How do I connect my HA computer to a Xantech IR Dist. network?

K

kmitchell

Member
Hi All,

I have a Xantech IR distribution network in my house and I'd like to be able to send IR commands from my HA computer which is running HomeSeer. My HA computer is located in a server room fairly far away from my AV equipment rack so I'm thinking that I want to add my HA computer as an IR transmitter but I want to do it electrically instead of generating IR and sending it straight to an IR receiver just to convert it to electrical and inject it into the network. I guess what I'm looking for is an IR transceiver that will allow me to connect to the network with mini-jacks and use an existing IR receiver to learn the IR codes and an existing blaster to transmit the codes. I'm pretty sure I could get the transmit part to work by putting the transmitter in an enclosure with an IR receiver but that adds to the component count and complexity by having to convert to IR and right back to electrical just to get it to a connector block.

Hopefully this question makes sense to those who know more about IR distribution than I do.

Thanks for any help and guidance with this project.
Ken
 
The USB-UIRT is a relatively inexpensive IR interface for the computer. It both receives and can transmit IR signals to/from the computer.

It has three IR blaster zones. The default zone is the large "open air" blaster on the front of the unit and won't work for what you want. However, on the back is a plug that allows you to plug in emitters directly into the USB-UIRT. I suspect that instead of plugging in an emitter, if you simply take a cord and plug it into the USB-UIRT and into a IR receiver on the other end, you'll get exactly what you are looking for.

Keep in mind that the plug on the back of the USB-UIRT is a stereo plug to allow up to two IR channels while the normal IR emitters use a mono plug. So you'll probably need a stereo to 2 mono adapter plug. But other than that, I think it will work just fine.
 
Better check some other threads or search around a bit more...i recall reading that Xantech operatas at 12v and think USB-UIRT at 5v or something like that. Sic's suggestions has been made to work by people but i believe they put in a resistor or something. Try CQC forums..i think I read it there..
 
That cable looks to be made for the GlobalCache...is it confirmed to work with USB-UIRT as well?

If the Global Cache wasnt so damm expensive i would get that since I don't like the idea of going USB to the little USB-UIRT box dangling somewhere, then this GC-CGX cable plugged in there and from there going to the Xantech stuff.

Another question:

Does the USB-UIRT receive IR as well over it's 2nd and 3rd port? I know the main/front port has receiving capability. Trying to figure out how to get incoming IR commands into CQC without resorting to glueing a Xantech transmitter to the USB-UIRT window.
 
MavRic said:
Does the USB-UIRT receive IR as well over it's 2nd and 3rd port? I know the main/front port has receiving capability. Trying to figure out how to get incoming IR commands into CQC without resorting to glueing a Xantech transmitter to the USB-UIRT window.
Click to expand...

I believe the output is only for flashers. Currently I use a USBUIRT for exactly this purpose, and yes I have a flasher coming from my Xantech glued to the front of it.
 
Reading about the global cache it actually seems that the stereo jack ports on these things can power an emitter or act as a 'sensor input', but if you want an IR receiver you need a $50 component plugged into the serial port on it.

I was tempted to go the Global Cache route since i already have a USB-UIRT on my server to control a Comcast STB from SageTV and i don't think i can add a 2nd.

I know there is a way to have CQC or EventGhost or some other program sit in between SageTV and the USB-UIRT so that multiple programs can use it, but i havent found out exactly how to do this.

It seems rather limited that if you have SageTV with a USB-UIRT that you then cannot use that USB-UIRT for anything else.

The glueing of the Xantech emitter to the USB-UIRT woudl obviously to problematic considering my OCD.
 
Hi MavRic,

I sent a support request off to GC to verify that the GC-CGX will do what I think it will. Based on what I can find out about this cable it has a little dongle on it that contains a IR LED and and IR receiver molded into it that provide optical isolation between the plugs on each end of the cable. The dongle is powered by the 12V PS coming from the Xantech so that's what they are using as a reference for the input into the Xantech network. What makes me think that this will work is the other posts I've read about using the 5V output from the USB-UIRT as an input straight into a Xantech amplified connector block such as the 791-44 and having it work just fine. From what I can tell the GC-CGX is a signal level translator which basically does the same thing as the amplified connector block.

As far as the GC products in general they are widely used in the industry but software support seems to vary. The products seem to be very solid when used with some automation packages but spotty when used with others. That sounds like more of a question of good driver design vs. a GC product problem but it could also be partly the API.

My understanding as to why you can only have a single USB-UIRT per system is because there is no way to tell them apart because they all have the same USB vendor/device id.

Also, the USB-UIRT port on the back is output only. The stereo plug provides ground, left, and right IR zones. The blaster IR output built-in to the unit is called the "center" zone and it also has the IR pickups so the only input is the built-in center zone. This will force me to do all the IR code learning at the unit in my server room but I can live with that for now unless I want to do as you suggest and stick an emitter on the front of the USB-UIRT.

Thanks again for all the help,
Ken
 
Just got a call from Jerry at Global Cache (Wow, Excellent support!) and after talking over what I'm trying to do he agrees that the GC-CGX should work. I just ordered the pieces so I'll let you know in a week or so if it works for sure.

Ken
 
kmitchell:

It's not just the IR learning...also just the IR receiving in general. If you want to use a IR remote to trigger an event in HomeSeer you will need to get that signal into HomeSeer somehow.
 
MavRic said:
kmitchell:

It's not just the IR learning...also just the IR receiving in general. If you want to use a IR remote to trigger an event in HomeSeer you will need to get that signal into HomeSeer somehow.
Click to expand...

Ouch! Thanks for the smack on the back of the head. :D

Of course I'll want to trigger events in HomeSeer with IR commands.

Ken
 
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