On November 8, 2009 at 12:52, jimbob_sf said...
1. You have to set up the devices in a way that allows activities to work. Specifically, the 810 appears to internally identify a button purely by its name, not device/name. For database folks, that is the primary key. Ex. Power On cannot be the same name of the power on button for > 1 device. You have to name the power on button 3 different ways: St Pwr On, Ca Pwr On, Tv Pwr On (for stereo, cable, tv). Why?
When you build activities (for my 3 device example), I think the 810 just sees the name Power On 3 times and either sees the same command 3 times and sends only one or blasts all 3 and only the last actually gets out. It sees Power On 3 times, not Stereo Power On, Cable Power On, and TV Power On as 3 separate commands (the primary key of device / key). By naming the button uniquely across devices, the software sees 3 unique names and properly sends 3 separate commands. It doesn't matter if you've taken the care to ensure the IR commands are unique.
This is not my experience. I have noticed that many (read: most) devices in the 810 database are not correctly setup. While it may show discretes, often they are not mapped to the correct button. I have found that it is best to add devices, add one dummy activity and then repair your devices. That includes re-mapping the power and other discretes.
The database often does not have the power on and power off discretes assigned to the correct buttons. I usually try to use the Browser to manually add the correct power HEX to the device (not the activity). I then go in and use Tune Up > Solve Automated Activity Problems > Change Power Method for a component.
I then use tune Up > Solve Automated Activity Problems > Change Input Management Method... to correctly set all the inputs.
I do this for all devices. I then go back and delete the dummy activity, then create my activities from scratch. As you state, it is important that you make any changes in the Browser on the device and not the activity. The activity copies the device when it creates the activity. If you change one, you have to change the other - they do not synchronize. So it is best to fix your devices, then create your activities
3. Only the Activity Macro wizard page can set up the activity. It sets up the activity and creates commands like "leave alone" and the only equivalent to "jump to" that exists in the whole program - "display page". I use the activity macro to create the activity and go right to the browser to remove all the entries and put them back the way I want. It's a balance between the open and wizard styles. Once you remove a command like "leave alone", you can't manually add it. Also, you can't change or delete the "Display Page" line or change it in the browser.
You can change the power state in the Tune Up > Solve Automated Activity Problems > Specify what's on, off or left alone. You can also add steps using Modify timing, order or add a step.
3. The Browser is still your savior. You can still use the browser to manually adjust your macros. If the browser wasn't there or still allowed me to work in a pseudo open method, I'd have thrown the thing out the window.
I generally try to avoid macro programming in the Browser - especially for input and power commands. The 810 tracks power and input states. If you use the browser and mess that up, then the remote will behave erratically.
4a. Once your device or activity spans more than 1 device, you must set the RF flashers to All for the devices. Again, the software seems to lack a more granular primary key (device/function) and only sees one device and sends all the commands to one flasher. In short, I had to set all the flashers to "all". I'm using a MRF-260, so its may be a combination that is the problem, but it doesn't seem like it.
There is no alias function on the 810. There is also no alias function on the 900, either. You have to step up to the 980 to get what you are looking for. Whether the 810 or 900, you can only assign a device (or activity with the 810) to a single flasher or all ports.
