Learning Remote

erco

Is it just me who chuckles when I see an IR remote·costing $100 or more?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230485840686

OK, so it's got a fancy LED screen and requires a computer to set up. Per the description, "Its online database supports more than 225,000 devices made by more than 5,000 manufacturers!"

I don't need all that, but·one master·learning remote that learns from other remotes would be useful. You could program macros to turn on multiple units with one keypress.

Plenty of posts here have asked about building a learning remote, I'm starting to consider taking up the challenge. Has anybody done it already? I may have to leave·my BS2 and relay comfort zone for this one...

Perhaps first I should scour my Ebay China sources to see what they have.

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·"If you build it, they will come."

erco

Case closed, sorry to trouble you.

Chunghop to the rescue, $5.13 later: http://cgi.ebay.com/Universal-Learning-Remote-Control-TV-VCR-DVD-SAT-/220501147851?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Electronics_Accessories_Remote_Controls&hash=item3356e480cb



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·"If you build it, they will come."

eod_punk

I've started work on what I hope to make a learning remote, I've got a thread over @ Savage Circuits. I hope to get it to the point using the 4.3" touch LCD at Gadget Gangster. Right now I'm just learning about remotes with a little project to control my home stereo with my iphone using the prop and pink. Eventually I want to combine both ideas.

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There is no problem that can't be solved with a suitable amount of explosives!

EOD Memorial

WBA Consulting

Those Harmony remotes are big with people who have more expensive class of equipment (aka non-walmart). Being able to tie together your multi branded home theater equipment with a single remote seems to be a must for people that have that kind of money. (I have a friend that works for a company that makes high end equipment and most of their customers use Harmony remotes)
Since there isn't a single manufacturer that makes the best of each piece of equipment, people use different brands and rather than having something like 8 remotes laying around, the Harmony ties it all together. They have been around for a while and are pretty slick. The GUI to update the remotes via USB is rather nice as well; it's very easy to use. I got to play with an older one with a single color LCD, but it still changed as you selected the different pieces of equipment so the labels for the buttons would match the piece you were controlling.

As for learning remotes, I bought a $17 Sony Universal remote from Wal-Mart about 3 years ago that can learn just about any remote. It currently controls my Samsung DVD, Samsung LCD TV, Phillips Amp/Tuner (that was Phillips' flagship model in 1992), Sony 400 disc changer, Magnavox VCR, and a Fisher Price game console for my daughter. I can't tell you how many times it's been dropped, but it still works perfectly.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
My Prop projects: Reverse Geo-Cache Box, Custom Metronome, Micro Plunge Logger

erco

My $5 Chunghop remote arrived in just over a week (WOW) and works so great that I ordered 2 more. It's very easy to program and use, plus the range is MUCH greater than some of my original remotes.

I've tried a lot of cheap universal remotes, but it's hit or miss whether it will actually work with a given unit. Obviously, this learning remote can mimic any IR signal. Unless you have lost your original remote and don't have it to copy, this learning unit is much more flexible than a universal remote, and you can't beat that $5 price.

It's interesting that there are 2 identical-looking clear LEDs at the top of the unit. Not using a 38 kHz IR module to receive the input signal. Could be one phototransistor and one LED, or two LEDs. LEDs can be used as input devices in a pinch, but they are not particularly sensitive and best used for very short range.

In fact, the instructions say to hold the original remote just 3-5 cm from the learning remote to program it, so I suspect they are both LEDs. Might have to open up one of my new units to inspect.

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·"If you build it, they will come."

skylight

It doesn't state it in the ebay ad but Harmony are a big supplier of X10 controls and this particular model may have that function, which as stated above does tend to appeal to the home theatre and home control enthusiasts.

Ron Czapala

Harmony remotes are actually powerful since you can set up complex sequences - I have two of them.

Pushing one button turns on the Samsung TV, the Sony stereo receiver, and the Samsung BluRay player. It changes the TV source to the BluRay, chanes the Receiver's input to the BluRay optical ouput and sets the Genre to Dolby Prologic. (Also turns down volume on TV speakers).

Another button reverses everything - setting the receiver back to FM mode and Genre to "Music".

You can customize these remotes any number of ways...