Kira IR Receiver and Transmitter Plugins

Plugins & Plugin Development General Plugin Discussion
121

Hi Fai,

Have you consulted Keene about your problems with the 1.9 Beta firmware?

I do not have a KIRA128 so cannot attempt to duplicate the situation.

122

Hi Rex,

I have already escalated this to Keene support with the following feedback and will update you all when I have any news from them. Thanks.

<><><><><><>
I am pleased you have managed to resolve the original issues. The Kira output was designed to be quite low so as not to ‘glitch’ the cpu when outputting an IR code

Your new issues.

The IR loop back (IR input directly to IR output) is something we were playing with but at the moment it is NOT a feature of Kira products.
This might change in the future as we will be officially supporting that in a new product we are releasing next month. I’ll have a look at adding it to the Long code firmware.

The second issue is more of a concern as both LEDs on for a few seconds would indicate that the module has re-booted. That could occur if an IR code took way too long to send. The internal watchdog timer would automatically re-boot the module.

I’ll have a look and try and reproduce this, see if I can find out what is going on and let you know

Regards

Mark
<><><><><><>

123

Interesting. Are you sure about that ? Is it a special mode of the Kira128 ? Is there a setting to enable ?

That would mean I could put the Kira128 between my IR external receiver and the Keenne IR distribution amp ? IR codes from my remotes + IR codes from the Kira128 will be delivered to the IR distribution amp and all the connected A/V devices ?

I bought a cable to double the unique IR entry in the Keene IR distribution amp, one connected to my external IR receiver and the other connected to the Kira128. But it does not work well, IR codes from the Kira128 are lost half of the time.
I even connected one output of the IR distribution amp to the Kira128 entry to receive the IR codes coming from my remotes !
If I can avoid this complex case and just have the Kira128 as an intermediate, that would be ideal.

I will check my firmware this evening.
Edit: my firmware is 1.84. I am in standalone mode.

124

I thought I had my shades working correctly. Close but, not close enough. I converted the two Pronto codes with the Keene Java utility into Kira codes. The two codes won’t import into KiraTx. “Invalid Kira code!” is displayed. Here are the Keene Java utility converted codes:

All Close
K 289C 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 2000

All Open
K 289C 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0AD7 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 2000

Thank you, Mark

125
The two codes won't import into KiraTx.

They imported for me - straight off your post. You do need to make sure that there are no extraneous characters in, or at the end of, the string. It sometimes helps to use Notepad as a staging post.

126

Interesting! Imported for me as well from the above post. I had copied directly from the Keene utility.

Thank you, Mark

127

I imported the two Keene Java utility converted Pronto codes into KiraTX. I am using IR emitters that have viable blink. It’s easy to see when codes are being sent to a device. When executing a scene that sends the Keene converted codes with KiraTx, no code is blinked. When I restore the KiraTx back up codes (somewhat working) the emitters blink again. I am wondering if KiraTx is having trouble with the codes.

Thank you, Mark

128

KiraTx just sends the code you give it but it is possible that, due to its length, Vera’s link layer is fragmenting it. Your code seems to contain six repetitions of the same sequence. You could try using the basic code and repeating it six times with the count parameter.

Close would be:
K 281A 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 2000

Open would be:
K 281A 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0320 0320 0320 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 0190 2000

129

Thank you for the idea. I exterminated with the above codes. I tried quite a few delays and repeats. This worked once in a while. Just not very often. Any idea of the delay time that this might want? I emailed Kira for their thoughts as well. I hope I get this fixed at some point. I ordered an original Lutron remote as well.

Thanks again, Mark

130

I went back to the somewhat working codes I learned with KiraTx. If I hit the scene Run button several times about one second apart the blinds will work. It might take three or four times. I was wondering if the LUUA code could be written to send the code, wait a second, send the code again, wait, again, etc.

Thank you, Mark

131

Mark, I’ve reviewed what you got from Mark at Keene and looked at the documentation for KIRA code format. Let’s see if we can improve your code hit-rate.

I’ve attached a Beta version of I_KiraTx.xml for you to try. Use this with the short codes that Keene suggested but without the 00 4E20 2 extension. The new version will build the repeat extension using the Count and Delay fields from the action request. If you use Count=3 and Delay=20, you will get the same repeat code that Mark suggested.

Try this with different values of Count and Delay. Count is maximum 10 and Delay is maximum 65.535 ms and they will be clipped to those values.

You may find that, using this method of repeating the code, you get better results with a smaller delay. The Delay parameter in the action request is still milliseconds which I convert to the microseconds required for the repeat extension. You can use values from 0 to 65.535 in increments of 0.001 but I doubt that you really need better than 1 ms resolution.

132

Thank you for the update. I installed the file provided. I tried from 3 to 6 count and 1-60 delay. Every one of the combinations would make the Kira quit blinking codes with 1 through 8 close or open sent. I put the existing I_KiraTx.xml back in and used count 6 and 90 delay. Works well after about 25 tries.

Thanks again, Mark

133

[quote=“MarkAgain, post:132, topic:175170”]Thank you for the update. I installed the file provided. I tried from 3 to 6 count and 1-60 delay. Every one of the combinations would make the Kira quit blinking codes with 1 through 8 close or open sent. I put the existing I_KiraTx.xml back in and used count 6 and 90 delay. Works well after about 25 tries.

Thanks again, Mark[/quote]

Shame. I thought Mark’s idea of using the repeat had promise. You may want to feed the results back to him. I don’t think any code should take it off-line so there must be a bug in the firmware.

134

I emailed Mark at Keene with a summery of our efforts. I will let you know what he says when he gets back to me.

Thanks again!

Mark

135

Mark at Keene is trying to get a Vera to use for testing.

Thanks again! Mark

136

I’ve attached another Beta Implementation file. This uses the original Count and Delay processing but will also allow you to import Kira code with the repeat extension.

This way you could try using the shorter code with the repeat extension in case the long code is breaking KIRA but also use KiraTx’s slower Count function in case that is what your shades need. Who knows? IR control is always black magic. ::slight_smile:

137

Black magic you say? ;D

Thanks again for all the help! The codes with the repeat function imported great. I tried the short code with the extension with and without any LUUA code. Just the device within the Scene/Advanced. The shades made it through one close and one open cycle. After that, no blinking emitters or operation. The only way to get the Kira to to blink any codes (including other devices) is cycling the power. Went back to just the short code and the LUUP (works well). There must be something with either the Vera or Kira that don’t like the magic!

Thanks again! Mark

138

A little info for Xantech out to Kira in. I was trying to connect the emitter output from a Xantech connecting block to the input of a Kira. I set the Kira for external IR in and made a cable up that worked but, not consistently. Some codes would work well. Others not so much. I ended up setting the Kira to use the internal IR receiver and just put a Xantech emitter on the Kira. Works well.

Mark

139

Thanks Rex! I have the Kira working with all of the devices that I wanted to control. I have had my Vera for about a year. Your plugin and Kira have given me the functionality I was missing! Much appreciated!

I was thinking about putting second Kira in another room. What would I need to do?

Thank you, Mark

140

Thanks for the feedback, Mark. I’m glad it is working for you. When you add another KIRA you have a choice how to setup the plugins:

If you want to be able to transmit IR, create a new KiraTx device and set IPaddr to that of the new KIRA module.

If your existing KiraRx does not have an entry for IPaddr, it will receive IR codes from both KIRA units. If you set IPaddr, it will receive codes only from the specified KIRA and you can create another KiraRx device with IPaddr set for the second unit.

If you use a single KiraRx for both KIRAs, the second KiraTx will learn codes directly from the module.