Smartphone as a remote control (i know i know...)

[Guest Skitals]

I dont even want to use my smartphone as a remote control, but with all the threads saying you CANT, I think its more then reasonable to say you can. Look at the original ipaq and other ppcs... they said it was impossible.

Infrared can be recorded as a sound file... and a smartphone is capable of playing a sound file. A smartphone is also capable of sending those sounds through its headset/stereo jack. Its also more then possible to create/buy/attach a sound->ir converter/transmitter. So your smartphone plays a wav file, it goes out the stereo jack, and is converted to infrared.

What is so difficult about that? This is what they did with the old Pocket PCs with weak IR... I dont see how this is any different. You wouldnt even need to write any software... just steal the wav files you generate from the PPC counterpart software, put them in a folder in your smartphone, and play the wav file to perform different functions =] Even an idiot could write an eVB app to automate that process.

Peace

[Guest kurtfhouse]

Well I must be especially stupid as I couldn't write an eVB app to do anything! :)

Sounds interesting though

[Guest SkUk21]

so why dont you make it and prove it?

[Guest lighthouse82]

yeah, go on Skitals, put yer money where your mouth is! :)

[Guest Pigo]

He's got a good point!

try it and let us know... bet you there will be a lot of interest in your findings

Pigo

[Guest Skitals]

Oh yeah... this is also how you can use an ipod as a remote control. Now if an IPOD can be used as a remote control (without any special software... just playing audio files in folders), there is no reason a smartphone cant do the same thing.

[Guest Skitals]

Btw, here is the pocket pc software and audio IR transmitter:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/griffinmo...le/totalremote/

And here is a guide to use the above hardware and software with an ipod:

http://features.engadget.com/entry/6336778455600767/

Like I said... I dont even want to use a smartphone as a remote control. If I did.... this is the way I would do it. I just dont like it when people say something cant be done (and if it didnt cost $25, I would do it myself) =]

[Guest Pondrew]

Oh, so you would have a seperate infra-red transmitter? What a great investment of time, effort and resources that would be! :roll:

Yeah, best of luck with that. I'm not saying it wouldn't work because it was actually suggested ages ago as a solution. I don't doubt it's possible but you can hardly claim you are using the Smartphone as a remote control when it's a seperate kit doing all the work.

Enjoy your discussions though... really...

[Guest Skitals]

Plugging an infrared phototransistor into the headphone jack is a "seperate kit" ?? You can hardly claim that as using a smartphone as a remote? Thats like saying an ipod isnt a digital music player because you need to plug in headphones to listen to music :roll:

Fwiw, I took an ir transistor out of an old remote control, and happen to have a spare i600 headset laying around. I am currently smartphone-less, but i should have my new i600 on monday. When it comes I'll see if i can get it working =]

[Guest chucky.egg]

I dont want to speak for him, but I think Pondrew was saying that is you have to plug in an attachment of some sort then it's not so convenient. By the time you'd found the thing you could have waled to the TV set and changed channels manually.

If the phone can do it "as is" then great, but really, who's gonna bother to plug something into their phone to change TV channels?

I don't understand why there's even so much interest in this! Why don't people use the IR controllers that came with their TV sets?

Apart from novelty value (that'll wear off in 2 days tops) what's the point?

[Guest Skitals]

Well, its the fact that you need like 10 remote controls to control everything in one room. When I am laying in bed ready to fall asleep, I have like 5 remotes I need to find to turn everything off (tv, dvd player, stereo, my lights, and my xbox). Its so annoying when i need to get up to turn one of the devices off because I cant find the remote (and i am comfortable and so near sleep).

With what I propose, you could make a shortcut to a single wav file and it would shut off all 5 devices.

Like I said, I dont really have much interest myself... but that's not to say it cant be done. If griffin can manufacture and sell such a device for the pocket pc, there must be some interest.

[Guest monkeygadge]

:::::Imagine the fun you could have in the pub when the footballs on::::

:twisted: :( :twisted: :) :twisted: :( :twisted: :(

[Guest Pondrew]

I dont want to speak for him, but I think Pondrew was saying that is you have to plug in an attachment of some sort then it's not so convenient.  By the time you'd found the thing you could have waled to the TV set and changed channels manually.

If the phone can do it "as is" then great, but really, who's gonna bother to plug something into their phone to change TV channels?

I don't understand why there's even so much interest in this!  Why don't people use the IR controllers that came with their TV sets?

Apart from novelty value (that'll wear off in 2 days tops) what's the point?

That about covers it...

[Guest Pigo]

do agree on the fact that it's a very annoying factor to have to plug something in your phone before you can work it, but a remote control on my phone would be my savior. hate getting up to fish my remote from under the bed when I'm under my warm blanket.

If there is one thing I have with me all the time it's my phone. and if you lose that remote just call your phone and you'll hear the location of it :wink:

in other words.... I think I need a PPC phone edition :)

Pigo

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

I'd like to see this just for the novelty value but tbh unless it's using the built IR like my Ipaq 2210

I would never use it as knowing my luck I would never have it to hand when I wanted to plug it in.

[Guest ronny]

Well, its the fact that you need like 10 remote controls to control everything in one room. When I am laying in bed ready to fall asleep, I have like 5 remotes I need to find to turn everything off (tv, dvd player, stereo, my lights, and my xbox). Its so annoying when i need to get up to turn one of the devices off because I cant find the remote (and i am comfortable and so near sleep).  

With what I propose, you could make a shortcut to a single wav file and it would shut off all 5 devices.

Like I said, I dont really have much interest myself... but that's not to say it cant be done. If griffin can manufacture and sell such a device for the pocket pc, there must be some interest.

why don't you just buy a sony universal remote control, my 3 years old universal romote can control up to 5 devices. maybe they have a new one which can control up to 10 devices. and maybe it will cost you less than $10.

[Guest Tunney]

If it's possible for Symbian Series 60, why isn't it possible for Smartphone? :?

[Guest chucky.egg]

Imagine the fun you could have in the pub when the footballs on :(  :twisted:  :(

:)

Now THAT i can understand

[Guest Pigo]

now that's been the point of discusion many times here. It's said that smartphones IR is too weak to be able to do it. you'd have to be in "touchable" range to control it.... if it was possible at all.

and if this external IR thingy would work... I still wouldn't get it. to big of a fuss!!

Pigo

[Guest Tunney]

now that's been the point of discusion many times here. It's said that smartphones IR is too weak to be able to do it. you'd have to be in "touchable" range to control it.... if it was possible at all.

I don't buy that, it works fine on Symbian Series 60/UIQ. The only difference is that you need to aim a little better than with a conventional remote. With decent universal remotes costing £100+, this would be really useful.

[Guest Pondrew]

I don't buy that, it works fine on Symbian Series 60/UIQ. The only difference is that you need to aim a little better than with a conventional remote. With decent universal remotes costing £100+, this would be really useful.

Pigo meant smartphone with a capital S (ie, Microsoft Smartphones IR transmitters) cannot do it. And before you dispute this please PLEASE trawl through the years of discussions there have been on the subject. We've had to! :roll:

[Guest markgamber]

LOL! I give up....yeah, you're right, it's just a matter of finding the right registry setting and the IR will work. Us long-time users don't really know what we're talking about so we lie to everyone else. I didn't really go to college or get an engineering degree. It's all a huge lie and now we've been exposed.

And then people wonder why I'm trying to sell my smartphone and get a nokia. :-D

[Guest Pigo]

hmm remote control or not.... still love the Smartphone platform a BILLION times more than symbian platform.

allthough I wouldn't mind swithing to PPCPE

Pigo

[Guest Skitals]

Well... doesnt look like im gonna be doing this for a while. My phone was supposed to come yesterday... either the guy who sold it to me is ripping me off, or someone at UPS stole it, but the package came and everything was in the box (all accesories and stuff)... but no phone.

:cry:

[Guest Pondrew]

Well... doesnt look like im gonna be doing this for a while. My phone was supposed to come yesterday... either the guy who sold it to me is ripping me off, or someone at UPS stole it, but the package came and everything was in the box (all accesories and stuff)... but no phone.

:cry:

That sucks mate. Hope you get some comeback.