I've now used the Pioneer SR80 steering wheel remote for the past few days. This thing is a piece of crap!

I set up the irtranslate just how the instructions in the FAQ said. I even used only the example code provided there. I have not done anything else to hack the player.

In the car, I have the remote strapped to approximately to the 2:30 position on the wheel. In operation, the volume buttons work just fine. They seem to be set to adjust the dB level byt the equivalent of 2 knob clicks. That's fine for me. aside from that, not a single button works on the other side of the remote. Not one. If I swing the remote around so that it's hanging outside the wheel, there's still no reception from the player. Even if I remove it and hold the damn thing directly in front of the face of the empeg, I still get a response about 25% of the time, seemingly from all the buttons.

I'm quite dissapointed. I've never missed my Kenwood remote more

Have you tried a new battery in the remote?

I'll try it, but I don't see why only the volume buttons would work. But thanks, I'll do that.

Tony is right. Try changing the battery. I had to replace the battery in mine right after removing it from the package. Since then, It has worked perfectly. I consider it the best accesoory you can get for the Empeg.

I'm sure it would be. If it worked. Replacing the battery did nothing.

I can still only use the volume controls when it's attached to the steering wheel. Even when I put the remote up to the face of the player, it works okay, but long button presses don't register.

Perhaps you could compare config files with bluesman?

In my config file, just as copied from the FAQ:

[ir_translate]

; The shift key

AD520C.L=play.L,null		; press and hold "ATT" = hush

AD520C=null.S			; "ATT" = Shift Key

; "Func" sends two codes for no reason, this ignores them

AF5067=null

80AF5067=null

; Map the directional buttons to mimic those on the front panel

AD5240.L=20DF03.L,null		; long press of top button = standby

AD5240=Top

AD5241.L=Bottom.L,null		; long press of bottom button = toggle visual/info

AD5241=Bottom

AD5242.LT=20DF10.L,null		;in Tuner, Long left press scans back

AD5242.T=20DF10			;in Tuner, left press seeks back

AD5242.M=PrevTrack.N,Left.U

AD5243.LT=20DF11.L,null		;in Tuner, Long right press scans forward

AD5243.T=20DF11			;in Tuner, left press seeks forward

AD5243.M=NextTrack.N,Right.U

; Volume Up / Down

AD520A=VolUp,VolUp

AD520B=VolDown,VolDown

; Band Button

AD5212.T=Tuner			; if in Tuner, toggle AM / FM

AD5212.LM=Artist,null		; long press if in Player, tweak Artist

AD5212.M=Shuffle			; if in Player, toggle shuffle

; Source Button

AD521A.LM=Album,null		; if in Player, tweak Source (Album)

AD521A=NextSrc			; switch to next source

; Func Button

AD5219=Visual			; switch to next visual

; Audio Button

AD520D.LM=Info.L,null		; long press if in Player, display track details

AD520D=Info			; switch info mode

.

I don't know how much help this will be since I started off using that same config setup from the FAQ. My config is sort of stripped down, but I don't use all those commands so why have them in there. Here it is...hope it helps!

[ir_translate]
AD520C.L=Pause
AD520C=Hush
AF5067=null
80AF5067=null
AD520A=20df13
AD520B=20df17
AD5212.T=Tuner
AD5212=Cancel
AD521A.L=Power
AD521A=Source
AD5240.L=Pause
AD5240=Play
AD5241.l=Detail
AD5241=Info
AD5242=PrevTrack
AD5243=NextTrack
AD5219=Visual

Does HiJack's IR Code screen show that it's atleast getting a response from the remote for the buttons that don't work? Perhaps your remote is just faulty...


Regards,
Aragon

I have to replace the battery in my SR80 every other month. Probably something to do with the remote not having a direct, line-of-sight view of the player...

Wow. The battery in my CD-SR77 has lasted me probably 8 months without replacement... And I use it quite a bit, even to do searches... Wonder if the 80 eats more juice?

I doubt it, as I mentioned in my previous post, it's not line-of-sight between the player and the remote (due to be driving an RHD car). I find the remote works just fine directly in front of the player. But after a month or two, the battery hasn't got enough juice to light the IR LED bright enough.

I've had the SR80 installed for a long time without the battery running down as well. The one thing i have noticed though, but can't explain, is that when the front buttons won't work due to whatever reason (line of sight, sun) the voume buttons work about 99.9% of the time. I don't know if they use a different transmitter or what, but they are WAY WAY more reliable than the buttons on the front of the remote.

That's what I'm getting. Only I'm not getting a single reception from the other buttons when the thing is attatched to the wheel.

It's not that the battery has been used for a while either, the remote is brand new. Just got it 4 days ago.

By the way, how does the SR80 transmit? I don't see the IR transmitter...

I too was confused about the location of the IR transmitter(s) on the SR80. I fired up my digital camera and aimed it at the SR80 while holding down one of the buttons on the remote. I watched the LCD screen on the back of the camera for the IR transmitter to light up. It turns out there are two of them, located at the bottom of the unit, and facing the front control surface. If memory serves, they're located right where the Pioneer logo is. Ocassionaly my hand will block them while I'm pushing buttons on the front control surface. Maybe this is the same problem you are having. Hope this helps. -Randy

Hmm, that's a possibility, and a poor design, IMO. Why not a larger one? There's plenty of space on the back of this thing, too.

I tried the suggestion of turning on the Button Codes Display in Hijack, and as I suspected, the empeg didn't see anything coming from the SR80. I'll see if the placement of my fingers has anything to do with it

I grabbed a quick picture to give you a better idea. The quality is poor, but you can see where the IR transmitters are placed. -Randy

So do they both transmit at the same time no matter which button is pressed? Or does one do the volume and one the front buttons??