Some advice on IR distribution

[DavidL]

From using RF remotes (no kidding...) to Tablets (many...Samsung Q1 included) to in wall touchscreens (many) the one that is working best for me (so far) is an Android phone running "remote control" software.

The hard button remote control is best for channel surfing and volume up / down but has the drawback of not having two way feedback.

The Tablets consume too much battery and run hot and loud.

The in Wall touchscreens are cool, but not convenient to pick a movie from (getting up / down from the easy chair).

Two way expensive remote controls are better, but are expensive and not quite as customizable as in wall touchscreens or Tablets.


The Android application blends all of these issues into a convenient (I always have the phone with me), two way information for channel guide and pick a movie or song and see status, sophisticated macro capability, easy to navigate, easy to surf, extremely fast reaction time (better than IR), no need to point (WiFi), long battery life, no noise, low temp, cool (more so than the tablets), and will be very capable (in time), etc.

http://talluscorp.com/mediawiki/index.php?...eTV_Application

We will be leveraging these devices fully now that we got the hang of them :horse:

 

[felixrosbergen]

Just FYI. From what i understand the Global Cache GC-100 units (6, 12, 18 ports or whatever) are all IR OUTPUT only. Sometimes you see input mentioned but this is only signal detection using their cables so you can detect if you DVD player is on or similar.

Global Cache makes a GC-IRE unit which is a RS-232to IR interface which you can use as a receiver. I don't have one but plan to get 1 or 2. My understanding is that you can take an IR conencting block output (e.g. Xantech) and plug it into this unit.

My planned setup is to have an IR block, receiver by the TV and emitter by the TV. This woudl be your basic setup for controlling equipment that is 'in the cabinet'. However i woudl then use this GC-IRE and connected it to an output so my server (running CQC) can receive IR. I would use a GC-100 (via ethernet) as IR output from my server, it would connect to the 'receiver' side of the connecting block. This way i would have normal direct control over my equipment, but the ability for my system (CQC) to 'tap' into the singals and read them and also for my system to output IR to control the devices as needed.