOT be able to connect.  Essentially, when the first three sets of numbers match then both devices are on the same network.  When they do not match, they are not on the same network.
          Solution:  If they do not match (or do match but it still doesn't work), see "Common situations that can cause the IP addresses to not match" below as well as the paragraph underneath it.

While not a necessity, it will also be a "bonus" if you see (static) next to the IP address listed in your receiver.  This means that the IP address will never change, which would require you to re-scan your network with the app!  If you are using DHCP Reservation in your router and it has been setup for your DirecTV receiver(s), then the absence of (static) is not important.


          C)  Network:  Connected
          Solution:  If it doesn't say "Connected" here then your DirecTV receivers are not connected to a network at all.  You will need to either connect them directly to your home network using an ethernet cable to your router or some kind of WiFi solution.  Another option is to request Whole Home service from DirecTV along with the Cinema Connection Kit.

          D)  Internet:  Connected
          Solution:  If it doesn't say "Connected" here then most likely your receivers are not connected to your home network.  If the receiver shows "Connected" under network but not under internet, then the problem could be that you have Whole Home service but without the Cinema Connection Kit.  In this case you would need the CCK which connects your DirecTV receiver network to your home network.

 

     5)  Go to MENU > SETTINGS & HELP > SETTINGS > WHOLE-HOME > NAME LOCATION and enter a name for your receiver such as LIVING ROOM or BEDROOM.  Please note that these menus may be different on Genie systems/clients.

          Solution:  If you do not enter a name here, the receiver will appear as UNNAMED in the DirecTV Remote+ app.  After changing the name here you will need to re-scan for receivers in order for the app to recognize the new name.


     6)  Go to MENU > SETTINGS & HELP > SETTINGS > WHOLE-HOME > EXTERNAL DEVICE and ensure that all options are set to Allow.  Please note that these menus may be different on Genie systems/clients.
          Solution:  If those options are not set to "Allow" then the solution is to change them to "Allow"!  If these are not set to "Allow" then the receivers will block attempts to communicate with them.


Repeat this process for each of your DirecTV receivers.  When done, try scanning again.
Again, if any of these items are not how they are listed above, then the DirecTV Remote app will not be able to communicate with your DirecTV receivers.  It is as simple as that.  I will be glad to help you troubleshoot and correct the problem but you MUST tell me what is wrong first.  Please use these steps to help determine the problem then let me know what your results were.

 

Common situations that can cause the IP addresses to not "match":

Aside from not being networked at all, your DirecTV receivers might be networked with each other, but not connected to your home network

It's important to realize that it is possible that your receiver's themselves may be able to communicate with each other but the receivers cannot communicate outside of their private network (and if this is the case, then the numbers mentioned in the scenario above will not match).  This can happen if you had Whole Home DVR service installed professionally but did not get the Cinema Connection Kit.  Without this extra part, your receivers can talk to each other, but they are in their own private network and thus cannot communicate with your home network.  With the CCK, that network is connected to your home network, thus allowing them to access the internet as well as other devices on your home network (your mobile phone / tablet running this app).  If you self-installed your Whole-Home network by connecting your receivers to your router, then the IP addresses should match your mobile device as mentioned above.

 
The IP addresses may (or may not) match, but it still won't connect:

Your router may support multiple networks and your phone is not connected to the same one as your DirecTV receiver(s).  In some cases both networks may have similar looking IP addresses and in other cases they may not.

Some routers may support multiple networks.  For example, some wireless routers have a "guest access" feature which allows guests to your home to access the internet but blocks them from accessing devices and files on your network.  If you have one of these types of wireless routers then you might want to confirm which network your phone and DirecTV receivers are actually connecting to.  While dual-networks may not be very common, I can assure you that I have helped quite a few people who had this exact issue.

Other possibilities:

  • You have a WiFi access point that is configured incorrectly and is essentially isolating wireless traffic from wired traffic.
  • You have multiple WiFi access points or a Wireless router in addition to a WiFi access point and they are configured incorrectly causing traffic on them to be isolated from one another.

 

For more info and troubleshooting steps, see this FAQ as well.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-03-19 02:53


How do I get back to the Scan screen I saw when I first used the app?

If you want to re-scan your network or manually add another receiver, you can do so anytime by pressing the following in the app:

 

Menu > Setup/Scan

 

Note that starting a new scan will remove all currently added receivers from the list and start over with the receivers it finds during the scan.  The intention behind this behavior was that one would only typically need to re-scan if they can no longer control previously added receivers.  Other than adding a new receiver to your household, the likely cause for this is that your receiver's IP address has changed.  If you would like to prevent this from happening in the future, click here for instructions on how to do so.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:37


How do I reset the app's configuration to brand new?

If for some reason you find yourself wanting to reset the configuration (completely wipe out everything and start over), you can do so providing your phone or tablet contains an SD card.  Fortunately, most do!

 

Note:  If you just want to remove your current receivers from the app and start over with a fresh network scan, follow these steps instead since following the steps listed here will reset EVERYTHING.

 

** WARNING **
The steps listed below will completely wipe out all app settings and restore it to how it was when you first installed it.  You will lose all receivers, favorite channels, macros and custom options that you have set!  If you are worried about this, you may want to make a backup of the file mentioned below before wiping it clean.

 

The instructions below are a general guideline.  Depending on your Android device's OS version and computer OS version (Windows XP, Vista, 7 or Mac OS), the exact wording may vary.

  1. Run the free version of the app (if installed) and press Menu > More > Exit App.  Then run the PRO version (if installed) and do the same.  This will ensure that the apps will not over-write the changes you will make in the steps below.  As an alternative to doing this you can also just reboot your device.  Once it is finished rebooting, proceed to the next step.
  2. Connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable.  If presented with a menu on how to connect, choose "Disk Drive - Mount as Disk Drive" or something similar.
  3. If you have auto-run on your computer, you will be asked what you would like to do with the connected drive.  Choose Explore, Browse files, or whatever option sounds similar to this.  If you don't have auto-run on your computer, you may need to browse manually to the Android device.  To do this in Windows, right-click on the Start button, choose Explore, then browse to the drive letter assigned to your device.  It may be listed as "Removable Device" or similar.
  4. When viewing the device in file explorer, you will typically see two folders: "phone" (or similiar) and "storage" (or similiar). Typically the file we are looking for will be inside the "phone" folder but it may also be in the other folder. You should probably check both just to be sure.  Once inside this folder, look for another folder called DirecTV_Remote and open it.  Then look for a file called DirecTVRemote.ini.  Depending on how your computer is setup it may also appear simply as DirecTVRemote.  Double-click on the file to open it with a text editor.  You will want to open it with a basic text editor such as Windows Notepad.  If Windows doesn't know what to do with it, click Start > Run and type notepad into the box.  When the notepad program opens, drag and drop the DirecTVRemote.ini file into the empty notepad window to open it.
  5. One inside the file, press CTRL A to select all text in the file then press the Delete key.  You want to be sure that there is no text or empty lines in the file.
  6. Save the changes to the file. Then check the other folder ("phone" as well as "storage" as mentoned above) and repeat the process.  Close the file explorer window and if available, click on the Safely remove device icon near the clock. When prompted that it is safe to do so, unplug the USB cable from the device.
  7. Try running the app again and it should act like you have just installed it for the first time and all settings will be reset to defaults.  If for some reason this does not happen, try repeating the steps over, starting with a reboot of your Android device.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-14 10:18


How do I make a backup of my app's settings or copy them to another device?

If you would like to make a backup of your settings or copy them to another device (rather than manually add all receivers, favorites and macros all over again), you can do so by following the steps below.  Note that on slightly older versions of Android, it may use a folder on your SD card (if available).  If no SD card, or on newer versions of Android, it should be located in a folder on the "phone" or "tablet".

Starting with v2.2.5, the FREE and PRO versions automatically create a backup of your app's settings anytime a new version of the app is run (first run after an update).  This won't do much on a fresh installation, but as more versions/updates get installed you will start to accumulate several backups and this is all done for you automatically.  It is also recommended to create a backup yourself every now and then.

 

PRO instructions (easiest):

Starting in v2.2.5, the PRO version makes creating and restoring backups even easier.  You can still somewhat follow the general steps below, but beforehand, simply create a backup of your prefs (found under Menu > More > Create & Restore Backups).  Create a backup and give it a unique name if desired.  This will be the file that you copy from one device to the other (if moving settings).  If you simply want to make a backup, then you are done.  You can restore this later at any time by pressing Menu > More > Create & Restore Backups then choose the option to restore one.

If you are moving the settings, then copy this backup file to your computer, then connect the new/destination device and copy the backup file to the DirecTV_Remote folder on the new device.  Depending on the Android version, it may be located either on the SD card (if available) or on the phone or tablet itself.  Disconnect the new device from the PC and allow the SD card to get 'mounted' (if applicable).  Run the app and then the newly copied file can be chosen on the new device as a backup to restore. After restoring the backup, all of your old settings should be on the new device.

If you need more specific help with locating these files while browsing the phone or tablet on your computer, you can use the instructions below.  Simply substitute the main configuration filename (DirecTVRemote.ini) with the name of your backup.

 

Free/Pro general instructions:

The instructions below are a general guideline.  Depending on your Android device's OS version and computer OS version (Windows XP, Vista, 7 or Mac OS), the exact wording may vary.  The instructions assume you are copying a configuration from one device to another but it also will give you enough information to know how to back up your file instead. Smile

  1. On both devices, run the app and press Menu > More > Exit App. This will ensure that any recent changes you may have made have definitely been saved and that a new installation has definitely created a config file already.  This will also prevent the apps from making changes to the config file if you are copying settings from one device to another.
  2. Connect your original Android device to your computer using a USB cable.  If presented with a menu on how to connect, choose "Disk Drive - Mount as Disk Drive" or something similar.
  3. If you have auto-run on your computer, you will be asked what you would like to do with the connected drive.  Choose Explore, Browse files, or whatever option sounds similar to this.  If you don't have auto-run on your computer, you may need to browse manually to the Android device.  To do this in Windows, right-click on the Start button, choose Explore, then browse to the drive letter assigned to your device.  It may be listed as "Removable Device" or similar.  Once you start browsing the device, it may list a phone (or tablet) and possible also an SD card.  Depending on your Android version it may be using a folder directly on the device or on the SD card.  If both the device and SD card appeear to have a DirecTV_Remote folder, look to see which one contains newer files and use that one.
  4. Look for a folder called DirecTV_Remote and open it.  Then look for a file called DirecTVRemote.ini.  Depending on how your computer is setup it may also appear simply as DirecTVRemote.  This is the configuration file for the app.  If you are using the pro version and have first created a backup, look for that file instead.
  5. If you are making a backup, simply save a copy of this file somewhere safe but be sure to leave the original file there!  If you are copying the settings from one device to another, save a copy of this file somwehere on your computer (such as the desktop) again leaving the original file there.
  6. Disconnect the original device from the computer and connect the device that you wish to transfer the app settings to by following the steps above.
  7. Browse to the DirecTV_Remote folder on the new device and copy or move the file from your desktop to the device.  If it asks if you wish to replace the existing file say yes.
  8. Disconnect the second device from the computer and wait for the SD card to remount to the device (if applicable).
  9. If you copied the DirecTVRemote.ini file itelf, try running the app again and it should now have all the same settings as your original device.  If for some reason this does not happen, try repeating the steps again being extra certain that the app has been fully exited on the target device.  If you are unsure, reboot the target device first.
    If you are using the pro version and have copied a backup instead, just run the app and then the newly copied file can be chosen on the new device as a backup to restore.  After restoring the backup, all of your old settings should be on the new device.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-10-16 23:20


How do I rename a receiver?

Tip: If one or more receivers in the app appear as "UN-NAMED" then this means that you need to set up the name in the receiver itself.  Follow the steps below to rename the receiver in its own setup screen then re-scan your network with the app.

 

Free Version:
There is no way to rename a receiver in the FREE version (you can in the PRO version).  However, you can rename the receiver in the receiver's setup and then re-scan.  This will effectively change the name of the receiver in the app.  To change the receiver's name, go to MENU > PARENTAL, FAV'S & SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP > WHOLE-HOME and change the name there.  Afterwards, re-scan your network to see the changes in the app.

Also note that the PRO version does allow you to not only remove receivers from the list, but it also lets you rename and rearrange them (in addition to doing the same with favorites and macros).

 

Pro version:
To rename or remove single or multiple receivers in the PRO version, you can use the List Organizer.  To do so, press Menu > More > List Organizer.  Here you can remove, rearrange or rename receivers, favorites and macros.  To remove or rename an item, long-press on the item and choose Delete from the pop-up dialog.

If you would prefer to change the name of the receiver at the receiver itself, go to MENU > PARENTAL, FAV'S & SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP > WHOLE-HOME and change the name there.  This is the more ideal solution if you wish to permanently rename the receiver without having to rename it in the app after a new scan.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:40


How do I manually add a receiver?

If scanning doesn't work for you, you can also manually add a receiver.  To get started with that, open the app and press Menu > Setup/Scan then press the "Manual Setup" button.  When you do this, the app will display a message showing your phone or tablet's IP address.  Make a note of this because one of the first steps to adding a receiver (or even performing a scan for that matter) is to ensure that your network and equipment is set up correctly.

 

Follow these steps to manually add a receiver:

  1. Confirm your receiver's settings and retrieve its IP address.  Click here for instructions on how to do this.
  2. Once you have ensured that the IP address "matches" as outlined in linked instructions above, enter the receiver's IP address into the app and press the "Add" button.
  3. Once the receiver is found, press the "Done" button to stop manually adding receivers or repeat the steps above to add another one.
If your Android device's IP address and the receiver's IP address both appear similar as outlined in the linked instructions above, click here for more help with resolving this issue.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:42


Is there an easter egg in DirecTV Remote+ Pro?

Those who are paying attention and have a sharp eye may have seen a reference to an easter egg in the screenshots for the pro version.

There is in fact an easter egg in the PRO version that has been there since day one.  I put it in there one night as a joke when getting the app ready for its initial release.

At this point I am not going to give too much away about it.  However, starting with DirecTV Remote Pro v2.2.2 and higher, stumbling on the easter egg will get you a "code" that you can email me and I will give you a link to a very basic DirecTV Remote for Windows that I made when testing DirecTV's network / IP control when it was in beta.

It does not do automatic discovery (scanning), favorite channels or macros, but none-the-less you can control your receivers from your Windows desktop or notebook using it.  Hey, it's free!  What do you want?

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:43


What permissions does the DirecTV Remote app use?

As of version 2.2.2, the DirecTV Remote (free and pro) apps use the following permissions:

 

  • android.permission.INTERNET  -  This allows the app to communicate with your receivers.
  • android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE  -  This allows the app to save its settings to your SD card which in turn makes it easier to back them up and transfer them as well as allowing the add-on to read the main app's settings.
  • android.permission.VIBRATE  -  This allows the app to adjust haptic feedback levels.
  • android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE  -  This allows the app to determine whether or not the device is connected via WiFi.
  • android.permission.WAKE_LOCK  -  This allows the app to optionally keep the device awake when you are using main screens (Remote, Search Assistant and Scan).  This pro-only option is disabled by default.
The add-on uses android.permission.INTERNET and android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE for the same reasons the main remote app uses them.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-08 15:46


What are the differences between DirecTV Remote+ FREE and PRO?

This information is current as of v3.8.0.  As new versions come out, occasionally new pro-only features and options emerge.  I will try to update this answer when things change.

Even if you don't find reason enough to purchase the pro version for features or options, purchasing the paid version of any app helps to show your appreciation for the developer's work.  Smile  I challenge you to compare my DirecTV Remote apps to the competition.  You will find that no other DirecTV remote app for Android compares in terms of features, options and support!  Many options listed below (even though they may only available in the pro version) are not available at all in any competing app, and on the rare occasion that one is, their implementation is generally not nearly as robust as it is in my app.

 

Features are not listed in any particular order, but features found in both Free and Pro are listed first.  As noted by the Smile icon, some features found in the Free version are limited compared to the Pro version.  In this case, please see the corresponding footnote beneath the table for more information.

 

Key:

Cool   = Fully Supported
Smile   = Supported but limited (see footnotes beneath table for limitations)
N/A  = Not found in free version

 

 Feature or option 

FREE PRO
Many features and options not available in any other competing app! Cool Cool
A support website with lots of troubleshooting and other helpful information. Cool Cool
Lots of help and usage information built right into the app. Cool Cool
Automatic scanning / discovery of your networked receivers. Cool Cool
See what is currently airing on ALL of your receivers and favorite channels all at the same time in the Mini-Guide.  It also shows you what is on next after the current show.  By default the pro version shows all receivers but there is also an option to only show the currently selected receiver in the mini-guide if that is your preference.  [Network control only] Smile1 Cool

Includes 3 built-in remote layouts to choose from based on your preference or device size.

Compact fits ALL buttons in one screen.  Mid-Size fits all buttons except the number pad on one screen (the number pad is a pop-up).  Scrolling provides larger buttons in a scolling screen.

Cool Cool
Exclusive MEmote: a remote layout that you can design yourself!  You control which buttons to display, where to display them, and how large or small they should be!  Smile2 Cool
Icon in ongoing notification area allows quick access to the remote as well as displays information about the currently tuned channel.  My app also allows you to disable this option if you would like to conserve battery! Cool Cool
Supports all remote control commands found on the real DirecTV remote control including slow motion! Cool Cool
Non-networked DirecTV receivers can be controlled in the main remote app with select Samsung, HTC and LG devices providing that it has a built-in IR emitter. Cool Cool
Network-controlled Genie CLIENTS do not support 'Power' commands (DirecTV's decision) but the app can be configured to use IR only for sending power commands on clients.  Requires an IR-enabled Samsung or HTC phone/tablet. Cool Cool
Fully adjustable haptic feedback level (from off to strong). Cool Cool
Easily reboot a receiver from within the app.  [Network control only] Cool Cool
Option to show labels on colored buttons to assist those who are color blind. Cool Cool
Active developer with frequent updates and new features (many the result of customer requests). Cool Cool
Allows you to create a Favorite Channels list for quick access to the channels you use most.  The favorites channels also appear in the mini-guide. Smile Cool
Create shortcuts to any remote command, favorite, macro and even the mini-guide directly on your device's home screen, anywhere you want!  This feature is provided by the free Shortcut Add-on.  This add-on can also be used in conjunction with other apps such as Tasker in order to automate tasks. Smile3 Cool
Easily create & restore the app's configuration for backing up or transferring settings to another device.  Smile4  Cool
Control volume, mute & power on your TV/AVR from the main remote pro app with the Volume Plugin!  If you have a Samsung, HTC, LG or Sony device with IR you can use IR to control your TV or AVR.  Otherwise you will be limited to using network control which is more rare and often a bit more difficult to set up.

VERY LIMITED BRAND COMPATIBILITY WHEN USING NETWORK CONTROL!  You can try the plugin for free before you buy anything!

**Note that FREE users can test the Volume plugin directly, they just can't control volume at all from the main app. **
N/A **  Smile 
Continue to use the remote even if the phone or tablet locks itself while the app is running!  It will also automatically dismiss the lock screen if it is not protected in any way (PIN, etc). N/A Cool
Rearrange and rename your receivers, favorites and macros as they appear in the app using the List Organizer. N/A Cool
Long-pressing the 'Power' remote button allows you to explicitly send Power On or Power Off to the DirecTV receiver and/or the TV or AVR if one is configured in the Volume Plugin.  You can also send Power ON or Power OFF to multiple DirecTV receivers at once (handy for bars and restaurants). N/A Cool
View power state of the receiver(s) at a glance (power button and indication in the mini-guide).  [Network control only] N/A Cool
Expanded Notifications (Jellybean, etc) include buttons to exit the app, view the mini-guide and refresh the notification (currently playing show on the receiver) N/A  Cool 
Supports the new SD/HD Toggle remote command (Menu > More).  [Network control only] N/A Cool
Long-press on the Replay button will skip back to the beginning of the recorded program (or the previous bookmark if it exists).  [Network control only] N/A Cool
Optionally tune to the same channel on any or all of your receivers simultaneously (long-press in the Mini-Guide or on a favorite channel from the main remote screen). [Network control only] N/A Cool
See more about the current show, movie or song by searching on IMDb, AllMusic.com, Google and Amazon.  [Network control only] N/A Cool
Optionally check more frequently for programming or channel changes even if the main app is not active.  Handy if you control the receiver from the Shortcut Add-on or a "real" remote.  This option is to help ensure that the ongoing On Now notification is current. N/A Cool
Easily enable and disable Closed Captioning with one button press! (Built-in macros) N/A Cool
Create and use your own custom macros!  Macros are a series of commands that can be executed with just a couple presses! N/A Cool
Search Assistant allows you to enter search queries using your phone then sends them to the receiver.  You can send characters one at a time as you type them or enter an entire search term using your device's keyboard and send it all at once.  Includes a built-in QWERTY keyboard. N/A Cool
Easily launch the DirecTV DVR Scheduler app from the menu. N/A Cool
Option to lock the app to portrait or landscape mode regardless of device orientation. N/A Cool
Option to keep your device awake while on 'main' screens in the app. N/A Cool
Option to specify which receiver is used to acquire favorite channel guide data, which can be useful if you have a receiver that is faster than the others or used less frequently.  Ordinarily favorite channel guide data is acquired from the actively selected receiver.  [Network control only] N/A Cool
     
     
Footnotes:    
1 Mini-Guide:  The free version only shows the currently selected receiver and first 3 favorite channels in the mini-guide.  The PRO version shows all of your receivers and all of your favorite channels in the mini-guide all at the same time with an option to only show the currently selected receiver (in the mini-guide).    
2 MeMote:  The free version allows you to use the remote designer to design your own layout so you can see how the designer works.  Although your custom remote layout will be saved, it can only be used as the active remote style in the PRO version.
   
3 Shortcut/Widget Add-On:  With the free version, you can install the shortcut add-on and create shortcuts on your home screen with it but please note that they will only function if the PRO version is installed.    
4 Backup & Restore Settings:  Both free and pro versions store settings on the SD card (if available) making it easy to backup and transfer settings.  The pro version takes it one further with the built-in ability to create and restore settings from within the app.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-10-15 21:34


What can I expect to see in future versions? ("ToDo")

This is by no means a complete list of upcoming features or fixes, but based on some feedback seen in the market I figured it would be a good idea to list things that seem to be of concern to at least some people.  I will try to update this as items are completed.


Known issues in current version:  See this question.


Other ideas or ongoing issues:

The following is a list of some other things I am considering for a future version but I cannot guarantee they will ever make it.  Please note that this is not a complete list as some things are better off kept a secret until public releases. Wink

  • Provide an option to create and restore backups of the app's settings (configuration file). Done!
  • Consider changing the name of the app to avoid confusion with a competing app with a similar name. Done!
  • Figure out a work-around for the notification vibration & sounds that occur on a small number of devices for reasons I cannot yet determine. Embarassed
  • Although device scanning ("auto discovery") is pretty reliable for most people, I'd like to improve its reliability if possible for those who seem to have problems with it and resort to manually adding receivers.  Unfortunately I cannot personally duplicate any problems where a receiver is missed in a scan.
  • Resolve issue where app fails to recognize that WiFi is enabled and connected on some devices.  Another problem that I cannot duplicate.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-10-18 21:59


Known Issues (current version)

Note:  I will update this article as any issues come up or get resolved.  If you are having an issue that is not listed here, first be sure you are using the latest version as it may have already been fixed.  If the issue is in the latest version, please send me an email (button in app) and let me know about it so I can look into it.  If you have already notified me but still don't see it here then either I have been unable to duplicate it or I simply forgot to add it here.

General

Although not really an issue with my app itself, it has been brought to my attention that Genie clients can stop responding to network commands when drilling down into the menus to change settings and options on the client.  See this post for more information. 

Known issues in v3.5.1 (updated 11/15/2013)

  • Some Samsung Galaxy S4 users have reported that pressing the device's hardware volume rockers to control volume causes a Force Close in the main app.  Using the graphical volume buttons work as normal.  I believe this to be a problem in the main pro app.  If anyone who is experiencing this would like to try a test version to see if I have it fixed here, please send me an email from the main app and ask to test it.  I can send you a link to download a test version.

 

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-16 04:49


Why doesn't the mini-guide show any favorite channels?

Favorite channels in the app and mini-guide are separate from the favorite channels or channels listed in the guide in your DirecTV receiver.  Unfortunately there is no way for third-party developers to automatically retrieve the favorite channels from the guide on your receiver.

Adding favorite channels to the app is very easy.  Simply press on the Favorites button from a main remote screen and either add the currently tuned channel or enter a channel number to add as a favorite.  Afterwards, you can quickly change to that channel by pressing the Favorites button and choosing it from the list.  Also, that channel will appear in the mini-guide along with information about what show is currently airing on that channel.

While theoretically you could add all channels you get in your package to the app's favorites list, typically one would only add their truly favorite channels.  For example, I have about 10 or so channels added to the app on my own devices.  Note however, that there is no limit to how many channels you can add as favorites in the app.  On the other hand, the free version will only show the first three favorite channels in the mini-guide.  The Pro version shows them all.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-10-06 22:12


I am unable to see or use any menus in the app

Many phones have a dedicated menu button (either built into the device or sometimes a "soft button" on the screen itself) but some do not, such as the HTC One V.  Some will say "Menu", and others may be an icon (such as vertical dots, horizontal lines, squares, etc).

On the HTC One V, press and hold the app switch button (right-hand button at the bottom of the phone).

For sample images, see this page in the WhatsApp FAQ.

If you are still having problems, then you might try a google search for more information specifying your device name such as searching for HTC One V menu button.

 

It was also reported by a user quite some time ago that a glitch in the prefs file caused his menus to not appear.  Although unconfirmed, it is worth a shot to try resetting the app's prefs if nothing else seems to work.  To reset your prefs, following the instructions in this post.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-01-06 16:37


Can I control the Genie and CLIENT devices?

The Genie (HR34/HR44) is similar to the H2x and HR2x series of receivers and is/has been supported in all of my DirecTV Remote+ apps & add-ons.

Support for the Genie client devices has been added to the main remote app and add-ons/plug-ins as of 3/10/13.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-10 19:01


The Mini-Guide fails to retrieve data for some channels

If this is only happening for some of your favorites, then a possible reason is that the favorites were created with leading zeros (007 or 07 as opposed to 7).  This will be fixed in a future version but for now the solution is to create a new favorite without any leading zeros.

 

If this is happening to all channels or channels that do not have any leading zeros in them then please see this FAQ for another possible solution.  It is also possible that you have designated a specific receiver to use for the Mini-Guide source but that receiver is no longer available.  If this is the case, you can try changing the Mini-Guide Source option back to the default (current receiver).

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-12-29 16:21


Why don't Power or Reboot commands work with my Genie CLIENT?

While all power commands (Power Toggle, Power On, Power Off) work with all H2x, HR2x and HR34 Genie receivers, they currently do not work with Genie CLIENT devices (C31).

 

This is not a problem with my apps, but rather the commands simply do not work on the client devices.  Power Toggle toggles power on the Genie itself even if the command is sent to a client.  Power On & Off simply produce the "bonk" sound when sent to a client.

At this time it is not known if this is a firmware problem with the Genie or if this is intended behavior.  At any rate, since these commands do not function normally on the clients, the main remote app has blocked these commands from being sent to clients.

The "reboot" command does not work on the clients at all.  Because of this, the main app will not allow this command to be sent to a client.

 

For now, the Shortcut Addon will warn you that these commands do not work on Genie clients when you first try to create a shortcut.  However, it will allow you to create the shortcuts.  For reasons mentioned above, they will not work as expected.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-10 19:10


When using the app to change settings on a Genie CLIENT, the client suddenly stops responding to commands.

When trying to get into settings (such as audio or display settings) within the menus of a Genie client, the client can suddenly stop responding to commands.  At the time of this writing (3/14/2013) the exact reason is unknown but I presume it to be a bug in the Genie or client firmware.

The app still sends the commands and the Genie usually still acknowledges them (though only with the "bonk" sound), but for whatever reason it just stops responding to them.

Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to fix this since this is not a problem in my app, but rather it is a problem in the client (or possibly the Genie itself, since commands sent to the clients are actually sent to the Genie and forwarded to the client).

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-14 20:58


When I try to change volume from the main app, it says there are no TV/AVR volume profiles set up for the receiver.

When you create a TV or AVR "profile" in the Volume plugin app, there are two primary things to configure.  Obviously one is that you need to configure the volume plugin app to control your TV or AVR if you have one that is compatible with the app.

Perhaps a little less obvious, you also need to tell the volume plugin app which DirecTV receiver(s) you would like to work with the selected profile.  For example, if you have a DirecTV receiver in your living room named Living Room and you also have a profile for controlling the TV in the living room, then you want to be sure to select the Living Room DirecTV receiver in the plugin app while on the living room TV profile.  The button to do this is just below where you enter the profile name, and is labeled "Edit / View".

 

Because the pro version allows you to change names of DirecTV receivers, the plugin looks at the receiver's IP address in order to determine which (if any) volume profile it should use with the current DirecTV receiver.  For this reason (and as I always recommend anyway), you should consider using static IP addresses or DHCP reservation for your DirecTV receivers.  If you do not do this, then you may need to reconfigure the allowed DirecTV receivers for the volume "profile" in the plugin if the IP address of the DirecTV receiver changes.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-22 13:10


I can't find the menus in the main DirecTV Remote+ app!

Starting in v3.1.0 of the DirecTV Remote+ app, some devices will no longer show the traditional menus.  To accomodate this change, I added a custom menu "button" to the far-right side of the silver bar at the bottom of the main remote screen.

Replacement Menu Button

 

For details, read on...

Starting in this version, some changes were made in the app in order to prevent certain markets from showing the app as being incompatible with certain devices, primarily larger tablets.  In order to do this, I had to tell Android that my app will display correctly on "x-large" screens.  But before I could even declare that ability, I had to bring it up to speed with some changes in recent versions of Android.

One of those changes is that they got rid of the traditional menus and replaced them with the Action Bar.  Because I didn't want an Action Bar in my app, I added a custom "menu" button to the far-right side of the silver bar at the bottom of the main app screen (remote control view).  It provides the exact same abilities as the original menu.  In fact, on older devices, both the original menu and this new button will be available.  On newer devices, only this new button will be available.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-01 23:20


Is Cognitial Mobile on Google+ or Google Groups?

In all honesty, I still recommend that these FAQs be your first stop for help with my apps, and I also still recommend an email (from within the app preferably) for personal help.  However, if you have a question or comment that you feel would be well-suited to a public forum such as Google+ or Google Groups, by all means drop me a line on there.

 

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google Groups  (feedback & possible beta testing opportunities)

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google+

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 01:39


One or more receivers are listed as "UNNAMED"

When the app scans for receivers it will retrieve the name given to it in the receiver's settings.  If one or more of your receiver's show up as UNNAMED then that means no name was ever entered for it.  Obviously this isn't a very descriptive name and it will make it difficult to determine which receiver is which.

To correct this situation, press the Menu button on your DirecTV remote and navigate to the Whole-Home settings to configure a name for the receiver.  After changing the receiver name(s), be sure to re-scan for receivers in order for the app to use the new names.  See the Troubleshooting FAQ for more info.

If you have the Pro version of the DirecTV Remote+ then you can also rename the receiver in the app using the List Organizer (Menu > More > Organize Lists).  However, it is best to enter the name into the receiver itself.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-22 21:33


What is the MEmote?

Introduced in v3.4.0, the MEmote is a custom remote layout that you can design yourself.  The remote designer is available in the FREE version (as well as PRO) but although FREE users can save the layout, it can only be used as the active remote layout in the PRO version.  You can design and save a custom remote layout using the free version and should you later decide to purchase the pro version, you will be able to use your custom remote immediately.

 

Some basic info on the MEmote:

  • To use the MEmote editor, press Menu > Remote Style > [Remote Designer].
  • To use the MEmote as your remote interface, press Menu > Remote Style > MEmote.  The DirecTV Remote+ Pro app will remember your last-used remote the next time you open it.
  • Only one MEmote custom remote is supported, but you can design separate layouts for portrait and landscape orientations with different buttons, positions and sizes.
  • When you initially create a MEmote layout, you will choose which built-in remote style to base it off of.  You can base it off of the Compact layout or the Mid-Size layout.  The primary difference is that the compact layout shows all buttons on one non-scrolling screen but they can be a bit small on phones.  The mid-size layout has slighly larger buttons and the number buttons are accessed as a pop-up number pad by pressing a single button the main remote screen (again on a non-scrolling screen).  Both portrait and landscape layouts in your MEmote must use the same base style but you can move, resize or hide buttons independantly in each orientation.
  • Only one orientation can be edited at one time.  In order to edit the other orientation, back out of the editor (saving changes as desired) then go back into the editor and choose the other orientation to edit.
  • Buttons can be hidden or shown individually by short-pressing on them and toggling the 'Visible' checkbox.  You can also choose to hide or show several buttons much quicker by pressing Menu> Options / Visible Buttons.
  • Buttons can be resized by short-pressing on them and using the slider or < and > buttons to adjust the overall size.
  • The silver status bar can be moved anywhere you wish vertically (up and down) but cannot be moved horizontally and cannot be hidden.
  • You can reset your custom remote layout from within the designer and start over.  You will be asked to confirm your decision before resetting it.  This cannot be undone, so be sure this is what you want to do or create a backup of your layout first.
  • The custom remote layout file can be found on your SD card in the following folder:
      SD 'root'/DirecTV_Remote/MyRemote.dtvl
  • As you move buttons around, they will overlap each other.  Some will be in front of others and some will be behind.  This is normal and does not affect the end result since buttons should not normally be overlapping anyway.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-08-21 19:30


IR is not working for me even though my phone or tablet supports it.

Assuming the device does in fact have an IR blaster (not all phone / tablet models do despite having similar sounding names), it could be a few things.

  • Be sure that you are aiming the phone or tablet's IR blaster directly towards the bottom of the TV when controlling volume, mute or power on the TV.  If using IR to control the DirecTV receiver, be sure you are aiming it towards the DirecTV receiver when controlling DirecTV functions.  
    This problem is actually quite common, especially when unfamiliar with how well (or not) the IR works on these devices.  Unfortunately they are not nearly as powerful as the real remotes often are.  With the real remote you may get away with aiming it several feet away from the TV where as the phone may require much more precise aim.

  • It's also possible that none of the IR presets in the app work with your particular TV or AVR model.  If your brand is not listed or none of the presets work, please send me an email using the 'Report' button in the Volume plugin.  Be sure to mention your brand (and model if known) and I can probably get working codes for you.  You should definitely check your aim though as mentioned above.  While it could be an IR code problem, if it is an aiming problem then it could very well be a waste of time to ask for different IR codes.

  • This may be fixed by now, but if you are using a Samsung Galaxy device, please be sure that "Power Saving Mode" is turned off.  While the IR blaster appears to still work (when viewed through a digital camera), it apparently does not send the signal correctly when Power Saving Mode is turned on.  This is/was a known issue with the Galaxy Tab 2 and possibly other Galaxy models.



Another thing to try is to see if you can get the remote app that came with the phone or tablet to work.  If the "stock" app does not work, then you may want to seek help with that before trying to get the DirecTV Remote+ or Volume Plugin to work.  All phones and tablets with built-in IR blasters come with some kind of remote control app.  If you can't find one on your phone, try searching Google for more information on how to use the IR / remote on your specific phone or tablet.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-08-29 03:39


Advanced support options

In addition to email and the FAQs you are reading now, I can also provide support via a chat room and if you have a device compatible with TeamViewer then I can even remotely control your Android device using TeamViewer QuickSupport!  These advanced support options are free of charge and are part of my commitment to providing the best support possible.


Chat Room

While the chat room is available 24/7, I only log into it when someone is expecting me.  As a result, it is usually empty.  If you would like help via online chat, please send me an email first.  If I happen to be available at the time, I will log in and chat with you.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time to chat.

Click here to go to the online chat room


Remote Control via TeamViewer QuickSupport

Using a free app, I can remotely control your phone or tablet to help set it up or show you how to use it.  This service is only available on certain device brands and models.  At the time of this writing this includes Samsung, Sony, Asus (for business customers), Lenovo, Alcatel One Touch / TCL, Prestigio, Archos, Medion, Caterpillar / CAT, Unitech and more.  See the TeamViewer QuickSupport app (link below) for an up-to-date list.

Before we can use this option, you first need to install the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app.  It may also require a free addon, in which case the app should prompt you about this when you first run it.  Click here to go to the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app on Google Play.

Like the chat room, you will need to first email me and let me know you would like to use this support option.  If I happen to be available at the time and have access to my computer, I will remotely control your phone or tablet and help you with your problem.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time for this.  You will also want to have access to a laptop computer so we can communicate via the chat room or we can also arrange a phone call if preferred.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-03-29 20:30


How do I configure Tasker to control the DirecTV Remote+ App?

Tasker is a very handy app that can be used to automate many things on your Android device.  Rather than completely re-write what it can do here, I'd recommend reading that in Tasker's description and documentation.  This FAQ document will explain how to use Tasker to control your DirecTV receivers through my apps.  Tasker is used with my DirecTV Remote+ Shortcut Add-on.  The add-on is free to install but will only work if you have the Pro version of my main DirecTV Remote+ app installed on your device.  You can still configure Tasker to use my add-on even if you have not purchased DirecTV Remote+ Pro yet but ultimately the command will not be sent and you will see a message that it requires the Pro version to be installed.

 

Requirements:

 

How to configure Tasker to control your DirecTV receiver:

Note:  These instructions are somewhat detailed with regard to the steps required in assigning a DirecTV Remote command in Tasker but previous experience with Tasker will be very helpful to have.  Also note that it is possible that these exact instructions may change if Tasker makes changes to how their app works.  I'm certain that Tasker will always work with my add-on but the actual steps could change.

 

  1. Create the tasks:
    *  Press on the 'Tasks' tab.
    *  Press + to add a new task.
    *  Enter a name for the task (such as Power Toggle for this example).
    *  Press + then choose Plugin then choose AutoShortcut.
    *  
    Press Edit.
    *  Choose DirecTV Remote+ Command.  This will launch my Shortcut Add-On.  See this FAQ more information on using it.  Keeping with this example, we will choose 'Remote Button'.  Next, choose the DirecTV receiver to use and then choose the 'Power' button from the list of commands then press 'Create'.
    *  Press device 'back' button to return to Task Edit.
    *  If you'd like to send another command in this same task then do the following...
        *  Press + then choose Task then choose Wait.
        *  Choose time to wait (3-5 seconds should suffice but you my need to tweak this depending on which commands you are sending and how long it takes for the DirecTV receiver to respond to them).
        *  Press + then choose Plugin then choose AutoShortcut again.
        *  Press Edit.
        *  Choose another command using my add-on.
        *  Press device 'back' button to return to Task Edit.
        *  Repeat these steps again if you wish to add more commands to this same task.
    *  Press device 'back' button to return to the main Tasker screen.
  2. Now you can select this "task" to be used in Tasker.  For example, you can create a new profile to configure Tasker to send the power button at a certain time. 
  3. On the main Tasker screen, be sure that the tasks are turned on (by default they are).
  4. On the main Tasker screen, press Menu then be sure that Tasker is ENABLED.

 

While I can try to help you configure Tasker to do what you'd like it to do, I honestly have very little experience with it.  The instructions above explain how to get a DirecTV remote command into Tasker using my add-on but beyond that it is a matter of knowing how to use Tasker which is unrelated to any of my apps.

 

 

 

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-10-15 20:39


Android Apps » DirecTV Remote+ Shortcut Add-On

The app no longer seems to communicate with a DirecTV receiver (or TV/AVR) that it had previously found. What happened?

Note:  If this happens only with Genie CLIENTS, the problem may be related to this FAQ instead.

 

First, be sure that your mobile device is connected to your home WiFi network and confirm your Whole Home settings if someone else may have changed them.  An even more likely cause however is that the receiver is setup to use what is called DHCP.  What this means is that your home network's router assigns it an arbitrary IP address whenever it needs to be renewed.  Sometimes it happens to assign the same address, but often times it does not.

To correct the problem, you can usually just re-scan for receivers in the app.  Note though that if your receivers are in fact using DHCP, then you may want to consider configuring your receiver for a static IP address or DHCP Reservation.  Static or DHCP reservation applies not only to DirecTV receivers but also is recommended for any network device you'd like to control, including TVs or AVR.

 

It's also worth mentioning here that I have had some reports of DirecTV receivers and even AVRs (A/V Receivers controlled by the Volume Plugin) suddenly not being detected or controllable with the app.  While at first glance it appeared to be a problem with my app, the problem actually resolved itself after rebooting the DirecTV receiver or AVR itself.  So if things seem like they should "just work" but they are not, consider rebooting your DirecTV receiver or TV/AVR!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-14 13:12


How do I use the Shortcut Add-on?

Note:  Prior to version 2.0 of the add-on, it could not be run as a "normal" app.  This resulted in there being no "Open" option after installation and it also required the user to use it by going through the process of adding any other shortcut or widget to the home screen.  This behavior has been changed starting in version 2.0 and the add-on now allows you to run it as a normal app in addition to how it worked in previous versions.

While it was not a bug, it became apparent that many people could not figure out how to use it as I originally intended.  In the newer versions, when running the add-on in "App Mode" the shortcuts or widgets you create will be placed in the first available slot on a home screen that Android finds.  When using the add-on in "Shortcut/Widget Mode" (the original method), you have more control over the exact location of the shortcut or widget but it is a bit more difficult to use.

App Mode:   Simply open the Shortcut add-on as any normal app.  Choose which type of shortcut to create (Remote Button, Favorite Channel, Macro or Mini-Guide) then choose the options for it and press 'Create'.  Android will place the new shortcut or widget in the first open slot it finds on a home screen.  After a shortcut is created you can continue to create more shortcuts or choose to exit the app.  You will likely want to move the new shortcuts/widgets to a better spot which can be done by long-pressing on the shortcut and dragging it to the desired location.

Shortcut/Widget Mode:  This is the original method for using the add-on.  It is easy to do once you know how, but the process varies a bit by device and Android version. On some devices, they will be called shortcuts.  On others, they will be called widgets.  While this method allows you more control over where the shortcut/widget will be placed, you can only create one at a time.  You will need to repeat the first step again in order to create another one.

1)  This first step could be slightly different based on who manufactures the phone.  Generally speaking it should be one of the following (or somewhat close):

  • Jelly Bean (Phones & Tablets):  Long press on an empty part of the home screen and choose Apps and Widgets.  Select the Widgets tab then scroll left or right until you see DirecTV Remote Command.  Long-press and DRAG that icon to an empty spot on your home screen.  If the options don't come up automatically, tap the new icon on your home screen to bring up the shortcut/widget options.
  • Froyo/Gingerbread:  Long-press on your home screen and choose the option to add a SHORTCUT (though NOT a normal 'application' shortcut).  Some devices require more steps, others are worded differently such as Long-press > Shortcut or Long-press > Shortcuts > App Actions, etc.  See screen shot below.
  • Honeycomb (Tablets):  There is a to click on then it brings up a bar across the bottom half of the screen with tabs for shortcuts and widgets.  Press on the Widgets tab then scroll until you find DirecTV Remote+ Shortcut.  Long-press and DRAG that icon to an empty spot on your home screen.  Afterward, press the widget in order to set it up as a shortcut.
  • ICS (Tablets):  Go to the home screen you want to add the widget to. Then touch the little grid in the upper right and it will take you to the app/widget drawer.  Press on the Widgets tab then scroll until you find DirecTV Remote+ Shortcut.  Long-press and DRAG that icon to an empty spot on your home screen.  Afterward, press the widget in order to set it up as a shortcut. 

2) Choose what type of DirecTV remote shortcut or widget to create (Remote Button, Favorite Channel, Macro or Mini-Guide)

3) Choose your options then press Create

4) You can now send that button, channel or macro to the receiver right from your home screen.  No need to even open the DirecTV Remote app!

 

 

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-10-15 19:39


Can I use custom icons for my shortcuts?

Starting in v1.3.0 of the Shortcut Add-On, you can use custom images for the shortcuts created with the Shortcut Add-On by placing specially named images into a specific folder on your SD card. These images only affect shortcuts created after the images are placed here and will not affect previously created shortcuts.

Shortcut image location:
SD Card/DirecTV_Remote/ShortcutIcons

This folder will be created after v1.3.0 or newer of the Shortcut Add-On is opened.  If the folder does not already exist, you can create it yourself.

Android expects certain image dimensions (measured in pixels) for shortcut icons. The size required depends on the resolution of your device but generally speaking, the larger the better.

If you are not sure which size to use, 72x72 or 96x96 is recommended. Android will downsize larger icons and upsize smaller icons as necessary. Downsizing generally still looks great on all devices but upsizing can lead to pixelated or "blocky" images.  To simplify making your own custom buttons, you can download a blank horizontal oval gel button here.  If the image opens in a new window, simply right-click on it and you can then save it to your computer.  This is the same button that is used when you choose the "generic" icon option when creating a shortcut.  This image can be used as a template and you can add your own text or logos to it.


Image Guidelines:

Low density screens: 36x36
Medium density screens: 48x48
High density screens: 72x72
Extra-High density screens: 96x96

The images can either be PNG (recommended) or JPG files. PNG supports transparency which often looks better especially if the image is not full size and square.

Filenames should be in all lower-case including the extension (.png or .jpg).


Favorite Channels:

You can use a custom image (such as a channel logo) for individual channels. Simply create a png or jpg image with the channel number for the filename.

For example, if you create an image named "298.png" or "298.jpg", that image will be used if you create a shortcut to channel 298.

If your favorites contain any OTA channels, be sure to include the minor channel number (such as "2.1.png" for OTA channel 2.1).


General buttons and commands:

You can also use custom images for shortcuts to any button supported in the Shortcut Add-On. Creating an image with a name below will replace the default icon for that shortcut.

For example, if you create an image named "sc_ccon.png" or "sc_ccon.jpg", that image will be used if you create a shortcut to the "CC On" button.


sc_active
sc_advance
sc_back
sc_blue
sc_ccon
sc_ccoff
sc_chandown
sc_chanup
sc_dash
sc_down
sc_enter
sc_exit
sc_fav
sc_ffwd
sc_format
sc_green
sc_guide
sc_info
sc_input
sc_left
sc_list
sc_macro
sc_menu
sc_mute
sc_onnow
sc_pause
sc_play
sc_power
sc_prev
sc_reboot
sc_record
sc_red
sc_replay
sc_rew
sc_right
sc_select
sc_stop
sc_up
sc_voldown
sc_volup
sc_yellow
sc_0
sc_1
sc_2
sc_3
sc_4
sc_5
sc_6
sc_7
sc_8
sc_9

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-02 11:36


Why don't Power or Reboot commands work with my Genie CLIENT?

While all power commands (Power Toggle, Power On, Power Off) work with all H2x, HR2x and HR34 Genie receivers, they currently do not work with Genie CLIENT devices (C31).

 

This is not a problem with my apps, but rather the commands simply do not work on the client devices.  Power Toggle toggles power on the Genie itself even if the command is sent to a client.  Power On & Off simply produce the "bonk" sound when sent to a client.

At this time it is not known if this is a firmware problem with the Genie or if this is intended behavior.  At any rate, since these commands do not function normally on the clients, the main remote app has blocked these commands from being sent to clients.

The "reboot" command does not work on the clients at all.  Because of this, the main app will not allow this command to be sent to a client.

 

For now, the Shortcut Addon will warn you that these commands do not work on Genie clients when you first try to create a shortcut.  However, it will allow you to create the shortcuts.  For reasons mentioned above, they will not work as expected.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-10 19:10


When using the app to change settings on a Genie CLIENT, the client suddenly stops responding to commands.

When trying to get into settings (such as audio or display settings) within the menus of a Genie client, the client can suddenly stop responding to commands.  At the time of this writing (3/14/2013) the exact reason is unknown but I presume it to be a bug in the Genie or client firmware.

The app still sends the commands and the Genie usually still acknowledges them (though only with the "bonk" sound), but for whatever reason it just stops responding to them.

Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to fix this since this is not a problem in my app, but rather it is a problem in the client (or possibly the Genie itself, since commands sent to the clients are actually sent to the Genie and forwarded to the client).

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-14 20:58


Is Cognitial Mobile on Google+ or Google Groups?

In all honesty, I still recommend that these FAQs be your first stop for help with my apps, and I also still recommend an email (from within the app preferably) for personal help.  However, if you have a question or comment that you feel would be well-suited to a public forum such as Google+ or Google Groups, by all means drop me a line on there.

 

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google Groups  (feedback & possible beta testing opportunities)

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google+

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 01:39


IR is not working for me even though my phone or tablet supports it.

Assuming the device does in fact have an IR blaster (not all phone / tablet models do despite having similar sounding names), it could be a few things.

  • Be sure that you are aiming the phone or tablet's IR blaster directly towards the bottom of the TV when controlling volume, mute or power on the TV.  If using IR to control the DirecTV receiver, be sure you are aiming it towards the DirecTV receiver when controlling DirecTV functions.  
    This problem is actually quite common, especially when unfamiliar with how well (or not) the IR works on these devices.  Unfortunately they are not nearly as powerful as the real remotes often are.  With the real remote you may get away with aiming it several feet away from the TV where as the phone may require much more precise aim.

  • It's also possible that none of the IR presets in the app work with your particular TV or AVR model.  If your brand is not listed or none of the presets work, please send me an email using the 'Report' button in the Volume plugin.  Be sure to mention your brand (and model if known) and I can probably get working codes for you.  You should definitely check your aim though as mentioned above.  While it could be an IR code problem, if it is an aiming problem then it could very well be a waste of time to ask for different IR codes.

  • This may be fixed by now, but if you are using a Samsung Galaxy device, please be sure that "Power Saving Mode" is turned off.  While the IR blaster appears to still work (when viewed through a digital camera), it apparently does not send the signal correctly when Power Saving Mode is turned on.  This is/was a known issue with the Galaxy Tab 2 and possibly other Galaxy models.



Another thing to try is to see if you can get the remote app that came with the phone or tablet to work.  If the "stock" app does not work, then you may want to seek help with that before trying to get the DirecTV Remote+ or Volume Plugin to work.  All phones and tablets with built-in IR blasters come with some kind of remote control app.  If you can't find one on your phone, try searching Google for more information on how to use the IR / remote on your specific phone or tablet.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-08-29 03:39


Advanced support options

In addition to email and the FAQs you are reading now, I can also provide support via a chat room and if you have a device compatible with TeamViewer then I can even remotely control your Android device using TeamViewer QuickSupport!  These advanced support options are free of charge and are part of my commitment to providing the best support possible.


Chat Room

While the chat room is available 24/7, I only log into it when someone is expecting me.  As a result, it is usually empty.  If you would like help via online chat, please send me an email first.  If I happen to be available at the time, I will log in and chat with you.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time to chat.

Click here to go to the online chat room


Remote Control via TeamViewer QuickSupport

Using a free app, I can remotely control your phone or tablet to help set it up or show you how to use it.  This service is only available on certain device brands and models.  At the time of this writing this includes Samsung, Sony, Asus (for business customers), Lenovo, Alcatel One Touch / TCL, Prestigio, Archos, Medion, Caterpillar / CAT, Unitech and more.  See the TeamViewer QuickSupport app (link below) for an up-to-date list.

Before we can use this option, you first need to install the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app.  It may also require a free addon, in which case the app should prompt you about this when you first run it.  Click here to go to the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app on Google Play.

Like the chat room, you will need to first email me and let me know you would like to use this support option.  If I happen to be available at the time and have access to my computer, I will remotely control your phone or tablet and help you with your problem.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time for this.  You will also want to have access to a laptop computer so we can communicate via the chat room or we can also arrange a phone call if preferred.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-03-29 20:30


How do I configure Tasker to control the DirecTV Remote+ App?

Tasker is a very handy app that can be used to automate many things on your Android device.  Rather than completely re-write what it can do here, I'd recommend reading that in Tasker's description and documentation.  This FAQ document will explain how to use Tasker to control your DirecTV receivers through my apps.  Tasker is used with my DirecTV Remote+ Shortcut Add-on.  The add-on is free to install but will only work if you have the Pro version of my main DirecTV Remote+ app installed on your device.  You can still configure Tasker to use my add-on even if you have not purchased DirecTV Remote+ Pro yet but ultimately the command will not be sent and you will see a message that it requires the Pro version to be installed.

 

Requirements:

 

How to configure Tasker to control your DirecTV receiver:

Note:  These instructions are somewhat detailed with regard to the steps required in assigning a DirecTV Remote command in Tasker but previous experience with Tasker will be very helpful to have.  Also note that it is possible that these exact instructions may change if Tasker makes changes to how their app works.  I'm certain that Tasker will always work with my add-on but the actual steps could change.

 

  1. Create the tasks:
    *  Press on the 'Tasks' tab.
    *  Press + to add a new task.
    *  Enter a name for the task (such as Power Toggle for this example).
    *  Press + then choose Plugin then choose AutoShortcut.
    *  
    Press Edit.
    *  Choose DirecTV Remote+ Command.  This will launch my Shortcut Add-On.  See this FAQ more information on using it.  Keeping with this example, we will choose 'Remote Button'.  Next, choose the DirecTV receiver to use and then choose the 'Power' button from the list of commands then press 'Create'.
    *  Press device 'back' button to return to Task Edit.
    *  If you'd like to send another command in this same task then do the following...
        *  Press + then choose Task then choose Wait.
        *  Choose time to wait (3-5 seconds should suffice but you my need to tweak this depending on which commands you are sending and how long it takes for the DirecTV receiver to respond to them).
        *  Press + then choose Plugin then choose AutoShortcut again.
        *  Press Edit.
        *  Choose another command using my add-on.
        *  Press device 'back' button to return to Task Edit.
        *  Repeat these steps again if you wish to add more commands to this same task.
    *  Press device 'back' button to return to the main Tasker screen.
  2. Now you can select this "task" to be used in Tasker.  For example, you can create a new profile to configure Tasker to send the power button at a certain time. 
  3. On the main Tasker screen, be sure that the tasks are turned on (by default they are).
  4. On the main Tasker screen, press Menu then be sure that Tasker is ENABLED.

 

While I can try to help you configure Tasker to do what you'd like it to do, I honestly have very little experience with it.  The instructions above explain how to get a DirecTV remote command into Tasker using my add-on but beyond that it is a matter of knowing how to use Tasker which is unrelated to any of my apps.

 

 

 

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-10-15 20:39


Windows Apps » General

Are you actively updating and supporting your Windows software?

Quite a while ago I had stopped working on my Windows software due to a career change (much longer hours) as well as starting a family.  After owning my first Android phone though, I got interested in making Android apps so I started programming again, but this time for Android.

 

I'm still working long hours and still raising a family, and between those and spending lots of time working on my Android apps as well as this website, it is tough finding time to juggle all of these things.  While I have not made any major updates to my Windows software in quite some time (with a couple exceptions), I do still fully support all Windows software found at this site.

 

Rest assured that if this website is still around, then so am I.  I will continue to support everything I have done, whether it is Windows or Android related.  Smile

 

I appreciate the continued interest in my software.  It seems like only yesterday that I was working on those programs almost every day!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 06:31


Windows Apps » Purchasing with PayPal & Installation

How does my purchase through PayPal work?

Using PayPal to make online purchases is...

  • SAFE! Transactions and all sensitive information are handled on PayPal's secure server.
  • EASY!  No existing PayPal account is necessary and you do not need to sign up for one.  (If you do not have a PayPal account, simply look for the Don’t have a PayPal account? area on the page you see after clicking the ‘Buy’ button.)


How it works...

  • Click the appropriate ‘Buy Now’ button on the purchase page and follow the payment steps on PayPal’s secure website.
  • Once your payment is processed by PayPal (when you reach the final page at PayPal), you will receive an email from PayPal detailing your purchase.  You will also receive an email generated by this website confirming your purchase.  That email will also contain a Username and Password which will allow you to instantly download the full version.  Please note that if paid by e-check, there is an additional waiting period of 4-5 business days for the e-check to clear. At that time, your username & password will be automatically generated and emailed to you.
  • If you feel that there is an undue delay in receiving your registration information, please don't hesitate to contact us.  We will determine if anything is wrong and will get it corrected for you as soon as possible.
  • If you already have a PayPal account, be sure that your email address is correct and current before making your purchase.  This will help to avoid problems with the emails going to an old/incorrect email address.  If you need us to change your email address in our records, contact us and we can change it for you.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 06:58


I purchased Name Dropper with PayPal but have not received my username and password yet.

When ordering through PayPal, the username & password is typically received within 1 minute, but can sometimes take as long as 15 minutes, depending on the load on PayPal’s site.  Though rare, it is also possible that the registration email that was sent to you got blocked by a spam blocker. If spam blocking is provided by your ISP, then you can usually read your blocked emails by logging into their site and checking your spam or bulk mailbox. How do you know if your registration email was blocked?  Here is a way to find out: Click here for the Registered Users page.

On that page, you will find a Lost Password Retrieval form. Enter the email address you used when making the purchase and click Submit. If your account has not been created yet, you will get a message stating that the email address entered was not found in the database. If this is the case, then your account has not been created yet. If enough time has passed and you feel it should have been created by now, please contact us and let us know and we will look into it.

If your account has been created, you will receive a message that your username & password have been sent to the e-mail address entered. If you do not receive THAT email, then it is very likely that your registration email (and the password reminder e-mail) have been blocked by a spam blocker. If you cannot retrieve the lost emails, contact us with your name and payment details and we will send you your username and password manually.

The registration e-mail is generated by a script on this site, and sometimes that is enough to trigger a “spam” flag. Most registration e-mails go through just fine, but Verizon.net and Earthlink.net have caused problems in the past, particularly Verizon. Attempts to resolve this problem with them have failed, and we apologize for any inconvenience. Be assured that you will get your username and password!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 06:59


What is your upgrade policy?

All registered users receive FREE upgrades to ALL future versions! That is my way of saying thanks for your support and interest! All I ask is that you tell friends about my software if you think they will benefit from it.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 07:00


Do I need to uninstall a previous or demo version before installing a new or full/paid version?

No.  All of my software and installers are created to ensure that no uninstalling is necessary in order to upgrade from an older version or demo.  If for some reason there is a circumstance where uninstalling a previous version IS necessary, it will be made clear to everyone.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 07:01


How do I upgrade my registered software to a new version?

When you initially register/purchase the software, you will receive a username & password to download the full version from a password-protected section on this site. Keep that username & password!

Whenever a new version comes out, simply sign in to the Registered Users area and download the new full version (do not download the demo version). If you forgot your password, use the Lost Password Retrieval form on the Registered Users page to retrieve it.  If your email address changes and you can no longer retrieve your password, contact me and I will update your email address in my online system.

 

Once you download the latest version, just install it right over the old version.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 07:04


Can I install the software on more than one computer with only one license?

Certainly! If you have more than one computer - for example, a desktop and a laptop, you can install the full/registered version on both of them providing that they are both owned by you personally and you will not be using the software on more than one computer at the same time.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 07:05


Windows Apps » Installation Problems

Unexpected errors while attempting to install our software

While you may be able to install some of our software from a normal Windows account, it is generally recommended that you install it while logged in as an administrator. This will help to avoid any permission issues you may encounter during installation.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:17


File downloaded is very small and when run, it appears to be an empty DOS window

This problem is the result of an incomplete download. The simple solution is to try downloading it again. See additional things to try listed under the next installation issue.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:18


"Error in compressed file - Bad CRC"

This error can occur if you have a "bad download". When Setup is run, it checks the integrity of the Setup file itself. This error is generated if it is determined that the Setup file has missing or corrupted data. To fix the problem, you simply need to try downloading again.

Following the steps below should increase your chances of being successful on your next download attempt:

 

  • Delete the Setup file that contains the error.
  • Empty your Temporary Internet Files folder. See the help that is included with your browser to see how to do this.
  • Try downloading the file again.
  • Try to refrain from downloading too many other things at the same time.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:20


Windows Apps » General Error Messages

"A required .DLL file, xxxxxxx, was not found."

The system files required by the software were not installed correctly, are missing, or have become corrupted. Please re-install the software. This can sometimes occur after "un-installing" another application. When given the option, it is recommended to not allow an un-installer to remove DLL or OCX files from your 'System' folder.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:22


"Component 'xxxxxxx' not correctly registered: file is missing or invalid."

The system files required by the software were not installed correctly, are missing, or have become corrupted. Please re-install the software. This can sometimes occur after "un-installing" another application. When given the option, it is recommended to not allow an un-installer to remove DLL or OCX files from your 'System' folder.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:23


"Error initializing DirectX"

Please be sure that you have the latest version of DirectX installed on your computer. The latest version of DirectX for your Operating System can be found at Microsoft's website. It is a free download.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:24


"Runtime Error '##########': Automation Error"

Automation errors have no specific cause, but are generally due to a driver problem or problem with DirectX. Try the following to fix this error:

  • Be sure you are running the latest version of DirectX
  • Click Start>Run then type dxdiag into the box and click OK. Once this app starts, click on each tab at the top of the window to examine each part of DirectX. At the bottom of the window for each tab, you will see a list of problems found (if any). Fixing any problems listed in this app is a good place to start! Often the errors listed can be fixed by doing the next suggestion.
  • Be sure you are using the latest drivers for your sound and graphics cards. You can usually find driver updates by going to the website of the company who makes the card (or sometimes the company who makes the processor that the card uses). If you are unsure of their website, try doing a search on the name of your card.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-06 05:26


Windows Apps » Boogle

Internet games and routers

If you are behind a router (NAT), then it will be necessary to open the proper ports and forward them to the local IP address of your computer. While UPnP is supposed to handle this for you (if it is enabled in the router), it has been my experience that it does not always work. I recommend NOT using UPnP when playing Boogle games.

However, I know that some people really prefer to use it and may even require it for certain programs that they use. Therefore, I will give instructions for using UPnP and not using UPnP. The first thing you should know is that Boogle uses DirectPlay 4 (a part of DirectX 7). An Internet search about playing DirectX 7 games over the Internet will reveal that getting these games to work through a router is a common problem. Hopefully the advice below will help. When using port forwarding rules in a router, it is generally recommended that you use static IPs for all of your computers on the LAN (if you have more than one computer), or at minimum for the ones you are forwarding ports to. See your router manual or search the Internet for more information on setting up static IP addresses on your local network.


UPnP DISABLED in router (recommended):

If you had previously used a DirectX 7 game with UPnP enabled, you may have a UPnP entry in your router for port 47624. After turning UPnP off, delete this rule then do the following:

  • Only one computer behind my router will ever use Boogle:
    1. In your router open port 47624 (TCP/UDP) and forward it to the IP address of the computer you will use to play Boogle. For example, if your PC uses the local IP address 192.168.1.101, then forward the port to 192.168.1.101.
    2. In your router open the port RANGE 2300-2400 (TCP/UDP) and forward it to the IP address of the computer you will use to play Boogle.
  • More than one computer behind my router will use Boogle:
    1. In your router open port 47624 (TCP/UDP) and forward it to the IP address of ONE computer that you will use to HOST a Boogle Game. For example, if your PC uses the local IP address 192.168.1.101, then forward the port to 192.168.1.101. Note that this is the only computer on your LAN that will be able to successfully host a game. If you wish to host on another PC in your LAN, you will need to forward it to the other PC first. You should however be able to join a remote game from any PC on your LAN that you have configured in these steps.
    2. Get a copy of DXPort and put a copy of it on each computer in your LAN that you will use to play Boogle on.
    3. Configure DXPort to use a different port range for each PC in your LAN. Please see the instructions that come along with DXPort for more information.
    4. In your router open the port range specified in DXPort (TCP/UDP) and forward it to the appropriate IP address of each PC you will use. The sample below is for configuring 2 computers on a LAN (a Sony at "101" and a custom-built at "102").
      • Rule       Name        Range           Protocol        Local IP
      • DPlay      Sony          2302-2311     TCP/UDP       192.168.1.101
      • DPlay      Custom      2312-2321     TCP/UDP       192.168.1.102
    5.  Run DXPort on each PC before running Boogle. It will force DirectPlay to choose a port in the small range you specified in DXPort. You can either run DXPort each time before playing Boogle over the Internet or you can choose to have DXPort run at system startup.

 

UPnP ENABLED in router (not recommended):

UPnP should automatically place an entry in your router for port 47624. However, it tends to set it to UDP protocol and forward it to "255". This does not work! You will either need to manually create a separate rule and open 47624 for TCP or delete the automatically created rule every time and create a manual rule for port 47624 and TCP/UDP. Also, change the destination IP to that of the PC you plan on hosting with (for example, 192.168.1.101). After doing this, do the following:

 

  • Only one computer behind my router will ever use Boogle:
    1. You don't need to do anything else. UPnP will automatically open the appropriate port for you (somewhere in the range of 2300-2400) and when you finish with Boogle the port will automatically close (the rule gets removed).
  • More than one computer behind my router will use Boogle:
    1. Get a copy of DXPort and put a copy of it on each computer in your LAN that you will use to play Boogle on.
    2. Configure DXPort to use a different port range for each PC in your LAN. Please see the instructions that come along with DXPort for more information.
    3. Run DXPort on each PC before running Boogle. It will force DirectPlay to choose a port in the small range you specified in DXPort. You can either run DXPort each time before playing Boogle over the Internet or you can choose to have DXPort run at system startup. With UPnP enabled, the appropriate ports will be opened automatically and closed when you finish with Boogle. DirectPlay via UPnP has a tendency to use the same port for more than one PC on a LAN. By using DXPort to specify a unique range for each PC, this allows a unique port to be forwarded to each PC.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:11


Boogle screens are rendered incorrectly

On some computers, the graphics on the Boogle screens appear shifted over (see image below). The typical cause of this is having a higher-than-normal DPI setting chosen for your video card. Typically a user changes this setting to make things appear larger on the screen. I will most likely correct this problem some time in the future, but for now, the only way around it is to change the DPI setting back to normal.

If this makes things too small on your screen, consider lowering your screen resolution.

To change the DPI setting:

  • Right-click on an empty part of the desktop and choose 'Properties'.
  • Click on the 'Settings' tab then click the 'Advanced' button.
  • On the 'General' tab, make sure the DPI setting is set to normal.
 Incorrect screen rendering due to higher-than-normal DPI setting
Incorrect screen rendering due to higher-than-normal DPI setting 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:11


Windows Apps » InterAx

AVI movies do not work in the demo games

This is more likely to occur in a newer operating system (such as Vista or 7). The problem is a missing CODEC and can usually be fixed by installing the Intel Indio CODEC.

Click here to download an installer. You may need to restart your computer after installation.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:12


"Error 76 - Path not found"

Occurs in a game I downloaded:

Please ensure that the game was unzipped properly. Games created with InterAx have sub-folders within the main (root) folder. This sub-folder information is stored in the zip file. After unzipping, if the game's main (root) folder contains many files and has no sub-folders in it, then the following will solve your problem: In WinZip, be sure that the "Use folder names" option is checked before you unzip the file. This option is visible in the window that appears after you click on the 'Extract' button. When unzipped properly, there should be a "Resource" folder under the game's main folder. Within the "Resource" folder, there should be two more folders: "Gfx" and "MMedia". This error occurs when either the Editor or Player tries to access a file in one of these sub-folders, but it doesn't exist.

 

Occurs in a new project I created:

If you receive this error while running a new project you created in the Player, the most likely cause is that no image was chosen for Scene 1's 'Scene Image' property.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:13


"Error 28 - Out of stack space"

This error occurs if the InterAx code get's stuck in an infinite loop, and is the result of a flag problem. The problem occurs if a flag change causes one or more other flag changes which comes back to a previous flag change in that series of flag changes. Sounds a bit confusing, yes. Here is a basic example of what can cause this:


A responder is set to trigger when Flag 1 = 2. The responder is set to change flag 1 to 2 when triggered. When flag 1 = 2, the responder takes action. When the action calls for changing flag 1 to 2, the responder is triggered again. This repeats itself until the error occurs.


Note that the above example is basic, in that the problem lies solely in one object. Many times the problem is the result of several flag changes in several objects that ultimately come back to a previous flag change in that series of flag changes. The flag changes could be something like: Flag 1 = 3, which changes Flag 10 to 12. This causes Flag 17 to change to 8, which changes Flag 1 to 3 (note that we are back to the beginning of the series of flag changes).


The best way to figure out the cause is to:

  • Keep the 'Debugging/Notify Window' turned on, which lists all flag changes as the game is played.
  • Examine the properties of all objects in the scene in which the error occurs. Pay close attention to any flag properties (setting or checking of flags), and look for a situation that can cause a looping condition.
  • If you can't find the problem just by looking at the properties, go through each property with a flag and UN-CHECK the governing checkbox, thus disabling the flag check or change. Do this for all flag checks or changes in the scene except for one. Run the game and check for errors. If none occur, go back to the editor and one by one, re-enable the flag properties until the error occurs. This should at least narrow the problem down to a particular flag.


In versions 3.1 and higher of the InterAx Player, this error will have a better description and hopefully make it clearer as to exactly which flag caused it.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:13


Windows Apps » Name Dropper

My login to download the full version of Name Dropper does not work!

So long as the username and password are being entered correctly, the only reason why a newly issued password (from a very recent purchase) will not work is if the same product has been previously purchased.  If you are not sure, or continue to have problems, use the Lost Password Retrieval Form to verify your password.

If your email address has since changed, you can still login with your old email address and password but please note that you will not be able to retrieve a lost password.  If this is the case, please contact support and request that your email address be updated in the system.
Important Notice to older customers:
Due to some data loss when my site hosting provider moved my site to a new server and again when my site was moved to a new host provider, customers who purchased Name Dropper between February 10th, 2008 and June 23rd, 2010 will need to have new usernames and passwords issued. I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. If you are affected by this, please contact us and include the name & email address you originally purchased Name Dropper with and I will issue you a new password.  If you are uncertain of which email address you used, don't worry.  Quite often your name alone is enough to confirm the purchase. Please follow the General Contact email link on the Contact Us page.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-08-29 09:08


Spyware Software: Keylogger / WebPI “false positives”

It has been brought to my attention by a few customers that some Anti-Spyware programs mark one of the components used by Name Dropper as a keylogger or a part of a program called “WebPI”. This is incorrect!

The component in question is “GVBox.OCX”. This file is used by Name Dropper to display images. Furthermore, the ONLY thing this component can do is open, save, and display images! Apparently the WebPI program uses this component as well and somewhere along the line it got a reputation as being harmful. Ironically, a look at the website that sells WebPI has a FAQ section where he explains that his program can not be installed without a person’s knowledge and that his program is not a sneaky trojan. I would guess that 99.9% of the people who complain to the WebPI people don’t have his software installed at all.... they simply have a program installed that happens to use GVBox.OCX, such as Name Dropper!
I won’t get into the aggravation I have with these spyware software makers that flag files left & right as harmful without any knowledge of what they are or do! If your Anti-spyware software warns you about this file and you delete it, Name Dropper will no longer work. If this happens you must re-install Name Dropper. This erroneous spyware reporting has been fixed in the programs listed below. If you find another anti-spyware program that flags “GVBox.OCX” as spyware, please let me know by using the Contact form. I will try to get it straightened out. Or if you prefer, you can report it to them yourself and quote this page.
     * Spyware Doctor no longer reports this file as being a threat.
     * A-Squared no longer reports this file as being a threat in the first update after December 21st, 2007.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:15


"Error 75 - Path/File Access Error"

This error can happen if the file you are renaming is in-use by another application. This isn't typical, but can happen if you externally preview the file and attempt to rename it while it is still open in the application that externally previewed it. In order to prevent or fix this error, simply close the other application or close the file in the other application.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:09


"Run-time error '429': You do not have an appropriate license to use this functionality"

This error can occur if you attempt to go back from version 3.3 or newer of Name Dropper to version 3.2 or older. This error is the result of a backward-compatibility issue with one of the components that Name Dropper uses (specifically, the image rendering component).

 

If you are trying to install and run an older version of Name Dropper and you receive this error message, there is a small tool available that will remove the image component (the installer for the older version will not overwrite the newer and incompatible version of the component if it exists). To use this tool, download and run it, then click the button to remove the image component. Then re-install the older version of Name Dropper that you would like to use.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:09


I would like to preview Quicktime MOV and/or Real Audio/Video files in Name Dropper, but they do not play

Name Dropper 3.4 and up has the ability to preview most Quicktime and Real Media files, provided that the appropriate DirectShow Filters are installed. Luckily there are free utilities that provide these filters, as well as offer an alternative to the sometimes intrusive "official" plug-ins!

 

Quicktime Alternative - Recommend version 1.53 as file compatibility problems had been reported with a few versions soon after. It may have been fixed though.

Real Alternative - Recommend version 1.45 or newer

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:15


When previewing certain MP3s, the file appears to be playing but there is no sound.

If you've checked the obvious, then you may be experiencing a known bug in Microsoft DirectShow (a component of DirectX). There is a known issue associated with certain MP3s that have extended meta data (ID3 Tags) embedded in them. If this only happens with a small number of your MP3s, you can usually get the sound to play by clicking on the forward step button (>) after pressing play. If this happens with most or all of your MP3s, then you may want to enable the built-in work-around (introduced in version 3.6).

To enable or disable this work-around, open the Program Options window, then press F12. A message will appear telling you that it is either enabled or disabled. Name Dropper will remember this setting the next time you run it. Please note that this work-around usually gets the sound working on the troublesome MP3s, but you may notice that the first second of the file gets cut off when playing from the beginning. This does NOT indicate a problem with the MP3, but rather it is a side-effect of the work-around.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:15


When I run Name Dropper, it appears in the Task Bar but the Name Dropper window never comes up.

Note: This problem was fixed in version 3.1. I left this information here in case it should still happen to someone by some chance. Incidentally, I have seen this problem in other applications as well. The cause is usually the same, but the repair method may differ depending on the application.


When Name Dropper closes, it saves the current window position to the registry. This problem can arise if the Name Dropper window is closed while minimized. This results in invalid coordinates being saved to the registry, and causes the window to not be visible the next time it is run. This problem can occur in versions 2.3 - 3.0, and will be fixed in 3.1 and higher.


Solution: This solution involves editing the Windows Registry. Although this is safe to do if you follow the directions below, it is recommended that double-check to make sure you are in the correct spot (as detailed below). Before trying this solution, be sure that Name Dropper is not running. If you are not sure, reboot the computer before continuing.

 

  1. Click START, then click 'RUN...'. Type regedit into the box and click OK.
  2. Once in the Registry Editor, look at the left pane. You should see an item called 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER'. If it is not visible, double-click 'My Computer' first. Double-click on 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER'.
  3. Browse to the item called 'Software' and double-click it.
  4. Browse to the item called 'CognitialSoftware' and double-click it.
  5. Browse to the item called 'NameDrop' and single-click it.
  6. To confirm that you are in the correct place, be sure that the following is shown at the bottom of the Registry Editor window:My Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CognitialSoftware\NameDrop
  7. In the right pane, look for the items called 'Window Left' and 'Window Top'. These contain the coordinates for the Name Dropper window on your screen.
  8. Double-click 'Window Left', and change the Value Data to 0. (That's a zero). Click OK.
  9. Double-click 'Window Top', and change the Value Data to 0. (That's a zero). Click OK.
  10. Close the Registry Editor, and try running Name Dropper. Your problem should now be fixed.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:16


Windows Apps » Verwolf

When comparing the installed version to the latest available version, sometimes Verwolf is wrong about which is newer

This is a known issue with Verwolf and some attempts have been made to correct it. The problem stems from version numbers that are formatted differently (extra zeros, letters instead of numbers, etc).

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-07 20:07


Android Apps » DirecTV Remote+ Volume Plugin

The app no longer seems to communicate with a DirecTV receiver (or TV/AVR) that it had previously found. What happened?

Note:  If this happens only with Genie CLIENTS, the problem may be related to this FAQ instead.

 

First, be sure that your mobile device is connected to your home WiFi network and confirm your Whole Home settings if someone else may have changed them.  An even more likely cause however is that the receiver is setup to use what is called DHCP.  What this means is that your home network's router assigns it an arbitrary IP address whenever it needs to be renewed.  Sometimes it happens to assign the same address, but often times it does not.

To correct the problem, you can usually just re-scan for receivers in the app.  Note though that if your receivers are in fact using DHCP, then you may want to consider configuring your receiver for a static IP address or DHCP Reservation.  Static or DHCP reservation applies not only to DirecTV receivers but also is recommended for any network device you'd like to control, including TVs or AVR.

 

It's also worth mentioning here that I have had some reports of DirecTV receivers and even AVRs (A/V Receivers controlled by the Volume Plugin) suddenly not being detected or controllable with the app.  While at first glance it appeared to be a problem with my app, the problem actually resolved itself after rebooting the DirecTV receiver or AVR itself.  So if things seem like they should "just work" but they are not, consider rebooting your DirecTV receiver or TV/AVR!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-14 13:12


What is the Volume Plugin?

When installed, the exclusive Volume Plugin adds volume, mute and input buttons to the main DirecTV Remote+ app.  PRO users can use these buttons directly in the main remote app or with the Shortcut Addon!  FREE users can look but not touch. Wink  Free users can, however, install the Volume plugin and see if it will work for them without having to buy the Pro version of the main remote app first.

Use of the volume plugin requires a network controllable television or AVR receiver, a network-to-IR device, certain Samsung Galaxy models or HTC One with built-in IR emitter.  (See link to supported devices below).  Although the volume controls are integrated into the main DirecTV Remote+ app, they do not work directly with your DirecTV equipment.  MOST people will be unable to control volume with ANY app. That is just the way it is. See this FAQ for a detailed explanation. If you have to ask if this app will work for you then the answer is likely NO.


Please note that this is a huge task I am undertaking here and currently only a very limited number of devices are supported. I will try to add support for more in the future but it is a slow and difficult process to find out how to control various device brands.  Please understand the situation here!

** CURRENTLY SUPPORTED DEVICES **

For a list of supported devices, click here.


If you cannot use this app because you don't have a compatible network-enabled TV or AVR please DO NOT even install it!

If you *do* have compatible equipment and find this app useful please rate & review it.  Normally I wouldn't say that the more ratings I get the more I will update it, but with a project like this that is pretty much the case.  Low interest means little incentive to improve on it.



** REQUIREMENTS **

  1. Working installation of DirecTV Remote+ (Free or Pro)* from Cognitial Mobile. If you do not have either app installed, you cannot run this app at all!
  2. An SD card (removable or non-removable) must be installed so that this plugin can retrieve your DirecTV Remote app settings.
  3. A TV or AVR that is supported in the app.  See link above.


* This plugin app will still allow you create and test volume profiles even if only the free version is installed but please note that they only function from the PRO version of the DirecTV Remote+ app.


This test plugin is somewhat of a work in progress.  It is not the most user-friendly app and could use some refining on the interface.  The idea for now is function over form!


AGAIN: MOST people will not be able to control volume from any app due to technological limitations of their TV or AVR. This is not my fault and there is nothing I can do about it. People who can use an app to control volume probably already know this. If you are not sure, then you probably cannot.

 

Special thanks to:

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-08-21 03:40


Why is volume control from an Android device so difficult?

As far as controlling volume from an Android phone or tablet goes, there are technical hurdles to overcome.  It basically comes down to two technologies: IR (InfraRed) and network control.

IR has been around for a long time and is how most TVs and AVRs are controlled using the remote that came with it.  The problem is that most Android devices cannot send IR signals (although a small handful do).  So your other option is network control.  The problem there is that unless you have a fairly new TV that can be networked (and controlled over a network), you're out of luck.

Fortunately there is a device available that connects to your network and can send IR signals.  For many people, this may be your best option.  More on that below.

Many people have assumed they should be able to control volume since the app can control their DirecTV receivers.  The receivers are controlled over your NETWORK, unless you happen to have a Samsung or HTC and are using the IR option to control your DirecTV receivers.  Since there are only a limited number of DirecTV receiver models and more and more these days are connected to your network, this makes your chances of having the correct DirecTV equipment pretty decent.  By contrast, there are many brands of televisions and most of them cannot be controlled over a network.

So what it comes down to is this.  In order to control volume from your Android phone or tablet, you need to meet one of the following requirements:

  • An Android phone/tablet with a built-in IR blaster such as select Samsung, HTC, LG and Sony devices.  (See supported devices)
  • A somewhat newer model TV that is capable of being networked, is connected to your network, is capable of being controlled over a network, and is supported in the plugin.  (See supported devices)
  • A network-to-IR device such as the Global Cache iTach.  For many people this may be your cheapest option.  It is certainly cheaper than a new TV and is likely cheaper than upgrading your phone or tablet.  While it will cost you some extra money (the WiFi version runs approximately $130-$150), it will work for anyone with any TV or AVR and any Android phone or tablet.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-26 17:00


My TV or AVR *can* be controlled over a network but it is not listed in the Volume plugin!

There are lots of device brands out there.  Adding support for other brands takes time and research.  Rest assured that I will add support for more devices as I discover how to control them.  The plugin takes several approaches to controlling a networked TV or AVR:

 

Manually entered HTTP (Simple URL) - At the time of this writing I do not know of any devices that can be controlled with simple HTTP commands but I have added this as an option so that if there ARE devices like this out there, you can add support for your own device without waiting for me to do it.  All I ask is that if you get things working this way, please send me an email through the 'Report' button in the plugin app and provide some additional info.  The HTTP commands will automatically be added to the email body making this very easy for you to share.  Then I can add support for that device to a future version of the app which will make it easier for others to control their own similar device!  Read more.

Manually entered Advanced HTTP - Lots of network-controllable devices require HTTP POST or GET commands to be sent to them, often with POST headers and complex XML.  This option is pretty much for tech-savvy or very patient people.  The idea is that if you happen to find some information online that explains how to send commands to your TV or AVR using POST data, you may very well be able to add support for the device yourself by using this advanced option.  If you do find information on how to control your device over a network feel free to send me an email with a link and I will help you figure it out and/or add support for it myself as a built-in device.  Read more.

Built-in support - For some devices, I will just write the necessary code to control the device and add it to the plugin.  One example is Denon/Marantz.  I will most likely do this for other devices in the future but first I need to know how to do it!  If you find code samples (any language) or SDKs for controlling your device through a network connection (HTTP, TCP/IP, etc) then please send me a link and I will look into it!  If I can figure it out then I will add support for it to the plugin! 

3rd-party apps - Rather than re-inventing the wheel, another way of controlling volume from my app is to simply harness the abilities of an already exisiting app.  One example of this is OnkyTroller (for Onkyo brand AVRs).  OnkyTroller has the ability to create shortcuts on your home screen for commands like Volume and Power.  This ability makes it very easy for other developers to send commands directly to their app.  Of course this also means that you will also need that other app installed, which may or may not cost extra money.  On the plus side, those apps will most likely make it easier to find and set up your TV or AVR and will absolutely have more features and functions than basic power and volume control.  Support those developers too!

 

I feel that I am taking the best approach to offering volume control for those who have the correct equipment to do so.  Please understand that this cannot be done for most TVs and AVRs unless they already support the ability to be networked and controlled over a network.  I will work hard to add more devices as I discover them but it will take time.  If you want yours added, please send me an email.  Obviously I will focus on the most requested brands first.  Smile 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-11-27 21:25


When I press a volume or mute button in the main DirecTV Remote+ Pro app, the plugin app pops up!

This can happen if you have recently opened the plugin for set up or testing but didn't "back out of it" when you were finished.  For example, if you press Home after setting up or testing the plugin then this may happen the next time you press the volume button in the main app.

To avoid this in the future, please be sure to press the "back" button to back out of the plugin app when finished with it.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-11-21 17:31


How does the HTTP option work in the Volume Plugin?

Just in case there is a TV or AVR that can be controlled through simple HTTP commands (now or in the future), I added this as an option for setting up the commands yourself.  This is probably unlikely, but if you ever stumble on some information that explains how to control your device through simple HTTP commands, go ahead and plug those commands into the plugin app and give it a try!  All I ask is that if you discover something that works, please send me an email through the 'Report' button in the plugin app and share the information with me so that I can add built-in support for that device in order to make it easier for others to do this too.

 

Below is purely an example of how you would use this option.  This exact command will most likely not do anything!

Scenario:  Your TV has an IP address of 192.168.1.112 and your TV will respond to commands sent to port 80.  You found a website that says you can send the following to your TV to turn it on:

http://YourIPAddress:Port/command/tv/cmd?PowerOn

 

In this case, you would enter that command into the Power On field in the plugin app like so:

http://192.168.1.112:80/command/tv/cmd?PowerOn

 

If all goes well, press on the Test button in the plugin app and see if it works.  If so, congratulations!  You can now control your TV's power from the main DirecTV Remote+ Pro app!

It bears repeating that most devices cannot be controlled so simply!  But if yours can, you can do so this way.  Please do not send me an email asking if you can do this with your TV!  If I know about it I will add it to the app.  If it is not already in the app, then either it cannot be done or I don't know about it, but asking me isn't going to make any difference.  If you want to know, Google it yourself.  Wink  If you find information saying that it can be done but you are having problems, then feel free to send me a link and I will try to help you figure it out.

It is also highly recommended that you assign a static IP address to your TV or AVR (much like it is recommended that you do this with your DirecTV receivers).  This will ensure that it will always work.  Otherwise you will need to change the commands if your IP address ever changes on the TV or AVR.

For an even more powerful DIY solution, see the Advanced HTTP option!

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-11-25 16:57


How does the Advanced HTTP option work in the Volume Plugin?

Most network-enabled devices allow control by posting data to them.  This is where the Advanced HTTP option comes in!  With this option you stand a very good chance of being able to control your device without having to wait for me to get around to it.  With a little Googling, you may be able to find sample POST or GET commands that allow you to control your device.  If you do, be sure to send me an email through the button in the app so that I can add built-in support so that others can control that device brand as well!

 

For an example, I will include a real sample of how to control a Panasonic VIERA television.  This has already been added to the Volume Plugin as a built-in supported device but it will help demonstrate how you would use the advanced HTTP option.

 

Here is the POST data that needs to be submitted to the device in order to send the mute command:

POST /nrc/control_0 HTTP/1.1
User-Agent: Panasonic iOS VR-CP UPnP/2.0
Host: 10.0.1.155:55000
Content-Type: text/xml; charset="utf-8"
SOAPACTION: "urn:panasonic-com:service:p00NetworkControl:1#X_SendKey"
Content-Length: 331

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Envelope xmlns:s="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" s:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
<s:Body>
<u:X_SendKey xmlns:u="urn:panasonic-com:service:p00NetworkControl:1">
<X_KeyEvent>NRC_MUTE-ONOFF</X_KeyEvent>
</u:X_SendKey>
</s:Body>
</s:Envelope>

In the Plugin app, you would do the following:

1) Set the IP address to the actual IP address of your television.  It is recommended that you use a static IP address or DHCP reservation so that the address will never change.  If that happens, you will need to change that setting in the plugin app.  The sample above shows the address as 10.0.1.155 with a port of 55000.  Your address will likely be different, but the port should be the same.

2) Edit the commands for each button in the plugin that are available on the device.  For example, for the Mute button you would enter NRC_MUTE-ONOFF.  Not all commands are available for all devices.  The plugin detects which commands are available and tries to act accordingly when you try pressing buttons in the main app.

3) Press on the 'Set Header/Body" button in the upper-right corner of the Commands screen.  This is where you enter the POST data.

For the header, you would enter the following into the app:

POST /nrc/control_0 HTTP/1.1
User-Agent: Panasonic iOS VR-CP UPnP/2.0
Host: $IP$:$PORT$
Content-Type: text/xml; charset="utf-8"
SOAPACTION: "urn:panasonic-com:service:p00NetworkControl:1#X_SendKey"
Content-Length: $LENGTH$

 

For the body, you would enter the following into the app:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Envelope xmlns:s="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" s:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
<s:Body>
<u:X_SendKey xmlns:u="urn:panasonic-com:service:p00NetworkControl:1">
<X_KeyEvent>$COMMAND$</X_KeyEvent>
</u:X_SendKey>
</s:Body>
</s:Envelope>

 

If you are following along, you will see that we pretty much entered the original elements except that we replaced a few things with variables.  This will allow the POST data to change itself depending on which buttons you press in the app.

In the headers:

We replaced the original IP address and port (10.0.1.155:55000) with $IP$:$PORT$

We replaced the original Content-Length (331) with $LENGTH$

In the body:

We replaced the original command (NRC_MUTE-ONOFF) with $COMMAND$

 

Hopefully this helps give you an idea of how this option works.  It really can allow you to add support for your own device but it will take some Googling and some patience.  If you have problems, feel free to send me an email with a link to the information you have found.  I will either try to help you get it working and/or just add built-in support for it to the plugin app so that others can use it as well.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-11-25 17:02


Why doesn't Power ON work for my TV or AVR (network control)?

Unfortunately many televisions and A/V receivers turn off their network ports when the device is powered off (in standby).  Because of this, they are not listening for commands over the network.

Some devices may have options in their menus for standby power state such as power saver, fast start-up, etc.  While there is no guarantee, changing these power settings may allow the device to power on from standby by keeping the network port active in standby.

Another option to consider:  Many newer TVs have an option to allow external devices to control TV power through the HDMI ports.  This is via a standard called CEC (Consumer Electronics Control).  Consult your owner's manual to see if your TV might support this feature and how to enable it.  Different brands refer to this ability by different names.  From Wikipedia:

Trade names for CEC are Anynet+ (Samsung), Aquos Link (Sharp), BRAVIA Link and BRAVIA Sync (Sony), HDMI-CEC (Hitachi), E-link (AOC), Kuro Link (Pioneer), INlink (Insignia), CE-Link and Regza Link (Toshiba), RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) (Onkyo), RuncoLink (Runco International), SimpLink (LG), T-Link (ITT), HDAVI Control, EZ-Sync, VIERA Link (Panasonic), EasyLink (Philips), and NetCommand for HDMI (Mitsubishi).

As an example, on my Panasonic Viera TV, powering off the DirecTV receiver does not affect the TV's power, but I am able to power off the TV using network control anyway.  My particular TV will not power ON using network control but turning on the DirecTV receiver does in fact turn the TV on for me automatically with VIERA Link enabled on the TV!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-08-29 03:53


What devices are currently supported in the Volume Plugin?

The devices listed on this page can be controlled from the main DirecTV Remote+ Pro app using the Volume plugin ("free" users can test the plugin directly to see if it will work for them but will be unable to send volume commands from within the main remote app).  More devices will be added in the future.  If you would like yours added to the list, send me an email, but ONLY if it can be controlled over a network. There is no way I can guarantee that support will ever be added for your brand but I will try.  Warning: If you ask for support to be added for your device be prepared to do some testing for me!  Laughing  Even if I am lucky enough to find out how to control that particular brand, I have no way of personally testing it to make sure my code is correct.

For more info on the technical problems with controlling volume from an Android device, please see this FAQ.

Note: A new Setup Wizard introduced in version 2.0 of the Volume Plugin helps make setting up the plugin a little easier.  The wizard cannot set ALL devices up yet but it will do quite a few of them. 

Below are the devices that the Volume plugin can control:

Using IR:

  • [Built-in IR]  ANY TV or AVR can be controlled using built-in IR on select Samsung Galaxy devices (Currently GALAXY TAB 2/3, GALAXY NOTE 3 & 4, 8.0/10.1, GALAXY S4 & S5).  [Wizard]
  • [Built-in IR]  ANY TV or AVR can be controlled using built-in IR on the HTC One devices (supports learning!)  [Wizard]
  • [Built-in IR]  ANY TV or AVR can be controlled using built-in IR on select LG devices (Currently G2, G Pad & Vu:3).  [Wizard]
  • [Built-in IR]  ANY TV or AVR can be controlled using built-in IR on select Sony Xperia devices (Currently Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Tablet S, Tablet S).  [Wizard]

 

Using NETWORK (or NETWORK-to-IR) CONTROL:

  • [Network Control]  Any network-controllable TV or AVR that can respond to basic HTTP commands (UNLIKELY but possible).  This is manually configured by the user using the HTTP option.
  • [Network Control]  Any TV or AVR that can be controlled with HTTP POST or GET methods *or* a device that responds to basic raw text commands so long as no special encoding is required (More likely than basic HTTP but probably still rare).  This is manually configured by the user using the Advanced HTTP option.
  • [Network Control]  Any TV or AVR that supports volume & mute commands over UPnP  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Denon or Marantz AVRs (may or may not work depending on model)
  • [Network Control]  LG Smart TVs  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Onkyo AVRs (directly or through OnkyTroller)
  • [Network Control]  Panasonic Viera televisons (2011+)  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Philips televisions (2011+... uses Philips jointSPACE)
  • [Network Control]  Pioneer televisions (using UPnP)  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Samsung televisions (C series + up to 2013.  2014+ currently not supported yet due to a change in the protocol)  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Sharp Aquos televisions
  • [Network Control]  Sony Bravia televisions (using IRCC or UPnP)  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Toshiba televisions (using UPnP)  [Wizard]
  • [Network Control]  Yamaha AVRs (newer models)
  • [Network to IR]  ANY TV or AVR can be controlled using a Global Cache iTach, which connects to your network and sends IR signals to your TV or AVR.  For many, this may be your only option but on the bright side, it WILL control just about anything!  The device will set you back around $130-$150 but it's cheaper than buying a new TV.  Wink
  • [Network to IR]  Any device controlled with an IR blaster through HomeSeer (more info)

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-12-06 01:24


My device is listed in the Volume Plugin but I cannot control it.

Not all television or AVR models can be controlled over a network.  Generally speaking, if the brand is supported in the Volume plugin then it should work on late model televisions or AVRs of that brand.

One good way to determine if you should be able to control it or not is to try installing another app (official or 3rd party) that is supposed to control your device (see below for more info).  If you can control your TV or AVR with another app, then you should be able to control it with the Volume plugin.  Smile

Another thing to consider is to make sure you have the correct IP address set up in the Volume plugin app.  Most official or other apps have automatic discovery of your televsion or AVR.  Because the Volume Plugin supports so many various device brands, it was decided (at this time at least) to limit it to manually entering the IP address of the device.  So if it is not working then that is one of the first things you should check.

If you are still having problems and you are certain that your device should work with the app but it doesn't, then please send me an email with details on your device (brand, model, etc).

If the apps below can control your TV or AVR then the Volume plugin should as well.  If the apps below cannot control your TV or AVR then you may be out of luck. Frown  This could happen on slightly older devices, models without network capabilities, or just varying model numbers.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-12-07 10:04


How do I use HomeSeer with the volume plugin?

If you use HomeSeer (Smart Home software) and you have an IR blaster as a part of your HomeSeer setup then you can control any TV or AVR that is configured in HomeSeer!

 

Requirements:

  • HomeSeer software
  • TenHSServer (free "addon" available here)
  • A HomeSeer-compatible IR blaster
  • You will need to create an "event" in HomeSeer for each IR command you wish to send (such as Volume Up, Volume Down, etc) and select the appropriate IR action for those events
  • Once the events are created, just enter them into the Volume plugin app along with your HomeSeer server's IP address and port

 

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-12-16 09:30


How do I use the Global Cache iTach with the Volume plugin?

As I've mention many times throught the Volume plugin app, descriptions in the markets and here in the FAQs, most people won't be able to control their TV or AVR with an app due to technical limitations of their TV or AVR.  Specifically, most TVs and AVRs cannot be controlled over a NETWORK, unless it happens to be farily new.  Even then, they do not all have this ability.

Enter the Global Cache iTach!

This device plugs into your home network (a WiFi version is also available for just a little more money) and allows apps like mine to send commands to it which are then turned into actual IR signals.  If you are familiar with an "IR blaster", that is essentially what it does.  The nice thing about this option is that ANY device that accepts IR signals can be controlled using this device.  The only downsides are 1)  It costs anywhere from $100-$125 and 2) Initially setting the device up can be a bit technical.

While I can try to help you get it installed (although this is very difficult to do without being there), there are instructions on the Global Cache website.  What I can (and will do) though is help you get my app set up with the correct commands to control your television.  This is probably the most difficult part, as it requires either learning the codes from your remote or finding them online.

For more information on these neat little devices, please see the Global Cache website.


Controlling your TV or AVR with the Volume Plugin using the iTach:

After getting the device installed on your network, it would first be a good idea to set it up with a static IP address (or use DHCP reservation in your router).  This will prevent the address from changing, which could cause the app to stop controlling the device.

Once the Global Cache iTach control method is chosen in the Volume plugin, you can enter the device's IP address and port along with the Module ID (typically 1), Connector (1-3 but typically 3) and Repeat rate (typically 1).

The app contains some presets for certain TV brands and using a preset is by far the easiest way to get going.  To choose a preset while your Global Cache iTach profile is selected in the plugin, press [Edit/View Cmds] then [Set Defaults] and look for your TV or AVR in the list.  If there is not already a preset for your brand or the included preset(s) don't work then you can still likely control your device but it will just take a bit more patience first.

If presets don't work for you, then there are a few other ways to find out the correct IR codes to enter into the Volume plugin.  The easiest, DIY solution is to simply use the iTach's IR learning function.  You can also convert existing HEX codes, or I can even provide the codes to you.

On the Global Cache Downloads page, you will find links to several Windows programs that will help you configure the device as well as learn or convert IR codes.

iHelp is used to configure the device.  iLearn is used to learn IR codes from your existing remote.  That program will give you the commands that can be directly copied into my app in order to control the device.  iConvert can be used to convert HEX codes (such as Pronto) to Global Cache IR codes.  This is handy if you find HEX codes on the web and want to convert them.  HEX codes for many devices can be found at Remote Central.

The actual commands are entered into a separate screen in the app.  Depending on whether you got the commands from iLearn or iConvert, they may look different.  Below is an example for Power Toggle:

sendir,<mod-addr>:<conn-addr>,1,40192,<repeatcount>,1,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,4019

In this case, we have some variables in the command (<mod-addr>, <conn-addr> and <repeatcount>).  These variables will be replaced with the values you enter into the other screen with the IP address and port.

Alternatively, you do not need to use the variables.  If you learn the IR with iLearn, your output may look more like this:

sendir,1:3,1,40192,3,1,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,4019

This command will work as well.  The only difference is that whatever numbers you have entered into the other screen will be ignored (Module ID, Connector and Repeat rate).  Typically they would be the same as what is already entered into the command anyway.

 

More information and details on how to set these devices up can be found at Global Cache's website and elsewhere on the web.  Hopefully this FAQ will help get you started.

If you own one of these devices and are having trouble figuring out the proper commands, please send me an email.  Be sure to include the IP address of the device as well as module and connector number.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-05-30 15:34


How do I enter or select IR codes for use with a Samsung Galaxy or HTC One with IR emitter?

Some Samsung Galaxy devices have built-in IR emitters.  Current known devices that have this feature are the GALAXY TAB 2/3, GALAXY NOTE 3, GALAXY NOTE 8.0/10.1 (tablets) and GALAXY S4.  Also, the HTC One contains a built-in IR emitter as well.  What this means is that you can control volume on any TV or AVR with the Volume plugin if you own one of these devices!

Controlling your TV or AVR with the Volume Plugin using an Android device with built-in IR:

The app contains some presets for certain TV brands and using a preset is by far the easiest way to get going.  To choose a preset while your HTC One or Galaxy IR profile is selected in the plugin, press [Edit/View Cmds] then [Set Defaults] and look for your TV or AVR in the list.  If there is not already a preset for your brand or the included preset(s) don't work then you can still likely control your device but it will just take a bit more patience first.

There are a few ways to find out the correct IR codes to enter into the Volume plugin:

1)  HTC One users (IR learning):  The Volume plugin can learn your remote commands on the HTC One.  Currently learning is not supported on Galaxy devices because they do not contain the necessary sensors for IR learning.  For more information on learning IR with the HTC One, click here.

2)  If you can find Pronto HEX codes on the web, you can use the Global Cache iConvert utility to convert them to normal IR.  HEX codes for many devices can be found at Remote Central.  Getting the codes ready for use with your Galaxy will require some extra steps.  See the next section below.

3)  If you'd like, I can give you the codes to enter into the app.  In order for me to do this though, you will need to send me an email and let me know what brand your TV or AVR is.  Then I will help you get the plugin app working with it.  Please only request this help if you actually have a Galaxy model (or HTC One) that has an IR emitter!  For more info, see 'Need more help?' below.

 
Converting a Pronto HEX code to normal IR

If you find Pronto codes that should work with your TV or AVR, you can convert them yourself!  To do this, we will first convert it to Global Cache iTach IR with their free convertor tool for Windows.  You can find that program (iConvert) on the Global Cache Downloads page.

When you convert a Pronto HEX code with the iConvert tool, you will get something like the following:

sendir,<mod-addr>:<conn-addr>,1,40192,<repeatcount>,1,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,4019

In order to make this work for the built-in IR on your Galaxy or HTC One, we need to first remove some things from the results.

1)  Remove the entire beginning up to the first large number (in this case, 40192).  After doing this, you will have the following:

40192,<repeatcount>,1,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,4019

 2)  Remove the <repeatcount>, the following comma, the next number, and the comma after that.  After doing this, you will have the following:

40192,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,24,4019

This is what you will enter into the Volume plugin.  This needs to be repeated for each command (such as Power Toggle, Volume Up, Volume Down, etc).

Hopefully this FAQ will help get you started.
  

 

Need more help?

If you own one of these Galaxy or HTC One devices with built-in IR and are having trouble figuring out the proper commands, please send me an email from the plugin (use the 'Report' button).  Be sure to include the brand of your TV!  It may also help if you include the model number as well as which DirecTV remote code works for you.  Genie systems do not let you choose or see the different remote codes but the other models do (such as H2x and HR2x).

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-13 20:47


When I try to change volume from the main app, it says there are no TV/AVR volume profiles set up for the receiver.

When you create a TV or AVR "profile" in the Volume plugin app, there are two primary things to configure.  Obviously one is that you need to configure the volume plugin app to control your TV or AVR if you have one that is compatible with the app.

Perhaps a little less obvious, you also need to tell the volume plugin app which DirecTV receiver(s) you would like to work with the selected profile.  For example, if you have a DirecTV receiver in your living room named Living Room and you also have a profile for controlling the TV in the living room, then you want to be sure to select the Living Room DirecTV receiver in the plugin app while on the living room TV profile.  The button to do this is just below where you enter the profile name, and is labeled "Edit / View".

 

Because the pro version allows you to change names of DirecTV receivers, the plugin looks at the receiver's IP address in order to determine which (if any) volume profile it should use with the current DirecTV receiver.  For this reason (and as I always recommend anyway), you should consider using static IP addresses or DHCP reservation for your DirecTV receivers.  If you do not do this, then you may need to reconfigure the allowed DirecTV receivers for the volume "profile" in the plugin if the IP address of the DirecTV receiver changes.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-03-22 13:10


How the $#@* do I set up the Volume plugin???

I'll admit the Volume plugin can be a bit confusing and complicated looking.  It can use some refining but for now my main goal was to get things working.  Eventually I would like to make the volume plugin easier to understand and configure but it will take some time.  I will attempt to explain how to set it up here for now.

Note: Version 2.0 of the volume plugin now includes the beginnings of a Setup Wizard.  While it does not yet work on ALL possible devices, it does help set up most that are already supported in the plugin.  When you create a new profile, please follow the prompts which will help guide you in setting up the plugin.  Click here to read more about the Setup Wizard.

First, be sure that you have a supported device.  If you don't, then you are probably wasting your time.  Due to technical limitations, most people will not be able to control volume using an Android app.  In short, most televisions cannot be controlled over a network but they all can be controlled using InfraRed signals.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, all Android devices can control other devices over a network but most cannot directly send InfraRed signals.  See the dillema here?  This is why only a select number of people will be able to achieve this very desired ability.  Two completely different technologies!  Fortunately, televisions are slowly coming out with the ability to be controlled over a network and some Android devices now have IR emitters.  Unfortunately, these are rare.

If you appear to have a compatible device, keep reading.  If not, I apologize, but there isn't much I can do about it.

 

  1. Start the plugin app like any other normal app.
  2. Press the 'New' button to create a new volume profile.  Each profile will contain information on how to control the TV or AVR as well as which DirecTV receivers you want it to be used in conjunction with.
  3. By default, the new profile will be called New Profile.  Change it to something more informative such as Living Room TV or Panasonic Plasma.  Be sure to press the 'Enter' key on your Android keyboard in order for the app to recognize the new name right away.
  4. Next, you will tell the plugin which DirecTV receivers to use with this profile.  A typical scenario would be that you are setting up a profile for your Living Room TV, so in this case you would want to select the DirecTV receiver that is located in the same room.  If you have multiple receivers in the same room, select all that apply.  If you do not complete this step, the plugin will attempt to change volume on the TV or AVR in this profile no matter which DirecTV receiver is currently selected in the main remote app.
  5. Next, you will choose the control method.  Which method you use depends on what you have.  While there are advanced options (HTTP-Simple URL and HTTP-Advanced), these are rare cases and are only included in case it can be used for your situation.  It likely cannot.  The list contains several brands and devices that can be controlled over a NETWORK, and ONLY if it can be controlled over a network.  There are also options to choose certain Android phones such as the HTC One and select Samsung Galaxy devices.  Those options only work on compatible devices that contain an InfraRed emitter.  If you have one of those, you're in luck because you can control just about any TV or AVR out there!
  6. If the method you have chosen is for a network-controlled device, you will see a button labeled 'Edit / View IP & Port'.  You will need to enter the IP address of your TV or AVR (not the DirecTV receiver).  The default port is usually correct but that can be changed as well.  You can find the IP address by browsing the menus on the TV or AVR in question.  Consult your owner's manual for information on how to find the IP address and other network settings.  I should mention here that static IP addresses or DHCP reservation is recommended for network-controlled devices like these (as well as your DirecTV receivers).
  7. For other methods, you may see buttons labeled 'Edit / View Settings'.  Typically this button may allow entering an IP address or other information depending on the device being controlled.
  8. You may also see a button labeled 'Edit / View Cmds'.  On this screen, you can enter commands for each remote button you are trying to send (such as volume, etc).  What gets entered here depends on the control method.  See links below for more information on controlling with certain methods.
  9. Once you have the profile configured, press on the 'Test' button at the bottom and you can test the remote commands right from inside the Volume plugin app itself.  DirecTV Remote+ PRO users can also send these commands from within the main remote app itself!
  10. Once you are finished editing profiles, be sure to press the phone's BACK button to exit the plugin app.  If you press Home or use the task manager to switch to another app, the plugin may appear when using volume buttons from within the main remote app.

 

Follow the links below for more information on how to continue setting up certain specific types of devices.

Learning IR on the HTC One

Samsung Galaxy or HTC One IR

Using IR on supported LG and Sony devices

Global Cache iTach (Net-to-IR device... may be your only hope!)

Problems with Samsung network control

Problems with Phillips (JointSPACE) network control

HomeSeer (Home Automation software... requires a compatible IR blaster)

Where is Vizio support???

My device is listed in the plugin but I cannot control it

Why is volume control on Android so difficult?

How can I disable profiles without having to uninstall the plugin?

 

Less likely methods that you may be able to use:

HTTP (Simple URL)

HTTP (Advanced)

 

If you have a compatible device but need help setting it up, please send me an email from the Volume plugin app while the profile in question is selected.  Doing this sends me some information on how your profile is configured which may help me answer your questions.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-01-26 14:47


Is Cognitial Mobile on Google+ or Google Groups?

In all honesty, I still recommend that these FAQs be your first stop for help with my apps, and I also still recommend an email (from within the app preferably) for personal help.  However, if you have a question or comment that you feel would be well-suited to a public forum such as Google+ or Google Groups, by all means drop me a line on there.

 

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google Groups  (feedback & possible beta testing opportunities)

Visit Cognitial Mobile on Google+

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 01:39


The volume plugin does not work for me. How do I disable it or remove the volume buttons from the main remote?

If you are one of the many people for whom the Volume Plugin will not work due to not having compatible devices, I understand that it may be annoying to have the non-functioning volume, mute and input buttons on your screen or to constantly see warnings or messages if you inadvertantly press them.

  • If you'd like to keep the Volume plugin installed (to be aware of updates that may make it work for your equipment) but you cannot currently use it then it is recommended to set any profiles you have created to 'None/Disabled' for the control method.  Otherwise, you may get errors or warning messages when pressing volume or mute buttons in the main DirecTV Remote+ app.
  • If you'd like to uninstall the plugin and also get rid of the volume, mute and input buttons in the main remote app then do the following:
    • Go to Menu> Options & Help and place a checkmark on the option to hide TV/AVR buttons when the plugin is not installed.  Press back to return to the main remote screen, then back again to exit the app.
    • Open the Google Play store app and UNINSTALL the DirecTV Remote+ Volume Plugin app.  After doing this, you should no longer see any volume or mute buttons in the main app unless you re-install the plugin.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 02:52


How do I use the IR Import/Export feature?

In order to make it easier to enter IR codes into the plugin (rather than copying and pasting each command's IR codes or worse yet typing them in), an Import/Export feature has been added since v1.4.1 of the Volume Plugin.

The idea of this feature is that the IR codes for all buttons can be formatted into a 'code block' that the Volume plugin recognizes.  The first step to importing is copying the code block to your device's clipboard.  How you go about copying text to your clipboard varies by device, but often you can start the copy mode by long-pressing on text in an email or text document.

To access this feature, while on an IR-related control method (such as iTach, Samsung Galaxy IR or HTC One IR), press the 'Edit/View Cmds' button.  In the commands screen, press the 'Set Defaults' button in the upper-right corner then choose Import/Export and follow the prompts.

When exporting, a block of "code" will be copied to your Android device's clipboard.  You can then paste this code into an email to send it to someone else.

When importing, you will first most likely receive an email or text file with the code block in it.  Below is a sample code block with highlighting showing which part needs to be copied to your device's clipboard.  Note that unless the email contains multiple code bocks, you can often times do a quick "select all" and copy the entire email to the clipboard.  The app will filter out the non-related data on its own.  Often times though I will send several blocks for you to try so in that case you would have to select then copy one block then try importing & testing.  If that doesn't work, try the next block, and so on.

 

Sample IR code block for importing or exporting:
Note: These are not working IR codes.  They have been shortened in order to fit better on this web page.  This shows what text needs to be highlighted and selected when copying a code block to your device's clipboard.

 

<---Begin DirecTV Remote+ Volume Plugin Commands--->
{"commandData":[
{
"PowerToggleCMD": "40064,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,4006",
"PowerOnCMD": "",
"PowerOffCMD": "",
"VolUpCMD": "40064,96,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,4006",
"VolDnCMD": "40064,96,24,48,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,4006",
"VolMuteToggleCMD": "40064,96,24,24,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,24,24,24,24,4006",
"VolMuteOnCMD": "",
"VolMuteOffCMD": "",
"InputCMD": "40064,96,24,48,24,24,24,48,24,48,24,48,24,48,24,48,24,4006",
"Repeat": "1"
}
]
}
<---End DirecTV Remote+ Volume Plugin Commands--->

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-03 21:18


Google Play or Amazon Appstore says that the Volume Plugin is not compatible with my device

Recently some changes were made to my apps to fix a problem where certain devices were showing as being incompatible with certain devices, typically large tablets.

While this change fixed the problem with the main app (DirecTV Remote+ Free & Pro) and the Shortcut Addon, it caused Samsung IP control to stop working in the Volume plugin.  After some digging around, it turned out to be caused by a technical detail in how the Samsung IP control code is executed.  Until I can find a work-around for this, I had no choice but to remove the manifest line in the Volume Plugin app that reported it was compatible with newer Android versions (which affects the ability to report that my app is compatible with "x-large" screens, such as what are found on 10" tablets).

To be clear, it is only not compatible on a technicality and in fact should work fine on almost all devices.  It is possible that Samsung control will not work on devices that say they are incompatible, but I am not certain either way.

If you are having problems downloading the plugin, you can download it below.  You will then need to manually install the app (APK) on your device.  Instructions for manually install apps are all over the web.  The only difference between the Google Play and Amazon versions are that internal links to other apps bring you to their respective market.

I will try to update the APK files on my website when newer versions are released but the app versions linked here may be a bit older than what the market shows.  If that is the case, please send me an email and remind me to update the Volume Plugin downloads at my website.

Google Play version:  Download APK

Amazon Version:  Download APK

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-09 13:03


Can the volume plugin change power on my TV or AVR without asking every time?

Note:  Starting in v2.2.0 of the plugin, this option can now be easily changed on each individual profile!  In order to preserve previous default behavior for most people, the default setting for every existing and newly created profile will be to ask for confirmation when sending power commands.  If you have previously done the tweak below, you will need to go through each of your profiles and change this setting.  The global tweak mentioned below no longer has any effect.

 

Yes, it can be configured to change power on your TV or AVR without asking but it currently requires manually editing the plugin's configuration file.

The file can be edited on the phone or tablet if you have a file manager app installed.  Otherwise you can connect your phone or tablet to your computer and edit it that way.  It is a plain text file and can be opened as such.

Filename and location:  SD 'root'/DirecTV_Remote/DirecTVaddonVolume.ini

 

Once inside the file, look for the following near the beginning:

     {

        "NoPromptPower": false

     }

Change the false to true and save the changes.  You should no longer be asked if you want to change power on the TV or AVR when pressing Power in the main remote app, but rather it will just do it without prompting.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-01-26 14:52


Can I make a backup of the Volume Plugin's settings?

Yes, you can manually copy or replace (with a backup) the configuration file for the Volume plugin.

The plugin's settings are stored in the following location:

SD 'root'/DirecTV_Remote/DirecTVaddonVolume.ini

Although it may not be necessary, it would probably be a good idea to either reboot the phone or force-stop the plugin in the task manager before trying to replace the existing configuration file with a backup.  This will ensure that the plugin does not inadvertently over-write the changes contained in the replacement file.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-14 12:59


Why isn't Vizio supported in the Volume Plugin?

I've had quite a number of requests for Vizio and would love to add support for it to the volume plugin.  After failing to find any information on how to control a Vizio TV over network, I contacted them directly and asked about it.  Unfortunately their response was that their TVs do not support any kind of remote control over network.

I don't know why they made this kind of decision when most other major brands have this capability.

 

Note that Vizios can be controlled with the plugin using IR if your phone or tablet has a built-in IR blaster.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-12-06 01:20


How can I find the IP address of my TV or AVR?

Note: This information applies to finding the IP address of your TV or AVR for setting up the Volume Plugin.  For help finding the IP address of your DirecTV receiver, see this instead.

 

NOTE: Starting in version 2.0 of the volume plugin, you can use the setup wizard to automatically detect some devices.  Even if the wizard cannot completely set up your device for you, it may help you to at least discover the IP address.  With that info, you can manually configure the device by choosing the appropriate Control Method then just enter the IP address found in the UPnP scan.  If your device DOES come up in a UPnP scan in the plugin but there is not a Setup Wizard available for it, please send me an email using the [Report] button in the plugin after performing the scan then let me know what kind of device it is (type, brand, etc).  It will include a log which may help me to create a Setup Wizard for your TV or AVR!

 

If the wizard does not discover your device:

TVs or AVRs that are capable of being networked generally contain a way of displaying the IP address currently assigned to it.  That said, consult your owner's manual or simply press the Menu button on your TV or AVR's original remote and browse the menus looking for something related to Internet or Network settings.  You can usually find the IP address listed somewhere in there.

 

Old info - Only needed if you are using a pre-2.0 version of the Volume Plugin.  Version 2.0 and up can perform this same UPnP scan now:

Alternatively, many networked devices are capable of announcing themselves on the network.  In order to cut down on code size and also because the Volume plugin controls so many different device brands, for now it does not have automatic discovery of devices.  However, in many cases you can also find the IP address using a 3rd party app.  I tried out several of them and settled on the one below for being somewhat easy to use and providing the info needed.

 

  1. Install Ping Tools from StreamSoft.
  2. Press Menu > UPnP Scanner, or on newer devices, press the title bar then choose UPnP Scanner.
  3. Press the Scan button to scan your network.
  4. The app will display all UPnP devices it finds on your network.  This may change, but as of this writing the IP address it displays with the device is your phone or tablet's IP address and not the IP of the device you are looking for.  To display the device's IP address, press on it in the list and choose 'Info' from the menu.  Under "Descriptor URL", the TV or AVR's IP address and port will be displayed, along with some extra text.  See example below.

 

Example Info from the Ping Tools app:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor URL:
http://192.168.1.110:55000/dmr/ddd.xml
----------------------------------------------------------------

In this case, the device's IP address is 192.168.1.110 and the port it uses is 55000.

 

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 02:15


How do I use Custom UPnP with the Volume plugin?

NOTE: Starting in version 2.0 of the volume plugin, you can use the setup wizard to automatically detect if your device supports basic control using one of two common UPnP/DLNA control protocols.  To use the wizard, either choose "UPnP Custom (RendingControl)" or "UPnP Custom (Audio)" then follow the Wizard prompts.  You can also use the 'Setup Wizard' button which is visible when the control method is set to None/Disabled.

 

Old info - Only needed if you are using a pre-2.0 version of the Volume Plugin:

At some point I may add device discovery to the volume plugin but for now the priority is controlling as many device brands and types as I can while keeping the code small and light.  Because discovery of your TV or AVR is not yet available in the Volume plugin app, you will need to follow a few steps in order to determine what needs to be entered when setting up UPnP.  Essentially we need three things:  The TV or AVR's IP address, the port number it uses, and the UPnP Control URL.  Most devices will use MediaRenderer control but some AVRs may use Audio instead.

The instructions below will explain how to do this using a 3rd party app.

 

Follow the first three steps in this other FAQ to get started.  When you get to step 4, follow along below:

  1. (See other FAQ linked above)
  2. (See other FAQ linked above)
  3. (See other FAQ linked above)
  4. The app will display all UPnP devices it finds on your network.  This may change, but as of this writing the IP address it displays with the device is your phone or tablet's IP address and not the IP of the device you are looking for.  With some devices, you may see more than one item that matches your TV or AVR.  For example, on my Panasonic Viera there are two items listed.  Press on an item that matches your TV and AVR and choose 'Info' from the menu.  We are looking for MediaRenderer or Audio.  Under Device Type, if it says MediaRenderer or Audio then continue to the next step.  If it says something else, press OK to close the pop-up info and try pressing on a different item in the list that refers to your TV or AVR.  If none of them show the Device Type as MediaRenderer or Audio then you may be out of luck. 
  5. Under "Descriptor URL", the TV or AVR's IP address and port will be displayed, along with some extra text.  See example below.  Make a note of the IP address and port.  We need one more thing now.
  6. Press on the Descriptor URL text item and you should see a toast message appear that says the URL was copied to the clipboard.
  7. You can exit the Ping Tools app as we are done with that now.
  8. Open the browser on your phone or tablet and paste the copied URL into the browser's URL field and press 'Go'.
  9. You should see a bunch of XML code appear in your browser.  Scroll down near the bottom and look for the the following text (if no RenderingControl, then you may need to look for Audio:1 instead).
    <serviceType>urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:RenderingControl:1</serviceType>
  10. A few lines below that you should see something like the following:
    <controlURL>/dmr/control_0</controlURL>
  11. The "Control URL" that needs to be entered into the volume plugin is the text between the Control URL <Tags>.  See example below.
  12. In the Volume plugin, choose Custom UPnP (RenderingControl) or Custom UPnP (Audio) for the control method depending on what kind of results you got in the above steps then press on Edit/View Settings to enter the required info.  See examples below.

 

 

Example Info from the Ping Tools app:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Descriptor URL:
http://192.168.1.110:55000/dmr/ddd.xml
----------------------------------------------------------------

In this case, the device's IP address is 192.168.1.110 and the port it uses is 55000.  The Descriptor URL contains the Control URL that we need to add to the Volume Plugin app.  In order to get the control URL, we first need to open that link.  See steps above.

 

Example XML text after opening the URL in step 8:
----------------------------------------------------------------

<serviceList>
  <service>
    <serviceType>urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:RenderingControl:1</serviceType>
    <serviceId>urn:upnp-org:serviceId:RenderingControl</serviceId>
    <SCPDURL>/dmr/sdd_0.xml</SCPDURL>
    <controlURL>/dmr/control_0</controlURL>
    <eventSubURL>/dmr/event_0</eventSubURL>
  </service>
  <service>
    <serviceType>urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:ConnectionManager:1</serviceType>
    <serviceId>urn:upnp-org:serviceId:ConnectionManager</serviceId>
    <SCPDURL>/dmr/sdd_1.xml</SCPDURL>
    <controlURL>/dmr/control_1</controlURL>
    <eventSubURL>/dmr/event_1</eventSubURL>
  </service>
  <service>
    <serviceType>urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:AVTransport:1</serviceType>
    <serviceId>urn:upnp-org:serviceId:AVTransport</serviceId>
    <SCPDURL>/dmr/sdd_2.xml</SCPDURL>
    <controlURL>/dmr/control_2</controlURL>
    <eventSubURL>/dmr/event_2</eventSubURL>
  </service>
</serviceList>

----------------------------------------------------------------

In this case, the Control URL is /dmr/control_0 and that is what you will put into the plugin app.

 

Hopefully this helps but if you have problems just send me an email and I'll do what I can to get it working for you.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-03 02:03


How do I learn IR commands on the HTC One?

The HTC One contains an IR receiver (as well as emitter) thus allowing you to learn your own IR commands.

To get started, first create a profile in the volume plugin for the TV or AVR that you want to control.  For the control method, you will choose HTC One (IR).  See this other FAQ for an introduction on creating a profile.  Once the profile has been created you can follow the steps below to learn the IR commands from your remote.

 

  1. You will need your original remote or a universal remote programmed to control your television or AVR.  Note:  You cannot use the DirecTV remote for IR learning.  The reason is because the DirecTV remote is designed to transmit a short IR signal to the DirecTV receiver in addition to sending the signal to your TV or AVR.  This short signal is to let it know if your remote is in DirecTV mode or AV/TV mode.  Unfortunately this extra IR signal causes IR learning to fail.
  2. Press [Edit / View Cmds] to enter the IR command settings for your Volume profile.
  3. Press [Set defaults] then choose (Learn commands) from the list of options.
  4. Follow the prompts to learn the IR for each button from your existing remote.
  5. The IR emitter and receiver are built into the power button on the HTC One, so you will need to line up the power button on the top of your HTC One with the IR emitter or window on your original remote control.  Try holding the two about an inch or so apart.  It may also work just butting the two together.  It is easiest to do this on a hard surface such as a table and it may help to place a small book or DVD case underneath the HTC One in order to help line up the IR windows.  See image below.
  6. Note that many remote controls do not have separate buttons for Power On, Power Off, Mute On and Mute Off.  It is more typical for there to be one button for Power and one button for Mute.  In that case, learn the Power button as Power Toggle and the Mute button as Mute toggle.  Just skip the other buttons when the app asks if you want to learn them.

 

Learning IR commands can sometimes be a bit finicky so it may take some patience.  The ideal setting is a dimly lit room, free from very bright light sources or natural sunlight.  Since IR signals are a spectrum of light, bright lights can 'wash' them out.  If a command fails to learn, simply follow the prompts in the app to try again.  Sometimes it may learn on the first try, other times it may take 5 or 6 tries for each button.

You can try holding the remote right against the HTC One or an inch or so away.

 

HTC One IR learning

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-07-16 11:49


How do I get the Philips jointSPACE method to work on my Philips network-controllable TV?

Some Philips televisions can use the open-source Philips jointSPACE feature in order to control the TV through the network.  The "Philips TV (Net)" control method in the Volume plugin uses this feature for controlling your Philips network-enabled TV.  In the next release of the Volume plugin, this will be made clearer.  It will also have a second method for controlling Philips televisions over a network (UPnP) for those who own televisions not supported by jointSPACE.

 

According to their website, it requires the following:

  • A 2011 (or newer) Philips TV that is capable of being networked
  • Supported models are xxPFL5xx6 to xxPFL9xx6
  • It may require you to first install a firmware update if your firmware is older than the first version where jointSPACE was introduced.
  • It may also require you to first enter an "activation code" in order to activate the feature.  You may also simply try entering the activation code to see if your TV may already have the jointSPACE feature installed on it.  While watching TV (not in any special menus or anything), type the following code using your remote:  5646877223  (you may notice those are the numbers that correspond to the letters in jointSPACE).

 

For more information, see the official jointSPACE project website.  The page linked below lists the minimum firmware version required for all supported models.  If your firmware is older, it also provides links to download the firmware.  You may also find newer firmware for your TV model on the Philips website.

http://jointspace.sourceforge.net/download.html

 

 

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-08-18 03:26


How do I use the Setup Wizard in the Volume Plugin?

Note: This info applies to version 2.0 and up of the Volume Plugin.

When you press the [New] button in the plugin, you will be prompted by the opening Wizard screen.  Please read this as it helps explain how to use it.  On devices that have built-in IR blasters, the wizard will recommend that control method but you may also use network control if you would prefer.

Although you can choose to use the generic/general Setup Wizard (accessible by choosing 'None/Disabled' for the control method), it is actually recommended that you instead first look through the various control methods included in the plugin.  If your device is listed, choose that control method.  If a wizard is available for it, you will be asked if you would like to use it.  If there is no wizard available for your required control method then you may need to set it up manually.  While the generic wizard may find the device on your network, it likely will not be able to set it up for you.  If this is the case, please send me an email using the [Report] button which will include a wizard scan log which may help me to add wizard support for it.

 

Some key things to keep in mind with the wizard:

  • If your device supports IR, then this is the easiest control method to use!  If it does support IR, the plugin app will tell you this.
  • If you must use network control (a given unless you have a phone or tablet with built-in IR), always try selecting the control method first.  The reason is because if you specify the control method and a wizard is available, it can target that device type when it scans your network.  This makes things much easier to set up.  More importantly, the generic scan is just that... it is meant to try and catch anything not otherwise directly supported by the plugin.  For this reason, it may miss some devices because they might require a special way of looking for them on your network.
  • Ways to get to the setup wizard:
    • Create a new profile
    • Change the Control Method to 'None/Disabled'.  This will allow you to use the generic wizard... only recommended if you cannot find your device in the listed control methods or they do not work.
    • Re-select the Control Method to a specific type.  For example, if it is already set to "Panasonic Viera", just press on the Control Method selector and choose "Panasonic Viera" again.  If a wizard is available for the chosen method, it will ask if you wish to use it.

 

Author: Admin
Last update: 2013-11-03 02:45


How do I use built-in IR on my LG or Sony device?

LG and Sony have taken a slightly different approach with how 3rd party apps can control the IR in their devices.  Rather than giving developers direct access to the IR blaster itself, we can only send commands to a "device" that has already been set up in their own app.

Before you can set up the volume plugin on one of these Android phones or tablets, you will first need to create a new "device" in the other app.

For LG devices:  Open the "QuickRemote" app and create a new profile for any room and add a TV or AVR (whichever you intend to control from the plugin).  Once this is done, you should be able to choose that device while setting up the volume plugin.

For Sony devices:  Open the Sony "Remote Control" app and register a new device.  It can be a TV or AVR (whichever you intend to control from the plugin).  Once this is done, you should be able to choose that device while setting up the volume plugin.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2013-11-26 17:16


How do I set up the volume plugin to control a TV *and* AVR?

Sometimes you may wish to have two profiles associated with the same DirecTV receiver.  This can happen if you use a TV for video and an AVR for sound, or a projector for video and an AVR (or TV) to control sound.

In this case you will need to create two separate profiles in the plugin: One for the TV (or projector) and another for the sound source.  The plugin was designed to loosely/somewhat support a configuration like this but without first making some tweaks, you may notice slow or erratic behavior when trying to send volume and mute commands from the main app.

The information below only serves as a rough guide for one scenario but it should definitely give you an idea of what you need to do to make things work a bit smoother for your configuration.

 

Example:  I have a DirecTV receiver in the living room.  I use the TV for video and my AVR for sound and input.

  1. Open the plugin app and choose the TV profile.
  2. Press the [Edit/View Cmds] or [Set Commands] button (may vary) to view the commands set up for the device.  Some control methods may not allow for viewing and editing the commands.  If this is the case, please send me an email and I can help you edit the configuration file manually.
  3. For each command that you do not use on this device, you will need to disable it.  In this scenario, we only need to use the Power command(s) for the TV.  All other commands will be executed on the AVR.  To disable a command, type ignore at the beginning of the command field.  Example below.
  4. Depending on your exact situation, you may also need to disable some commands in the other profile.  Hopefully this is enough to get you pointed in the right direction.  If you still need help, please send me an email.

Example of disabled commands:

These are disabled IR commands for an IR control method, but this will work for any type of control method.  You can also enter ignore in otherwise empty command fields.

Power Toggle 38000,128,60,30,30,60................
Power On 38000,128,60,30,30,60................
Power Off 38000,128,60,30,30,60................
Volume Up ignore38000,128,60,30,30,60................
Volume Down ignore38000,128,60,30,30,60................
Mute Toggle ignore38000,128,60,30,30,60................
Mute On ignore
Mute Off ignore
Select Input ignore38000,128,60,30,30,60................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  
   
  
  
 

Author: Admin
Last update: 2013-11-26 18:35


Testing volume control from within the plugin works great but controlling volume from the main app is less reliable or slower.

If volume works very well when testing inside the plugin but it is less reliable or slow when using from the main app, the most likely cause is multiple profiles associated with the same receiver.  If you are experiencing this problem, follow the steps outlined below to check for some common issues that can cause performance problems.

Sometimes when setting up the plugin you may end up with multiple profiles while trying to find something that works.  You may also have set up multiple profiles intended for different DirecTV receivers but didn't specify which DirecTV receiver to use with the given profile.  These scenarios were especially more likely before the Setup Wizard was introduced.

At the top of the main setup screen in the plugin is a drop-down list of all profiles.  Press it and choose each profile one at a time then check for the following:

1) Check for unused profiles
If you know it to be an unused or old/temporary profile, simply press the [Delete] button near the bottom-left of the screen.  If you are unsure whether it is needed or not, you may also change its control method to "None/Disabled".  Having extra profiles that are not used at all can cause very poor performance when sending commands from the main app, especially if no receivers are associated with the profile or it is associated with the same receiver as other profiles.  In general, you should have one profile for each TV that you control and it should be associated with the one DirecTV receiver that is in the same room.  An exception is that if you use a TV in conjunction with an AVR or sound bar, then you may have two profiles associated with one DirecTV receiver:  One for the TV and one for the AVR.  In that case, also see the FAQ linked at the end of step 3 below.


2) Confirm the associated DirecTV receiver(s)
Before the wizard was introduced, this step may have been overlooked while setting up the volume plugin.  In case it was overlooked, the default behavior of the plugin was that if no receiver was specifically chosen for this profile, it would be associated with ALL of your DirecTV receivers.  If you have more than one DirecTV receiver or more than one profile, this can lead to problems.  Generally speaking each profile should only be associated with one DirecTV receiver, specifically whichever one is in the same room.  So if you are creating a volume profile to control volume on your living room TV, that profile should only be associated with the DirecTV receiver that is located in the living room.

3) "Disable" unneeded commands
This is more likely to apply if you intentionally have multiple profiles associated with the same DirecTV receiver.  For example, you may have a profile for your living room TV and another profile for a stereo (AVR) in the living room.  When you have multiple profiles associated with the same DirecTV receiver, this will slow down performance when pressing volume, mute, power, or other volume-plugin related buttons in the main app unless some things are tweaked.  The reason why you don't see this slow down while testing is because the internal test only tests the current profile selected in the plugin.  For some things like "Power", there isn't much you can do about slow downs because you would obviously want to control power on both the TV and AVR in this case.  However, most people who use two profiles like this (TV and AVR) generally only use the TV for a "picture" and control volume and mute solely on the AVR.  If this applies to you then please see this other FAQ for instructions on how to optimize your profile settings.

 

Repeat these steps for each profile in the plugin.  Once finished, be sure to press the BACK button to exit the plugin then try controlling volume from the main app again.  If you have cleaned up some things in the plugin you should notice an improvement in performance.

 

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-03-19 14:53


IR is not working for me even though my phone or tablet supports it.

Assuming the device does in fact have an IR blaster (not all phone / tablet models do despite having similar sounding names), it could be a few things.

  • Be sure that you are aiming the phone or tablet's IR blaster directly towards the bottom of the TV when controlling volume, mute or power on the TV.  If using IR to control the DirecTV receiver, be sure you are aiming it towards the DirecTV receiver when controlling DirecTV functions.  
    This problem is actually quite common, especially when unfamiliar with how well (or not) the IR works on these devices.  Unfortunately they are not nearly as powerful as the real remotes often are.  With the real remote you may get away with aiming it several feet away from the TV where as the phone may require much more precise aim.

  • It's also possible that none of the IR presets in the app work with your particular TV or AVR model.  If your brand is not listed or none of the presets work, please send me an email using the 'Report' button in the Volume plugin.  Be sure to mention your brand (and model if known) and I can probably get working codes for you.  You should definitely check your aim though as mentioned above.  While it could be an IR code problem, if it is an aiming problem then it could very well be a waste of time to ask for different IR codes.

  • This may be fixed by now, but if you are using a Samsung Galaxy device, please be sure that "Power Saving Mode" is turned off.  While the IR blaster appears to still work (when viewed through a digital camera), it apparently does not send the signal correctly when Power Saving Mode is turned on.  This is/was a known issue with the Galaxy Tab 2 and possibly other Galaxy models.



Another thing to try is to see if you can get the remote app that came with the phone or tablet to work.  If the "stock" app does not work, then you may want to seek help with that before trying to get the DirecTV Remote+ or Volume Plugin to work.  All phones and tablets with built-in IR blasters come with some kind of remote control app.  If you can't find one on your phone, try searching Google for more information on how to use the IR / remote on your specific phone or tablet.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-08-29 03:39


The Wizard scan finds my Samsung TV but it cannot control it over my network.

Not all Samsung smart TVs support remote control over a network.  This is simply a limitation of the TV's firmware, and this issue is more likely to happen with older models.  The plugin app uses the same Samsung network control code as the SamyGo app, which was released as open-source.

In order to rule out a problem with my plugin app itself, it is recommended to try installing the SamyGo app.  If that app works then please let me know and I can try to look into the reason why my plugin doesn't work for you.  If the SamyGo app does not work for you, then neither will my plugin app.

 

Samsung network remote control basic compatibility list:

  • B-Series from 2009 (Only with modifications - not easy and not very convenient!)
  • C-Series from 2010
  • D-Series from 2011
  • E-Series from 2012
  • Probably many newer models as well...

 

For more details on TV model compatibility, see the description for the SamyGo app.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-01-26 14:36


Advanced support options

In addition to email and the FAQs you are reading now, I can also provide support via a chat room and if you have a device compatible with TeamViewer then I can even remotely control your Android device using TeamViewer QuickSupport!  These advanced support options are free of charge and are part of my commitment to providing the best support possible.


Chat Room

While the chat room is available 24/7, I only log into it when someone is expecting me.  As a result, it is usually empty.  If you would like help via online chat, please send me an email first.  If I happen to be available at the time, I will log in and chat with you.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time to chat.

Click here to go to the online chat room


Remote Control via TeamViewer QuickSupport

Using a free app, I can remotely control your phone or tablet to help set it up or show you how to use it.  This service is only available on certain device brands and models.  At the time of this writing this includes Samsung, Sony, Asus (for business customers), Lenovo, Alcatel One Touch / TCL, Prestigio, Archos, Medion, Caterpillar / CAT, Unitech and more.  See the TeamViewer QuickSupport app (link below) for an up-to-date list.

Before we can use this option, you first need to install the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app.  It may also require a free addon, in which case the app should prompt you about this when you first run it.  Click here to go to the free TeamViewer QuickSupport app on Google Play.

Like the chat room, you will need to first email me and let me know you would like to use this support option.  If I happen to be available at the time and have access to my computer, I will remotely control your phone or tablet and help you with your problem.  Otherwise we can arrange a date and time for this.  You will also want to have access to a laptop computer so we can communicate via the chat room or we can also arrange a phone call if preferred.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-03-29 20:30


Android Apps » DirecTV Remote+ » Network and connection issues

I've tried scanning for my receivers but it never finds anything. Scanning or manually adding a receiver has NEVER worked, even in the past.

Scanning for receivers is a pretty straight-forward process and it should find them if they are the correct model and setup correctly.  Please follow all of the steps found here in order to confirm that your DirecTV receiver or DVR is configured correctly.

 

If your Android device's IP address and the receiver's IP address both appear similar as outlined in the linked instructions above, click here for more help with resolving this issue.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:37


The IP addresses on my Android device and the DirecTV receiver appear similar but it still won't connect.

In some cases, a network may be configured incorrectly resulting in what are essentially two separate networks that cannot communicate with each other.  This can most often occur in a mixed wireless/wired network, but should be a pretty rare problem.  Obviously your Android device is connected wirelessly.  Depending on how your network is structured, your DirecTV receiver may be connected wired or wirelessly.  One easy way is to confirm or rule out wired/wireless connection problems is to try "pinging" your DirecTV receiver from your Android device.  There are many ping apps available on Google Play, but I will use one as an example that I have found to be easy to use.  If you have another app you like better, just skip step 1 below.


     1)  Download and install NetPing from Qwapp on Google Play.
     2)  Run the ping app and trying pinging your DirecTV receiver.  In NetPing, select the text box at the top and remove the localhost text, then enter the IP address of your DirecTV receiver as found in step 4B of Confirming settings on the DirecTV receiver or DVR itself.  So if the IP address of your receiver is 192.168.1.124 then enter that into the box and press the Ping button.
     3)  The results of the ping will be displayed.  If the results come back as packets lost: 4 of 4 then this means that your Android device cannot see your DirecTV receiver.  I will try to add more solutions to this problem as I discover them, but it is a problem in your network configuration.  Some possibilities are listed below.
          A)  Your wireless router or access point may have an option for guest access and your Android device is connected to the guess access network.  The guest access feature found in some wireless routers allows guests to access the Internet using your wireless network but for security and privacy reasons it is designed to prevent them from accessing other devices found on your local network.  This will prevent the app from communicating with your DirecTV receiver.  If this is the case, you simply need to connect to your full wireless network or disable the guest access feature in your wireless router or access point.
          B)  Another possibility is that you have a wireless access point connected to a wired router and both are setup as DHCP servers.  This can cause similar IP addresses in wired and wireless devices but they will not be able to see each other.  The solution is usually to disable the DHCP "server" or "client" option in the wireless access point but there may be other settings that need to be changed as well.

     4)  Ideally your results should be no packets lost.  You may want to try the test several times to ensure that you are not losing any packets.  If there are any packets lost, then this could also cause a problem with the app finding some but not all of your receivers.
     5)  While you can repeat this test for all of your receivers, if you have 4 of 4 packets lost in the first test then it is likely that you will have the same results for all receivers until the network issue is resolved.

NOTE:  If you use static IP address, it has been reported by a Linksys WRT600N router owner that assigning a static IP address outside of the DHCP range did not allow the app to communicate with the receiver.  After changing the static IP address to a number within the DHCP range, it did communicate.  So if you are trying to use a static IP address in your receiver without any luck then you might want to try using an address within the DHCP range.  Even if it is not a Linksys brand router it is worth a try.  Just be sure that nothing else is assigned to the address you choose.  Many router configuration pages have a section that shows a list of devices that are currently connected using DHCP.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:43


The app no longer seems to communicate with a DirecTV receiver (or TV/AVR) that it had previously found. What happened?

Note:  If this happens only with Genie CLIENTS, the problem may be related to this FAQ instead.

 

First, be sure that your mobile device is connected to your home WiFi network and confirm your Whole Home settings if someone else may have changed them.  An even more likely cause however is that the receiver is setup to use what is called DHCP.  What this means is that your home network's router assigns it an arbitrary IP address whenever it needs to be renewed.  Sometimes it happens to assign the same address, but often times it does not.

To correct the problem, you can usually just re-scan for receivers in the app.  Note though that if your receivers are in fact using DHCP, then you may want to consider configuring your receiver for a static IP address or DHCP Reservation.  Static or DHCP reservation applies not only to DirecTV receivers but also is recommended for any network device you'd like to control, including TVs or AVR.

 

It's also worth mentioning here that I have had some reports of DirecTV receivers and even AVRs (A/V Receivers controlled by the Volume Plugin) suddenly not being detected or controllable with the app.  While at first glance it appeared to be a problem with my app, the problem actually resolved itself after rebooting the DirecTV receiver or AVR itself.  So if things seem like they should "just work" but they are not, consider rebooting your DirecTV receiver or TV/AVR!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-14 13:12


Everything appears to work correctly except On Now or when retrieving the current channel as a new favorite. App states it couldn't communicate or retrieve data from the receiver.

The most likely cause for this is your Whole Home settings in the DVR or receiver.  With some of them set incorrectly, you could still control the box but would not have access to extra information about what is currently tuned.  To check your settings, go to:  MENU > PARENTAL, FAV'S & SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP > WHOLE-HOME.  Scroll down to EXTERNAL DEVICE and ensure that all options are set to Allow.

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 00:46


Can I control a receiver over my phone or tablet's 3G / 4G / Wireless carrier's Internet connection (as opposed to my local WiFi connection)?

Yes, you can control one of your receivers using your wireless carrier's Internet connection.  However, since a single port (8080) is used to control the DirecTV receivers, only one receiver can be controlled this way and you will need to forward this port in your router.  If you own a Genie system with mini-clients, you can control ALL of your receivers over the internet since clients are all controlled through the main Genie itself!  You would simply follow the directions below using your Genie's IP address.

Also note that most home ISPs do not provide static IP addresses to consumers without paying extra money per month.  What this means is that at some point you will likely need to manually add your home network's public (WAN) IP address again when it changes.  This can be avoided though if you use a DDNS service.  If that is the case, then see this FAQ to find out how you can enter your DDNS domain name into the app rather than your WAN IP address.

To control a receiver over your device's wireless carrier Internet connection, follow the steps below.  It is recommended that you use a static IP address for the receiver you wish to control remotely over the Internet.  Whenever you manually forward a port in a router it should always point to a static IP address otherwise the forwarding will eventually break when the destination IP address changes.  Alternatively you can use DHCP reservation rather than a static IP address.  For specific information on forwarding ports in your router, see PortForward.com.

This is an advanced option and is not necessary for normal local operation of the app.

 

  1. Obtain the local network IP address of the receiver you wish to control over the Internet.  If you are not sure how to get this information, see this question for steps to follow.
  2. Log in to your router and forward TCP port 8080 to the network IP address of the receiver you wish to control then save the changes.
  3. Obtain the public (WAN) IP address of your home network.  This can usually be found in the router settings but a very easy way to do this is to go to the following web site:  http://www.whatismyip.com
  4. From this step on, be sure your Android device is NOT connected to your local WiFi (but IS connected to 3G, 4G, etc).  This will help ensure that you are properly communicating with the receiver without using your local WiFi connection.
  5. Start the app and go to the setup screen and press the 'Manual Setup' button to manually add a receiver.
  6. Enter the public (WAN) IP address of your home network and press the 'Add' button.  The app should state that it found the receiver.  If you happen to use a DDNS service, follow the steps here to enter your DDNS domain name instead.
  7. The receiver can now be controlled remotely over the Internet without your Android device having to be connected to your home WiFi network.
  8. Note that the app will retrieve the name of the receiver automatically.  Assuming you have already added this receiver in an automatic scan or manually, it will likely result in a duplicate name in the receiver list.  The pro version allows you to rename your receivers so you can change this to something different if you would like to.
  9. When your Android device is connected to the Internet with your wireless carrier's connection (3G, 4G, etc), the app may warn you about not being connected via WiFi.  Normally this is important but when remotely controlling this single receiver that you have set up in these steps you can disregard the warning.


* IMPORTANT NOTE: Many routers use port 8080 by default for remote management.  If you use remote management (have it enabled in your router) then you will need to choose a different port other than 8080 for remote management of your router.  The reason is because the DirecTV receivers use port 8080 for remote access and there is no option to change it.  If remote management is enabled on your router and it is set up to use port 8080 then you will be unable to remotely control your DirecTV receiver through the Internet even if you have correctly forwarded that port to the receiver.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-11-06 23:23


Confirming settings on the DirecTV receiver or DVR itself

Following the steps below, you can confirm that your Android device and DirecTV receiver or DVR is properly configured for network access.

Please follow all of the steps outlined below and include the results when contacting technical support about connection issues.  The reason is because the first thing I will do is point you to this very FAQ and ask what the results of the steps are.  Wink  It isn't meant to be punishment, but if any of these are not correct then it will NOT work, and these are requirements of the app that are completely out of my control.  I can say with absolute certainty that if one or more of your receivers are not coming up in the app (and they are a compatible model and set to allow external access) then the problem is a network issue on your end.  Sorry to be so blunt about it but it is a fact.

As with just about anything, problems discovered below can be corrected!  But the first step is determining what is preventing the app from seeing your DirecTV receiver(s) and that is the goal of this document!

 

New:  This FAQ now includes more clarification on what needs to be corrected in order to get it working.  Where applicable, look for the "solution" text.

 

Tip:  Aside from the DirecTV receivers simply not being networked, a very common issue is #6 (EXTERNAL DEVICE settings)!  Also, if you have a Genie system with CLIENTS, be sure that all clients are powered ON prior to scanning.

 

     1)  Ensure that your mobile device (phone / tablet) is connected to your home network via WiFi.  The DirecTV receiver(s) must be on this same network, but can be connected wirelessly or via ethernet cable.

 

     2)  When scanning begins, a message will briefly appear with the IP address assigned to your mobile device.  Make a note of it and cancel the scan.

 

     3)  Using your real remote, navigate to:  MENU > SETTINGS & HELP > SETTINGS > INFO & TEST > MORE SYSTEM INFO.  Please note that these menus may be different on Genie systems/clients.

 

     4)  Verify the following:

          A)  Receiver:  (MODEL) -  Please be sure that the model listed is one of the compatible models listed in the app requirements.

          Solution:  If you do not have a compatible receiver model then the first step to making this app work is to get one.  DirecTV only allows network control of specific models.

          B)  Network IP address:  (xxx.xxx.x.xxx) -  Ensure that the first three sets of numbers found on the DirecTV receiver's system info screen match the first three sets of numbers as seen in the Android app.  For example, the app reports your IP as "192.168.1.124" and the receiver reports its IP as "192.168.1.112".  If the numbers highlighted in yellow do not match each other, then you will NOT be able to connect.  Essentially, when the first three sets of numbers match then both devices are on the same network.  When they do not match, they are not on the same network.
          Solution:  If they do not match (or do match but it still doesn't work), see "Common situations that can cause the IP addresses to not match" below as well as the paragraph underneath it.

While not a necessity, it will also be a "bonus" if you see (static) next to the IP address listed in your receiver.  This means that the IP address will never change, which would require you to re-scan your network with the app!  If you are using DHCP Reservation in your router and it has been setup for your DirecTV receiver(s), then the absence of (static) is not important.


          C)  Network:  Connected
          Solution:  If it doesn't say "Connected" here then your DirecTV receivers are not connected to a network at all.  You will need to either connect them directly to your home network using an ethernet cable to your router or some kind of WiFi solution.  Another option is to request Whole Home service from DirecTV along with the Cinema Connection Kit.

          D)  Internet:  Connected
          Solution:  If it doesn't say "Connected" here then most likely your receivers are not connected to your home network.  If the receiver shows "Connected" under network but not under internet, then the problem could be that you have Whole Home service but without the Cinema Connection Kit.  In this case you would need the CCK which connects your DirecTV receiver network to your home network.

 

     5)  Go to MENU > SETTINGS & HELP > SETTINGS > WHOLE-HOME > NAME LOCATION and enter a name for your receiver such as LIVING ROOM or BEDROOM.  Please note that these menus may be different on Genie systems/clients.

          Solution:  If you do not enter a name here, the receiver will appear as UNNAMED in the DirecTV Remote+ app.  After changing the name here you will need to re-scan for receivers in order for the app to recognize the new name.


     6)  Go to MENU > SETTINGS & HELP > SETTINGS > WHOLE-HOME > EXTERNAL DEVICE and ensure that all options are set to Allow.  Please note that these menus may be different on Genie systems/clients.
          Solution:  If those options are not set to "Allow" then the solution is to change them to "Allow"!  If these are not set to "Allow" then the receivers will block attempts to communicate with them.


Repeat this process for each of your DirecTV receivers.  When done, try scanning again.
Again, if any of these items are not how they are listed above, then the DirecTV Remote app will not be able to communicate with your DirecTV receivers.  It is as simple as that.  I will be glad to help you troubleshoot and correct the problem but you MUST tell me what is wrong first.  Please use these steps to help determine the problem then let me know what your results were.

 

Common situations that can cause the IP addresses to not "match":

Aside from not being networked at all, your DirecTV receivers might be networked with each other, but not connected to your home network

It's important to realize that it is possible that your receiver's themselves may be able to communicate with each other but the receivers cannot communicate outside of their private network (and if this is the case, then the numbers mentioned in the scenario above will not match).  This can happen if you had Whole Home DVR service installed professionally but did not get the Cinema Connection Kit.  Without this extra part, your receivers can talk to each other, but they are in their own private network and thus cannot communicate with your home network.  With the CCK, that network is connected to your home network, thus allowing them to access the internet as well as other devices on your home network (your mobile phone / tablet running this app).  If you self-installed your Whole-Home network by connecting your receivers to your router, then the IP addresses should match your mobile device as mentioned above.

 
The IP addresses may (or may not) match, but it still won't connect:

Your router may support multiple networks and your phone is not connected to the same one as your DirecTV receiver(s).  In some cases both networks may have similar looking IP addresses and in other cases they may not.

Some routers may support multiple networks.  For example, some wireless routers have a "guest access" feature which allows guests to your home to access the internet but blocks them from accessing devices and files on your network.  If you have one of these types of wireless routers then you might want to confirm which network your phone and DirecTV receivers are actually connecting to.  While dual-networks may not be very common, I can assure you that I have helped quite a few people who had this exact issue.

Other possibilities:

  • You have a WiFi access point that is configured incorrectly and is essentially isolating wireless traffic from wired traffic.
  • You have multiple WiFi access points or a Wireless router in addition to a WiFi access point and they are configured incorrectly causing traffic on them to be isolated from one another.

 

For more info and troubleshooting steps, see this FAQ as well.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-03-19 02:53


How can I prevent my DirecTV receiver's IP address from changing?

Many devices by default use DHCP to obtain their IP address on your home network.  What this means is that the device tells your router, "I want to connect to the network" and the router replies back with "Okay.  Here is your address so that you can be found on the network."  After a certain period of time, that address will expire and the device will again ask the router to connect to the network.  Sometimes the router will assign that device the same address, but often times it will assign it a different one instead.

Normally this is a quick and simple process that is transparent to the end-user.  However, problems can arise when other applications or devices expect to find that device at a certain address but it is suddenly not available.  When this happens in a DirecTV Remote app, the result is that the app can no longer control (communicate with) the receiver.

There are two solutions to prevent this from ever happening again:

 

     1)  If your router supports it, set up DHCP Reservation for each of your receivers.  This forces the router to always assign the same IP address to the device in question (in this case, your DirecTV receiver).  This is usually relatively easy to set up, but not all routers have this feature.  Please consult the documentation included with your router to find out how you can do this.


     2)  An alternative to #1 is to use static IP addresses in your DirecTV receivers.  This is similar to DHCP reservation, but is done the other way around.  Instead of making a change in your router's settings, you make a change in the DirecTV receiver's settings.  All routers allow this, but you do want to be sure that the address you assign to it is not already being used by another device on your network.  It should also be mentioned that should you ever replace your existing router with a new one, you may need to temporarily change any devices currently using static addresses back to DHCP.  The reason is because different routers use different address ranges by default.  Once the DirecTV receiver is communicating again with the new router you can then safely change it back to a static address.

Valid addresses are typically 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.254 but note that the first three sets of numbers, 192.168.1, may vary depending on the router.  Most home routers do not use DHCP in the higher address range, so unless another device is using the same IP address you choose, you could probably get away with using an address over 200 as a 'quick and dirty' attempt.  What this means is that you might try 192.168.1.201 for your first receiver and 192.168.1.202 for your second receiver, and so on.  Just remember that when setting up a static IP address in your receiver, you should ONLY change the last portion of the IP address (192.168.1.xxx).  Many home routers use 192.168.1.xxx but not all do, so you do not want to change those first three sets of numbers.  PortForward.com has excellent information on many makes and models of routers and would be an excellent place to start whether you are thinking about trying option #1 or option #2.  Should you decide to go with a static IP address on your receiver, here's how to do it:

          Go to MENU > PARENTAL, FAV'S & SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP > NETWORK SETUP then choose ADVANCED SETUP.  Here, you can adjust the IP address by changing the numbers in the last box (i.e. 192.168.1.xxx).  Choose numbers outside of your router's DHCP range (if known) and ones that are not already assigned to another device.  When finished, click on CONNECT NOW.  If all goes well, it will report back that everything is working correctly.  If for some reason you seem to have problems with your new static IP address, you can choose RESTORE DEFAULTS which will allow the receiver to obtain its own address using DHCP.  Alternatively you can even then change the static address to the same as it was before if you are unsure whether or not it may be used by something else.

          Once finished setting your new static IP address, be sure to go through the troubleshooting FAQ (particularly steps 3 & 4B) to see if the receiver reports that it is now using a static IP address.  If you chose option 1 (DHCP reservation) then the receiver will not report a static address even though it essentially is.


NOTE:  It has been reported by a Linksys WRT600N router owner that assigning a static IP address outside of the DHCP range did not allow the app to communicate with the receiver.  After changing the static IP address to a number within the DHCP range, it did communicate.  So if you are trying to use a static IP address in your receiver without any luck then you might want to try using an address within the DHCP range.  Even if it is not a Linksys brand router it is worth a try.  Just be sure that nothing else is assigned to the address you choose.  Many router configuration pages have a section that shows a list of devices that are currently connected using DHCP.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-12 01:36


I have DirecTV Whole Home service but cannot control my receivers with the app.

Having DirecTV Whole Home service allows your receivers to communicate with each other, primarily for the purpose of watching content from one DVR on another receiver or DVR.  However, just because the receivers can communicate with each other does not necessarily mean that they can communicate with anything else outside of the "Whole Home" network.  In order for that to happen, you also need what is called the Cinema Connection Kit or CCK for short.

The CCK connects your DirecTV Whole Home network to your home network.  This then allows you to watch DirecTV On Demand content as well as listen to Pandora Internet radio and watch YouTube videos right on your TV.  It also allows you to control any receiver or DVR in your house through your home network, which is how the DirecTV Remote app works!

If you are not sure whether or not you have the CCK or simply cannot seem to control your DirecTV receivers then I'd suggest following the steps for confirming your DirecTV receiver/DVR settings found right here on this site.  If the IP addresses found in the receivers do not "match" the IP address reported in the app then there is a good chance you do not have the CCK.  This would also be indicated by the receiver/DVR reporting that it is not connected to the Internet.

If you definitely do have the CCK installed then another possible reason for not being able to control your receiver(s) through the app is if you do not have your Whole Home options set correctly in the receiver or DVR itself.  The steps outlined in the FAQ linked above will also walk you through that as well.

 

For more information on the CCK, please see DirecTV's website.  They also have installation instructions which tell you how to connect it to your home network should you decide to self-install it.  The CCK can be purchased from them or at other online stores that sell DirecTV parts and equipment.  You may also choose to have DirecTV install it for you.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-14 17:27


The app does not detect my WiFi connection.

Some devices fail to return their WiFi connection status to the app.  This seems to only affect a small number of devices and thus far I have been unable to find a work-around through code.  However, below are some steps you can take if this happens to you.

 

  • Just to be clear:  WiFi refers to your wireless internet/network connection at your home or business.  This should not be confused with your wireless carrier's internet connection which can go by several different names such as WiMAX, 3G, 4G, Edge, etc.  While the app can control a single receiver over your wireless carrier's connection, it requires additional steps in order to make it work and there is no way to do an automatic scan over your wireless carrier's internet connection.  See this FAQ for more information on that feature.  It should be noted that typically the app is used with your WiFi connection.
  • You've likely already done this, but the obvious first step is to make sure that your device is in fact connected to your local WiFi network.
  • If your device is in Airplane Mode, try disabling Airplane Mode.  On some devices, having Airplane Mode enabled prevents the app from detecting that WiFi is enabled.  After disabling Airplane Mode and confirming that you are in fact connected to WiFi, try running the app again and see if it now detects the WiFi connection.

 

If the app repeatedly fails to acknowledge your WiFi connection, then following the steps below should still allow you to scan your network for receivers and use the app normally.

  1. In the app, press Menu > Options/Help and select the option to "Disable Wi-Fi Check".
  2. Press the back button to return to the main remote screen then press Menu > Setup/Scan.
  3. Press the "Scan for receivers" button.  You may still be warned about the app requiring WiFi but just press OK.
  4. Press the Advanced button to begin an advanced scan.
  5. If you happen to know the IP address of your router or the local WiFi network address assigned to your device, enter that into the box then press OK.  If you do not know it then you can try entering one of the two most common IP addresses for routers:  192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.
  6. If all goes well, the app will find your connected receivers.  If not, you may want to consider adding them manually or at a minimum, confirm that the options are set correctly in your receivers.
  7. Once your receivers have been setup in the app and the Wi-Fi check is disabled, you should be able to control your receivers normally with no warning about Wi-Fi so long as your Android device is able to communicate with the receiver selected in the app.

 

For more information please see the following:

Confirming your receiver's settings
Manually adding a receiver 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-07-16 22:42


Why can't I perform an automatic scan over my carrier's network?

There are multiple reasons for this but I will try not to get into too much detail on why this isn't possible.  Here are a few though:

 

  1. Most (if not all) routers block unsolicited incoming traffic unless a port is opened up and forwarded to a device on your local network.  This is for good reason.  You would not want anyone in the world to access your local networked devices!  This means that unless a device on your local network requested something from an outside address over the internet, any incoming packets that were not requested will be ignored.  This helps to fight hacking and illegal or unauthorized access to local networks.
  2. The scan works by looking for a response from all possible network addresses on your local network.  Generally and simply speaking there are about 255 possible IP addresses to scan on a typical home network.  Over the internet (as opposed to your local network), your device wouldn't know which public (WAN) IP address to use in order to access your local network connection.  Which leads us to........
  3. There are millions of internet IP address.  It would take a very long time to scan all of those possible addresses, and for those who have setup their routers to forward a port to their DirecTV receiver, that receiver would appear in your scan (assuming you had the patience to scan all of those millions of IP addresses).  Conceivably, you could wind up with thousands of receivers listed in the app.  Which one is yours?  Does anyone else have access to it?  Yikes!

 

Hopefully this explains the reasons without going into too much detail.  The short answer is that scanning for your receivers over an internet connection (as opposed to your local WiFi network connection) is impractical if not impossible from a technical point of view.

Note though that you can add and control one of your receivers over an internet connection, but it requires some preparation and manually entering your internet (WAN) IP address into the app.  For more information, see this FAQ.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2012-09-24 20:15


After changing to a new router, I can no longer control or find my receivers.

Changing over to a new router can sometimes cause network problems, particularly if some of your network devices use static IP addresses or DHCP reservation.  Below are some things to look into or try if you have recently changed routers and you are experiencing communication problems.  I will include tips for before and after the router upgrade.  These lists are not complete, but are more focused on getting the DirecTV Remote+ app to work with your DirecTV equipment.  While most headaches will arise from devices using DHCP reservation or static IP addresses, it should be reinforced that utilizing one of those two options really is the best solution for networked devices that are often accessed by other devices on your network.

 

Before changing over to a new router:

  1. Write down any port forwarding rules you may be using related to your DirecTV receivers.
  2. Write down any DHCP Reservation you may be using related to your DirecTV receivers.
  3. Write down the current router's IP address, Net Mask and DHCP ranges.

The router's IP address can be a big one!  If your old router uses 192.168.1.1 and the new router uses 192.168.0.1 or 10.0.0.1 then any devices previously set up for static IP addresses on the network will not be able to reconnect with the new router.  The result would be that computers and devices using automatic network settings will connect to the new router/internet but devices previously configured for static addresses will no longer connect.

You basically have two choices: Change the new router to use the old IP address (recommended) or re-configure static addresses in all of your networked devices that use them.  This is the downside to using static IP addresses... it can make administering your network a bit more complicated.  In this case, DHCP reservation may seem easier but note that you will still need to enter those reserved addresses into the new router then possibly need to reboot the receivers in order for them to re-connect.  In short, whether you use DHCP reservation or static addresses, there will always be some work involved initially.  Static addresses usually only need to be set up once so long as your network addressing doesn't change from router to router (the router's IP address).  DHCP reservation will need to be set up every time you replace your router.

Once you get your new router installed, be sure to go through the configuration pages and configure any settings you noted above.

 

After changing over to a new router:

  1. Configure the new router to use the same settings noted above.  If you have already switched routers but did not make note of old settings then it is recommended to follow the troubleshooting steps below.
  2. When using static IP addresses, some routers prefer that you use addresses outside of the configured DHCP range.  Other routers prefer that you use addresses inside of the configured DHCP range.  With this in mind, you may need to change the DHCP range on the new router or re-configure all of your DirecTV receivers with a different static IP address.
  3. If you have already installed the new router then you may want to reconfigure your DirecTV receiver(s) as well as any other network devices you may have previously configured with a static IP address to use DHCP and reconnect.  If this then allows the app to find the receiver(s), then you may re-assign a static address to it once again.
  4. You may need to reboot your receivers, computers and other network devices in order for them to connect to the new router.
  5. You may need to re-scan for receivers in the app after all steps above are complete.

If you are having problems connecting with your receivers after changing routers then follow the troubleshooting steps below (links to other FAQs on this site).

Confirming the receiver's settings (it is possible that your network addressing changed if the router's IP address is different on the new router!)

Addresses appear similar but it still won't connect (instructions for pinging your receiver from your Android device)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-05-04 16:17


Why doesn't Power ON work for my TV or AVR (network control)?

Unfortunately many televisions and A/V receivers turn off their network ports when the device is powered off (in standby).  Because of this, they are not listening for commands over the network.

Some devices may have options in their menus for standby power state such as power saver, fast start-up, etc.  While there is no guarantee, changing these power settings may allow the device to power on from standby by keeping the network port active in standby.

Another option to consider:  Many newer TVs have an option to allow external devices to control TV power through the HDMI ports.  This is via a standard called CEC (Consumer Electronics Control).  Consult your owner's manual to see if your TV might support this feature and how to enable it.  Different brands refer to this ability by different names.  From Wikipedia:

Trade names for CEC are Anynet+ (Samsung), Aquos Link (Sharp), BRAVIA Link and BRAVIA Sync (Sony), HDMI-CEC (Hitachi), E-link (AOC), Kuro Link (Pioneer), INlink (Insignia), CE-Link and Regza Link (Toshiba), RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) (Onkyo), RuncoLink (Runco International), SimpLink (LG), T-Link (ITT), HDAVI Control, EZ-Sync, VIERA Link (Panasonic), EasyLink (Philips), and NetCommand for HDMI (Mitsubishi).

As an example, on my Panasonic Viera TV, powering off the DirecTV receiver does not affect the TV's power, but I am able to power off the TV using network control anyway.  My particular TV will not power ON using network control but turning on the DirecTV receiver does in fact turn the TV on for me automatically with VIERA Link enabled on the TV!

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2014-08-29 03:53


The scan does not find my Genie CLIENTS or the app randomly states it can't communicate with them.

If scanning for your receivers finds the main Genie itself but one or more clients are missing from the results then please be sure that all clients are powered ON then try scanning again.

Previous DirecTV receivers (as well as the Genie itself) will respond to requests for discovery even if powered off but the Genie clients will not.

 

If they seem to randomly 'drop' off of your network, then the likely cause is that they are powered off.  For unknown reasons, DirecTV made the clients work differently from all other normal receivers & DVRs.  When a client is powered off, it not only cannot be discovered in a scan, but also it completely "disappears" from the network, even if previously discovered.  For this reason, it is recommended to just leave clients powered on all the time.  DirecTV doesn't even provide a way to power them on or off over a network anyway, which leads one to believe that they would prefer they are left on anyway.

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-14 13:08


Can I use DDNS to access my receiver over the Internet?

Note: This applies only to DirecTV Remote+ Pro v3.3.0 and up


If you have forwarded a port in your router in order to control your DirecTV receiver over the internet and you use a DDNS service, you can enter that domain name when manually adding the receiver to the app as opposed to entering your home network's WAN IP address.  Obviously the advantage here is that if your home network's WAN/Internet IP address changes, you will not need to change it in the app if you use DDNS instead.  For those unfamiliar, DDNS is a service that allows you to locate your home network over the internet by entering a domain name as opposed to an IP address.  While not exactly the same thing, it is similar to how you go to a website by entering its domain name into your browser (such as www.cognitial.com).

 

In order to avoid confusion, there is a trick to enabling this advanced option and this can only be done when manually adding a receiver.  It will not work for automatic scans.

Press Menu > Setup/Scan to enter the setup screen.  Then press 'Manual Setup' to open the IP input dialog.  Delete any default text in the input field and enter .... (four dots/periods) for the IP address and then press 'Add'.  A message box will appear stating that Advanced/Alpha-numeric entry is enabled.  You can now enter text in addition to numbers.  Simply type in your domain name (without http:// or www.) and press 'Add' again to search for your receiver using DDNS.

Examples:

mydomain.com

subdomain.mydomain.com

Author: Administrator
Last update: 2013-06-24 22:43


App displays "Current program blocked. Check Whole-Home settings."

This message can come up if your Whole-Home settings are allowing external devices (i.e. your phone or tablet) to have basic access to the receiver but the "Current Program" option is set to blocked.

See the troubleshooting FAQ (step 6) for more information on how to confirm or change this setting on your DirecTV receiver.  You want to be sure that all External Device options are set to Allow.

Author: Admin
Last update: 2014-03-19 03:04