IR & Ocelot troubles

[elcano]

What I'm saying is that controlling a relay in order to prevent the Ocelot from receiving IR would be a slow process if you're counting on a module like a SECU16. Because of the variable bus latency, you would need to actually wait a second or so before sending any IR commands to be sure the IR input is disconnected.

Another approach might be to have a 555 timing circuit directly in parallel with the IR output that would disable the IR input through some kind of gate (like a AND gate); a type of "missing pulse" detector circuit that would wait for any IR output to have stopped for a few extra milliseconds before re-enabling the IR input. But this would be kind of kludgy at best.

Ya see! You always have godsent ideas that we can build on. :lol:

I didnt really understand much about the 555, but if I detect the voltage change on the IR output using an opamp (to prevent drawing too much current from the IR), and use a RC circuit at the output of the opamp to keep voltage high for a short delay after the ocelot finishes tranmitting, then I can use this high voltage (from the RC) to trigger a solid state relay that would open the IR receiver circuit. I will have to continue developing the idea to see how simple can it be.

 

[Sacarino]

I didnt really understand much about the 555, but if I detect the voltage change on the IR output using an opamp (to prevent drawing too much current from the IR), and use a RC circuit at the output of the opamp to keep voltage high for a short delay after the ocelot finishes tranmitting, then I can use this high voltage (from the RC) to trigger a solid state relay that would open the IR receiver circuit. I will have to continue developing the idea to see how simple can it be.

Sometimes I wonder what kind of frankenstein gear you guys must have... in my head, I picture these project boxes and wall warts all lined up with wires snaking in and out all over the place. :lol:

I attempted to learn the IR with all the tricks and wound up at the same wall. I even went after the codes on remote central and couldn't find a pronto file containing those codes... I did see a couple MCX ones though, so I'll have to grab that utility and see if there's a way to convert between or save as or something.

Is there a decently easy way to "read" the freq coming off that SA remote? Maybe an app that utilizes an IrDA port or something?

 

[Guy Lavoie]

Ya see! You always have godsent ideas that we can build on. :lol:

I didnt really understand much about the 555, but if I detect the voltage change on the IR output using an opamp (to prevent drawing too much current from the IR), and use a RC circuit at the output of the opamp to keep voltage high for a short delay after the ocelot finishes tranmitting, then I can use this high voltage (from the RC) to trigger a solid state relay that would open the IR receiver circuit. I will have to continue developing the idea to see how simple can it be.

A solid state relay is usually used to switch high current A/C loads like lights and motors...

I think that your general idea here is just to disable IR reception whenever IR transmission is going on. The possible difficulty is to avoid the probable glitch that would occur when the very first pulse is beginning to be transmitted, since an IR distribution system will immediately begin to send this to the IR input circuit (or through a gate or whatever). Ideally there would be a slight delay added by the distribution system that would allow the timed gating circuit to disable IR input first. A race condition really.

Jrfuda's earlier explanation of using a SECU16IR for output (which was a suggestion I had made to him in an earlier discussion) was in fact to offset the timing of IR transmission (whereby the command has to first be sent to the module across the adnet bus) from the timing of IR reception in the Ocelot. That way the IR input is not related to IR being output. The fundamental problem is that the Ocelot's built-in IR ports cannot send and receive IR simultaneously, and any IR reception seems to interrupt IR transmission. With a SECU16IR output, the module istransmittion the IR code on its own and the Ocelot is free to receive IR or do something else.

 

[jrfuda]

For less than $30, the xantech 2-zone block and Guy's cable with diodes (or an IRLinc for another $15 each) will give you an elegant, effective solution without having to resort to relays, using and SECU16, or other workarounds.

I do like your thinking out of the box, though! :lol:

 

[elcano]

Good. I believed that these Xantech blocks where more expensive. :lol:

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Good. I believed that these Xantech blocks where more expensive.

Maybe look at the Buffalo Electronics IR distribution hardware that Martin sells: :lol:

http://automatedoutlet.com/manufacturers.p...nufacturerid=39

Guy Lavoie even tested them with the Ocelot:

http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showto...1838&hl=buffalo

 

[jrfuda]

The buffalor connecting block is good, as a connecctig block and proven to work with the Ocelot, however, they do not make a 2-zone block. At a minimum, that part would have to be Xantech.

Fortuneately, I believe Buffalo, Xantech, and Channel master stuff play rather well together, it's just with the Ocelot that you need a little something between them (Guy's diode soluton or an IRLinc) to adjust for the differences between their voltages.