Remote control app - support for other devices

[sdspieg]

: Thank you for contacting VIZIO Live Chat, the home of Entertainment Freedom for All. This is ... in South Dakota. Have you ever contacted us before?

: What can I assist you with today?

: ok - so i have a vtab1008. i live in europe and would like to know if there is any way i can get support for some European meda devices (for the remote control app)

: also - do you know whether the ir-blaster also allows for 'learning' of ir-codes?

: The remote control application only pairs with devices that are listed in the device set up option. You are not able to program codes to the remote.

: If the device is listed under the brand and model number it will work but if not its not supported.

: and is that a software or a hardware issue?

: That would be the software type does not allow the programming option

: and do you plan any further updates of the remote control software?

: At this time no.

: hmmm - and this is reliable info? so i can advize everybody to stay clear of the vizio?

: (anybody NOT in the us who likes the ir-blaster idea but wants support for their devices)

: The tablet is brand new so at this time we are not sure of what updates are yet to come for it or what they may add.

: I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

: Is there anything else that I can assist you with today?

: if i may make a suggestion: if you would allow the program to import ir-signals from other popular programs, you might get quite a few customers abroad

I will certainly forward your concern to our product managers

 

[marvin02]

Wouldn't reading other remotes signals require an IR receiver?

Does the VTAB have this hardware?

 

[sdspieg]

That's what I was trying to find out - and that's why I asked whether it was a hardware issue or a software issue. Now I don't know how technically astute these support people are - but if the answer she gave me was accurate, maybe there's still hope? Actually, does somebody know the precise technical details of the IR hardware component in the Vizio: can it transmit AND receive infrared remote control signals? And even if can only transmit - doesn't the fact that the Vizio programmers seem able to program new media devices onto the IR blaster suggest that this could also be done through programming (how hard can it be to digitize those signals?)
I used to have Noviiremote on an old pda, for instance, and there there was a lively community that maintained a huge database of codebases (NoviiRemote - Turn Your Mobile Device into a Universal Remote Control - check out their forum). If we could somehow find a way to 'convert' those codes to codes that the Vizio tablet can read, we'd be able to cover a LOT more devices all around around the world... I just can't understand why Vizio opted for a 'closed' development approach to the ONE area where they have a comparative advantage. If they'd open it up, they'd sell a lot more of these all across the world.

 

[marvin02]

Being able to import files for non-supported devices would make the remote app universal. That would entail opening up an API to the remote app.

 

[dhouston]

Have there been any updates to the Remote Control?

RemoteCentral.com has Pronto CCF files for most remotes and they are being added to daily. Allowing users to import CCF files or individual codes would vastly improve the Remote Control without opening up the API.

 

[Conspirator]

Nevo is the Remote app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.uei.nevosmart&feature=search_result #?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS51ZWkubmV2b3NtYXJ0Il0
Then you also need
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...1bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLnVlaS5xdWlja3NldHNkayJd
Which are the remote codes

Nevo is awesomely better then the vizio app. It allows macros and has most of the specialty buttons that speed things along. No learning and little outlook for updates are the only downside.
Being the remote codes are a separate file, if it could be decompiled and edited it would be infinitely better.