First I would like to thank you for coming here
I am definitely not of johnsfine calibre and don't consider myself a guru, but if I can help I am willing. and my e-mail is in my profile as well.
Now if all you want is some simple info:
1) a macro is a series of automated commands that are sent at the press of one key, many remotes have them even some of the cheaper ones
---for instance someone might create a "watch DVD" macro that turns on the display, receiver, DVD, switches them to the correct input and starts the DVD) .
2) discrete commands are codes that have one and only one function and are extremely important and helpful for macros, for instance most equipment/remotes have a power button (called a toggle command)if the TV is on it goes off and if off it goes on (toggles between on and off). now if someone builds a "watch DVD" button and adds a power command he can get in trouble if he was watching TV earlier (i.e. the display will be turned off because it was already on). So that is why we consider discrete commands important (i.e. if we had a separate on command and off command he could put the on command in the macro and the TV will not care that it was already on, it will just keep it that way.
---- these can be important for many commands such as power, input, and even others like aspect ratio and stuff that might be in the menus.....
3) If your equipment does have discrete codes that are not on the original remote your next question will be how to make them available to the biggest public. There are two choices: make them available in the manner you have them; or, easier for the users make them available in Pronto HEX notation or in a Pronto CCF. Why Pronto? it is a simple schema that has almost become a standard, for instance it covers the Philips Prontos, the Pronto clones, the PC programmable HTM / URC remotes have the capabilities to import IR codes from Pronto CCFs and the Harmony remotes and RTI remotes can translate Pronto HEX in their editors and for people with the inexpensive one for all remotes that have added JP1 capabilities there are tools out there that can do the translation (I think John might have created one of them). These cover a lot of remotes and many of the biggest remote makers (and especially if you limit to the ones that can be programmed using a PC)
4)understanding Pronto HEX and making Pronto HEX: there are several good
articles on the subject in the file area here and
utilities that can help you build the library. Those articles are the ones that I used to understand Pronto HEX
5) what to do with codes: some companies have them on their web site, an other thing is if you built a CCF you can download it to this site or you can send Daniel Tonks (runs this site) the discrete codes so that he can put them in the discrete code section ----------------
so that is what you can do with the commands that you currently have, but if you look at the threads here (or any of the remote forums, the installer forums and the discrete code forums) you will see that people put a lot of attention into buying equipment with a lot of discrete codes. Some companies have catered to that need, especially since it probably does not cost any thing more to produce, so it is probably all in the initial R&D and is probably the easiest to add to the next generation. So I would recommend to do like Yamaha and if there is a way of doing it without a discrete then just add a discrete way of doing it.
This message was edited by Anthony on 08/27/04 16:21 ET.
