Hello everybody,

I have been on this forum since long ago (when I first got a Marantz rc5200) but not very active and mainly to ask for assistance when I hit some problems. the help I got here was excellent every time and I have been recommending this forum as The forum for everything advanced remotes.

My trusty old rc5200 has now died and I ended up buying a TSU9400 from e-bay cheaply when an opotunity presented itself so I now find myslef facing a steep learning curve learning the new PEP (PEP2 I think will be the one main one for me) and creating a new configuration for my system which is also new from this year.

The system is not very complicated but not completely straightforward - it involves
a) macmini/itunes - benchmark dac 1 hdr - active speakers/sub for music and
b) bluray player - receiver - speakers for movies.
the two are connected in HT bypass (benchmark dac is pre-set vol to 12 o'clock for movies adn fed from pre-outs of the receiver).

there are also two set top boxes connected (sat and freeview hd). another bit to manage is IR powering of active speakers and sub (they do not have own IR control so are powered via IR-on/off toggable sockets plugged one into the other (sub can be on only when main speaekr sare on). active speakers are only main L and R, the rest are passive.

So, the starting point for me is:
- a bit of experience with TSS and RC5200
- the new av system
- a new tsu9400 (hopefully will arrive from e-bay purchase)
- a newly downloaded PEPv2
- some energy to learn it and make a nice if simple tsu9400 setup

As the first step I am now trying to read as much on this forum and in the referenced literature as possible (thanks Lyndell for advice, I bought the pronto setup guide as you recommended). I am also poking around the demo setup in PEP2 trying to understand it, also reading the Help files.

What else would you also advise to do to get a soft start?

I think I want to start a clean setup in pep2 rather than import the old one via pep1 as the system is new anyway and I do not have a setup to keep as such (although some codes are already in the old setup)

If you don't mind I will keep this thread as a mini-blog of my journey with the pep2 and the new Pronto 9400. Who knows, it may help somebody to make their own. I also hope to ask for occasional help using this thread. What is better - to ask questions here or on a separate threads and then link back here?

I was thinking that, after reading, my first step should be creaiting my database of components and codes in pep2. right?

I would then try to create the homepage with main activities and then move on to other pages. Anyting more advanced like 2-way link to itunes, device status tracking and other bits that are a complete unnknown to me at present hopefully later - if I manage to reach that point ...

So, any other advice on the best first steps?

(goes away to do some reading).

If you are starting fresh, I strongly recommend using the O1R Database (Open Other Database) in PEP2 and using the codes from there vs the Philips codes as they are indeed more reliable and are named something meaningful vs Codeset XXXX as was typical in Philips DB.

Thanks, Lyndel.
Done that. It takes care of a good chunk of codes for my project. Great!

Some clarifications on using the database:

I understand the big text field under the list of functions is where I should paste the IR code if I create/learn a component/function from scratch to add to the database. right?

Why then it does not show the code from the database? only 'database code' text...

My components are:
MacMini ---- covered by the O1R database?
Sony BDP S360 bluray ---- covered
Marantz SR5005 av receiver ---- covered
Benchmark Dac1 HDR dac ---- discrete hex codes available
Humax HD FOX T2 freeview hd box ---- to be learned
Strong SRT4155 sat box ---- to be learned. no discrete on/off.
2 x Savasocket IR-power on/off socket thingies (powering speakers and sub) ---- only power toggle (any code learned by savasocket)

So I have to create several components. Any advice on how to go best about it?

Is my database saved with the project or separately? where is it stored? is it part of PEP or do I keep it as a separate file?

Edit: first stumble - cannot seem to paste any codes into 'data' field or the large field under the list of functions when populating a newly created componet with codes. What gives?

Yes


Learned codes are shown. Ones obtained from the Philips and OR1 databases are not, presumably for copyright etc reasons.


Not sure what you are asking here. Just create the component and learn the codes.


Separately. In C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Philips\Common Database\componentdatabase.db or equivalent. You manage it via PEP.

Thanks, Guy. I am making some progress already with new components...
but encountered this:

- cannot seem to paste any codes into 'data' field or the large field under the list of functions when populating a newly created component with codes. What gives?

Dunno. Copy/paste to either of these fields works fine for me. It is sometimes a bit temperamental though.

Hmmm... The code does show up if I generate one with RC MM button, but I cannot paste anything in the code windows...

Edit: I noticed that when you type the code in the program inserts spaces automatically. So I posted the code into a word file, deleted all the spaces and tried to post into pep2 - it worked!

Not that I am keen on manually deleting all spaces in all codes... hmmmm...


Edit2: quick way to delete spaces: copy all commands into a word doc, edit, replace, replace spaces with nothing. now you can copy into the database.

I managed to make some good progress (abt 40% ? of the setup done). I find woking with pep2 so much better than with TSS - makes things quiker.

Another hurdle encountered - can't insert pics. Say I got a jpg image that I want to insert but when I click on 'add image' it does not show the picture in the folder through the browse dialog. What am I doing wrong?

Anothe request for advice - I have power toggle only (no discrete) on speakers ans sub and I hear there are various workarounds like device status tracking (?). How is that done or any other advice?

Not sure (jpg, png and bmp files should all show up). Are you sure that you have navigated to the right folder? In any event, you should be using .png files (Pronto stores them more efficiently).


You use prontoscript to set up a global variable. Whenever you press the power toggle, you run a script which toggles this variable between on and off before executing the actual IR power toggle. Clearly, you also need some method for getting the variable in sync with the actual status in the first place (I have a button on my settings page which toggles the variable). There is an example in the Files section on this website.

Search for track power status and I think you will also find some threads.

Tried converting to .png and all worked. Sorted! Thanks, Guy!
Will check around the forum re status tracking.

Thanks, Lyndel, will check.

I think my biggest challenges will be:

- connecting to WiFI network and
- trying to get a two-way control for iTunes (e.g. selecting and playing playlists, having track info/artwork on the Pronto). I understand this is possible?

Any good reading about those?

For iTunes, Google ProntoTunes.

LRM - Changed from ProntotoTunes to ProntoTunes. ;-) Simply Typo.

AknaataKZ,

You have RC Mail.