[VU+ Duo2] Remote very unresponsive

[pembo]

the app will use the LAN/WLAN connection to control through openwebif and not IR (assuming the issue is with the IR sender on the remote or the receiver on the box)

 

[pembo]

just to add - I tried my duo 2 remote and couldn't create any of the issues reported.
Stupid questions time that might have been asked before...

the sensor on the box is clean?
end of remote (transmitter) is clean?
batteries in remote are good and are 1.5V AAA (not rechargeable)?

 

[ashhinton]

I've yet to try the iPhone/iPad app but do have E2 Remote Pro so will give it a go - been a bit hectic these past few days.

It looks like it really is registering wrong key presses, one of the more often occurrences is "mute" when pressing "7" to to skip forward.
it will skip, skip, skip.. mute... skip.. etc. At first I thought it was a feature where it mutes the sound while skipping through the ads, but obviously not.

Clean sensor, clean remote, new batteries, all the usual checks done.
I've not had the unit very long so will ask the supplier (World of Satellite) if we can swap the remote, as I can't see any other technical or software reason for it to be so flakey.

Long log posting below, the interesting bits I've highlighted in bold - I didn't press the mute key (honest!) but the box either interpreted it as such, or was randomly sent that command by the remote control.

I did wonder whether something was grabbing too much processor, or running too often, as sometimes we get a picture glitch on playback - how often should the auto timer poll, for example, because the logs are full of Auto Poll, Auto Poll Started - in the current log since 10:47 until just now 15:30 it features over 30 times? (admittedly for a background task of check - is it in the main timers - yes it is, skip or no it isn't, add it - in computing terms is nothing at all)

Cheers,

Ashley

playing 1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:/media/hdd/movie/20150713 2000 - ITV HD - New_ Vet School.ts
< 35756.623527> [eDVBCAService] free slot 0 demux 2 for service 1:0:1:1260:7EA:2:11A0000:0:0:0:
< 35756.623697> [eDVBCAService] free service 1:0:1:1260:7EA:2:11A0000:0:0:0:
< 35756.643940> [eDVBServicePlay] timeshift
< 35756.646340> [eDVBServicePlay] timeshift
< 35756.647718> [eTSMPEGDecoder] decoder state: play, vpid=ffffffff, apid=ffffffff
< 35756.647822> [eDVBPCR0] DEMUX_STOP ok
< 35756.647899> [eDVBPCR0] destroy
< 35756.647934> [eDVBVideo0] DEMUX_STOP ok
< 35756.649228> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_STOP ok
< 35756.651846> [eDVBVideo0] destroy
< 35756.651911> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_STOP ok
< 35756.677239> [eDVBAudio0] DEMUX_STOP ok
< 35756.677326> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_CONTINUE ok
< 35756.684115> [eDVBAudio0] destroy
< 35756.684192> [eDVBText0] DEMUX_STOP ok
< 35756.684281> [eDVBText0] destroy
< 35756.687613> [eDVBResourceManager] start release channel timer
getResolvedKey config.usage.remote_fallback failed !! (Typo??)
< 35756.689714> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] alloc PVR
< 35756.689794> [eDVBLocalTimerHandler] remove channel 0x1399878
< 35756.689863> [eEPGCache] remove channel 0x1399878
< 35756.690437> [eEPGCache] abort caching events !!
< 35756.694598> [eDVBChannel] getDemux cap=01
< 35756.694701> [eDVBResourceManager] allocate demux cap=01
< 35756.694736> [eDVBResourceManager] allocating demux adapter=0, demux=8, source=-1 fesource=-1
< 35756.694773> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.694863> [eDVBTSTools] setSource loading streaminfo for /media/hdd/movie/20150713 2000 - ITV HD - New_ Vet School.ts
< 35756.699361> [eDVBDemux] open dvr /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr8
< 35756.699791> [eDVBServicePlay] cuts file has 2 entries
< 35756.699909> [eDVBTSTools] calcBegin [@ML] m_streaminfo.getLastFrame returned 1132324, 403896058 (4487s), fixup to: 1132324, 61261 (0s)
< 35756.718424> [setIoPrio] best-effort level 0 ok
< 35756.718541> [eFilePushThread] START thread
< 35756.718469> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] ok ... now we start!!
< 35756.718660> [eDVBServicePlay] eventNewProgramInfo timeshift_enabled=0 timeshift_active=0
< 35756.718739> [eDVBServicePlay] have 1 video stream(s) (0910), and 1 audio stream(s) (0912), and the pcr pid is 0910, and the text pid is 0913
< 35756.723912> [eTSMPEGDecoder] decoder state: play, vpid=0910, apid=0912
< 35756.726956> [eDVBAudio0] DMX_SET_PES_FILTER pid=0x0912 ok
< 35756.727134> [eDVBAudio0] DEMUX_START ok
< 35756.727317> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_SET_BYPASS bypass=0 ok
< 35756.736851> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_PAUSE ok
< 35756.739527> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_PLAY ok
< 35756.749520> [eDVBVideo] Video Device: /dev/dvb/adapter0/video0
< 35756.749604> [eDVBVideo] demux device: /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.752817> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_SET_STREAMTYPE 1 - ok
< 35756.755910> [eDVBVideo0] DMX_SET_PES_FILTER pid=0x0910 ok
< 35756.756066> [eDVBVideo0] DEMUX_START ok
< 35756.756415> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_FREEZE ok
< 35756.759451> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_PLAY ok
< 35756.767926> [eDVBText0] DMX_SET_PES_FILTER pid=0x0913 ok
< 35756.767992> [eDVBText0] DEMUX_START ok
< 35756.768140> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_SLOWMOTION 0 ok
< 35756.771174> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_FAST_FORWARD 0 ok
< 35756.774407> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_CONTINUE ok
< 35756.777646> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_CONTINUE ok
< 35756.783613> [eDVBTeletextParser] Starting!
< 35756.783657> [eDVBTeletextParser] disable teletext subtitles page ffffffffffffffff (und)
< 35756.783691> [eDVBPESReader] Created. Opening demux
< 35756.783720> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.783850> [eDVBTeletextParser] created teletext subtitle PES reader!
< 35756.783918> [eDVBPESReader] Created. Opening demux
< 35756.783951> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.784222> [eDVBTeletextParser] starting PES reader on pid=0913
< 35756.784313> [eDVBPESReader] DMX_SET_PES_FILTER pid=0913
< 35756.786339> [eDVBServicePlay] seekTo 0
< 35756.786453> [eDVBChannel] seek.
< 35756.786497> [eFilePushThread] waiting for pause
< 35756.792075> [eFilePushThread] PAUSED
< 35756.820580> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_CLEAR_BUFFER ok
< 35756.859148> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_CLEAR_BUFFER ok
< 35756.869098> [eDVBChannel] ok, resolved skip (rel: 0, diff 0), now at 00000000
< 35756.909210> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.909420> [eDVBSectionReader] DMX_SET_FILTER pid=0
< 35756.910253> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.910400> [eDVBSectionReader] DMX_SET_FILTER pid=18
RemovePopup, id = ZapError
< 35756.988092> [eDVBServicePlay] unpause
RemovePopup, id = ZapError
KEY: 352 OK
< 35756.998215> [eDVBChannel] pvrEvent evtStopped
< 35756.998764> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] PATready
< 35756.998874> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] use pmtpid 0105 for service_id 5226
< 35756.998956> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.999122> [eDVBSectionReader] DMX_SET_FILTER pid=261
< 35756.999704> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35756.999859> [eDVBSectionReader] DMX_SET_FILTER pid=0
< 35757.113466> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_GET_EVENT SIZE_CHANGED 1920x1080 aspect 3
< 35757.129780> [eDVBServicePlay] eventNewProgramInfo timeshift_enabled=0 timeshift_active=0
< 35757.132214> [eDVBServicePlay] have 1 video stream(s) (0910), and 2 audio stream(s) (0911, 0912), and the pcr pid is 0910, and the text pid is 0913
< 35757.133339> [eTSMPEGDecoder] decoder state: play, vpid=0910, apid=0912
< 35757.167652> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux8
< 35757.167808> [eDVBSectionReader] DMX_SET_FILTER pid=261
[Dish] tuning failed
[VideoMode] setting aspect: 16:9
[VideoMode] setting wss: auto
[VideoMode] setting policy: panscan
[VideoMode] setting policy2: letterbox
< 35759.694577> [eDVBFrontend] close frontend 2
KEY: 113
action -> GlobalActions volumeMute
setValue 0
KEY: 113
KEY: 7 6
< 35765.909163> [eDVBServicePlay] seekRelative 1, 5400000
< 35765.909289> [eDVBChannel] seek.
< 35765.909514> [eFilePushThread] waiting for pause
< 35765.913084> [eFilePushThread] PAUSED
< 35765.921136> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_CLEAR_BUFFER ok
< 35765.939340> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_CLEAR_BUFFER ok
< 35765.949283> [eDVBChannel] ok, resolved skip (rel: 1, diff 6228911), now at 04382b08
< 35765.969721> [eDVBChannel] pvrEvent evtStopped
KEY: 7 6
KEY: 7 6
< 35767.456842> [eDVBServicePlay] seekRelative 1, 5400000
< 35767.456963> [eDVBChannel] seek.
< 35767.457068> [eFilePushThread] waiting for pause
< 35767.462057> [eFilePushThread] PAUSED
< 35767.469152> [eDVBAudio0] AUDIO_CLEAR_BUFFER ok
< 35767.483901> [eDVBVideo0] VIDEO_CLEAR_BUFFER ok
< 35767.493773> [eDVBChannel] ok, resolved skip (rel: 1, diff 11621437), now at 0842070c
< 35767.500661> [eDVBChannel] pvrEvent evtStopped
KEY: 7 6
KEY: 113
action -> GlobalActions volumeMute
setValue 100
KEY: 113
KEY: 128 STOP

 

[2stein]

I've noticed over the past few months (sorry cant be more specific) that my VU+ DUO2 Remote control is getting more and more unresponsive. I'd say at a guess right now, that the box registers no more than 55-60% of my key presses. It makes the whole user experience feel very sluggish and annoying. I sit literally about 7-8 feet from the box. There are no electronic devices around other than my phone which is often in another room. There are no line of sight obstacles between me on the sofa and the VU+ DUO.

I have tried the following
1. New batteries in the remote.
2. Disabled HDMI CEC

So has anyone else experience this ? Do you reckon is it a software or hardware issue? Can anyone suggest things to try ?

Many thanks for any help.

i experienced the same after 1.5 years. i found out that i had to press the buttons much harder compared to when it was new.
so i bought a new solo2 rc... and rc is fine again.
looks like the duo2 rc (which i like better from a button layout perspective) wears out fast.

 

[Rob van der Does]

t.b.h. you'd better spent a few quid on a Harmony RC; you'll use it for all your devices, it's activity based and it has a very powerful IR-'headlight'.

 

[2stein]

t.b.h. you'd better spent a few quid on a Harmony RC; you'll use it for all your devices, it's activity based and it has a very powerful IR-'headlight'.

i even have a harmony 555 but i don't like it. battery life is poor. and today i only have tv and duo2 in my living room. so i prefer a genuine vu remote.

 

[Rob van der Does]

The 555 is very old; it's the first one after Logitech bought the company. I do like that RC, because it still has the device button incorporated, but indeed: batteries go very fast. Rechargeable batteries deal with that, and I still use it in the bedroom.

Anyway: newer Harmonies are better in this respect. Either they can be charged on a saddle, or you can use rechargeable batteries.

 

[ashhinton]

In the end we tried a few different iPhone/iPad remotes and settled on one called Remote Control for VU+ by Michael Leopold.
On iPhone & iPad in portrait you get number keys & colour keys then swipe to 2nd page if you want pause/play/up/down etc. Not as tedious and unintuitive as it sounds.
On iPad in landscape you get both button pages side-by-side.

Since we have at least one phone/tablet available when watching tv its never a problem.

In fact to call-up the remote control from tablet or phone already in hand is probably quicker than fumbling for the remote in most cases if one of us doesn't manage it, the other usually gets there first. It hasn't caused any arguments so far