How can I get a button to send a continuous signal for 3-4 seconds without having to hold it down for that period? The particular button in question is programmed to operate with my stereo preamp. The way it works is that it both controls the intensity of the display on the preamp-through short taps-or turns off the preamp through a long blast. I tried writing a macro which would send out signals at .1 second intervals, but that's not fast enough; the preamp needs to see a continuous signal.

Search for +extend +IR +code. You should find some hits, especially in the Pronto NG forum.

If you buy a ProntoNG model, this feature was added to the last set of updates for both the monochrome and color series.

With a classic you'll probably have to resort to constructing long Pronto Hex strings and as Lyndel mentioned, there should be a number of threads on the subject. You might still need the assistance of an expert like John Fine to put together your specific code if it's a bit different than the examples in the threads.

I'm also not sure if you can extend the string long enough to last for four seconds. That will probably depend on the Pronto software (firmware) more than anything as well as the protocol being used by the device you want to control (this caveat is probably mentioned in most of the matching threads).

I've also read people having success with very fast repeating, which you can also construct with macro sequences and possibly modified Pronto Hex. Again, success depends on the abilities of the Pronto and definitely the acceptance of the protocol and device to this type of construction. This method has also been discussed quite a bit for a number of devices.

Bruno

There's a trick in the FAQ that works a fair bit of the time.

I'm pretty sure .1 second intervals would be fast enough, assuming you meant that the way I understand it, as ten frames per seconds, rather than as .1 seconds slower than the signal's normal repeat rate.

What did you do to cause or measure the .1 second intervals? I didn't think the Pronto gave you that sort of flexibility.

Post the Pronto Hex for the signal. We can then see whether it is one that needs to be broken into two parts in order to be extended by a sequence.

What model Pronto are you using? The NG Pronto can't reduce the delay between steps in a sequence enough to accomplish what you tried. Some of the older Prontos can. But as mentioned above, some NG Prontos have the ability to directly specify duration, which is much simpler than constructing it as a sequence.

I'm using a Marantz RC5000.

John, I believe that dollysowner meant that the macro contained .1 sec delays between the IR commands. As you said, Pronto doesn't have the ability to structure the length of the signal.

If so then simply removing the delays might make it work.

I haven't heard of any evidence that a Pronto is ever able to send keys in a sequence too fast for the normal repeat rate as if holding the key.

Usually sending a sequence with no extra delay has enough delay between steps that it is more than the "correct" (matching the original remote) delay. It usually works because the actual device isn't very picky about the exact rate. But if you added an extra .1 second to a delay that's slightly longer than correct already, the result probably won't work.

I still want to see the Pronto Hex. There are several possibilities for the Pronto Hex needing some tweaking before it could be used correctly in a sequence even without added delay.

If you can send me your e-mail address, I can send you the ccf file which contains the button in question.

Actually, I just found it in your profile. I'll try to send it later tonight, or if not, first thing tomorrow a.m.

I don't mind getting the CCF by email, but for this purpose posting the Pronto Hex to this thread is probably simpler and lets other experts see that before I get to it.

Since you didn't do that I'll guess you don't know how. See message 5 of this other recent thread: [Link: remotecentral.com] where I explained how to get the Pronto Hex to post into a thread (ignore the part about RF).

It's OK to Email the CCF if you prefer or if you can't understand the above.

I just got the email. Instead of (better than) the CCF it had a garbled (by his email program because it was too long) copy of a URL, back to RC. So I found the right CCF at
[Link: remotecentral.com]

which I had already downloaded and examined (as I have the majority of CCFs from RC).

It uses RECS80 protocol with the format of Pronto Hex that gets the toggle bit right, which prevents it from being used multiple times in a sequence for purposes of extending it.

If I'm on the right button in the CCF, the current Pronto Hex is
7000 006d 0000 0008 0011 000d 0010 0002 0017 0002 0002 0002 0003 0002 0002 0003 0002 0003 0000 011b

Later I'll use MakeHex to make a raw version, which ought to solve the problem.

You can edit the Pronto Hex for a button roughly the same way I described in that other post for getting the Pronto Hex.

Make a new button for this, since you don't want to disturb the "disp int." function of the current button.

Put in this Pronto Hex

0000 006D 0000 000C 0006 011B 0006 00BB 0006 011B 0006 011B 0006 011B 0006 00BB 0006 011B 0006 011B 0006 00BB 0006 011B 0006 00BB 0006 070A

Test that single presses of that new button work roughly like the original Disp Int button. But two presses in a row of the new button should not act like two presses of the original, because the new one shouldn't have the RECS80 toggle bit toggling. I'm not sure exactly how two presses in a row would act. Best guess is the second press wouldn't work, then the button would do nothing until some other function has been used, then it should work again once.

Then make a button that aliases that new button many times in sequence (with no added delays). That should act like a single long press.

I guess I must still be inexperienced. I copied the hex above to a Word file, so that I would be able to paste it (I found I couldn't paste it directly from your post above). I then went to "properties" for a new button, and selected "set IR" under the "Action" tab. I pasted the hex above into the panel, and got an error message that stated "data does not define a valid IR code. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for your help.

Don't use Word for anything except writing letters and/or other documents. Certainly never use it if you hope to preserve the integrity of any cut and paste operations or trying to manipulate plain text.

Just highlight the hex string above and hit CONTROL-C. I can't imagine any reason it would not copy unless your browser is broken.

As an alternate, press the EDIT link on John's post and then copy the code out of the edit box (browsers treat edit controls differently).

What browser are you using?

Bruno