Premise [download] Module: IR Remote Control

[123]

File Name: Module: IR Remote Control
File Submitter: 123
File Submitted: 11 Mar 2009
File Category: Premise
Author: Damon Deen
Contact: PM 123
Version: 1.0

Original Author: Damon Deen
Release Date: 08-06-2004

Here's a module that adds a new type of generic device you can create: an IR Remote Control. Basically allows you to control things in Premise with any IR remote control. Once you've gone through the Custom Device wizard, the device just looks like a keypad in CustomDevices with a user defined set of buttons. Each button is bindable to keypad buttons in the home which can have scripts and macros on them.

Just have to capture or paste the IR code for the button into each RemoteButton's "Press" action (don't use any other action other than press).

A note on reliability: When the IR command comes in from the IR receiver, SYS attempts to pattern match the code that came in on the IR port with the codes you've placed in the Buttons' Press actions. In order to acheive some level of reliability, I would suggest the IR receivers from GlobalCache (GC-RG1 or GC-RF1) and not the Slink-e. You can use the Slink-e, but it won't be as reliable since it isn't able to capture the carrier frequency of an IR signal (the GC stuff does).

Addendum by 123
The USB-UIRT device also captures's the carrier frequency of the incoming IR signal. It should be able to receive incoming IR codes as reliably as the GlobalCache device. A USB-UIRT driver was unavailable when IR Remote Control was released in 2004.

Click here to download this file

 

[chucklyons]

hmmm....123!

So I suppose I could try using your USB-UIRT for my grandiose scheme of using my Outside Xantech system to drive the Premise media system?

Thanks for putting this one up....a great module......

 

[123]

One possible drawback of using a USB-UIRT is its use of USB ... distance is limited. I have an IRA-3 (IR receive-only) and it uses a serial connection. I plan to write a driver for it after I release a module I'm working on ("annunciation" and "left open" monitoring for all doors and windows).

 

[chucklyons]

guess one question I have is 'where do I buy one of these things?'

Also, I have a rack of Xantech 12-channel amps, Xantech ZPR68-10, a VCR(!), PREMISE, Kenwood Sirius, Power supply, blah, blah. So my thought is that if I have the Xantech IR feed into the ZPR68-10, (which it will), I can use the IR out to feed the input...so USB, I don't think, will be an issue..

 

[123]

...'where do I buy one of these things?' ...

The IRA-3 is made by a Canadian company called Home Electronics. The IRA-3 is an IR receiver but they also make the TIRA-2 which is an IR transceiver. I picked up a used IRA-3 on eBay for a few bucks. I learned about it (actually its predecessor, the IRA-2) while reading CQC's Supported IR Devices list.

The IRA-2 uses a straightforward serial protocol. It *should* be easy to create a driver (Module or Native). I'll know soon enough ...