Remote Control (for T.V.'s / DVD players) Software for SPV?

[Guest fraser]

Folks,

I've looked into this stuff in the past, but the opposite way about. I was trying to get an ordinary remote control to remote control a laptop, as well as using the laptop to control other stuff.

I tried it with both the built-in IRDA device and a serial ActiSys 220L external one. Had absolutly no luck with either, despite trying several different pieces of software. I could get the occassional command to work now and again, but that's about it.

The technology is just incompatible. IRDA devices aren't really suited for interfacing with consumer IR stuff.

Please make me eat my words though, by proving me wrong. If you could replace the IR device driver on the phone, it may be possible.

[Guest vijay555]

fraser, surely the fact that consumer remote software works for pocketpc proves that it can be done. i've used my ipaq to learn remote control signatures and blast away: sure the range is short (2m or so), but it works.

as i understand it, the software authors were required to do some "jiggery pokery", to use the jargon, to get the irda IR to emulate CIR, but it evidently can be done. Does anyone actually have any technical info about the IR on the SPV? (i don't have an SPV or the SDK, but i presume the SDK is best place to start)

I reckon that someone should start hacking via the sdk or at hardware level just to get the SPV to pump out any beam. then we can start to work on the finesse of emulating Remote Control signatures once we have an idea of power/spread/programmability of the beam. again, i guess that since another 3rd party program has now managed to use the IR to beam files (one of the explorer programs), it's just a matter of time for us homebrewers to figure it out.

I've suggested in another thread that if the IR led is pants, we could try popping it out and throwing in another, although i've no idea if its an SMD or something horrible.

Worst case, but assuming that the software works, the "dvd forums" site has just posted a link to a "remote control extender", ie a wireless IR transmitter (to control your dvd from your bedroom etc) for £10. for the clunkiness, we could stick one of those next to the sofa, the receiver on the tv, and beam away to our hearts content.

Any thoughts?

V

[Guest midnight]

i personally use the remote that came with the tv :wink: hehe

wonder how many of those remote control watches casio sold, not many is my betting

[Guest Syvwlch]

From my early days (first palms) the LED is not the issue, but rather the circuitry around it, which limits the power fed to the LED. This is sometimes changeable by changing resistors and such, BUT most boards nowadays use Surface Mount Devices, which are NOT easily changeable by hand (understatement) and tend to be easy to destroy in so attempting.

Why not a little Serial-Controlled gadget plugging in the bottom of the phone, with own battery? I've always thought the buttons should be at the top on phones, rather than the screen anyway...

[Guest Richie M]

i personally use the remote that came with the tv :wink: hehe

wonder how many of those remote control watches casio sold, not many is my betting

And the DVD one, and the Video one, and the Cable one, and the AV one, and the X-Box one :? 6 in all :shock:

Casio watch :roll: who would want a remote control on their watch? On their phone 8) on their watch :cry:

[Guest midnight]

actually, i lie, i dont use the original controller at all, i use a 'One for All' controller, only cost a fiver and replaces all my remotes, i thought everyone had one of these things these days :wink:

seriously, i would not use the phone as a remote, even if it has a 2 meter range(doubtfull, seems less powerfull for ir transfers than ipaq), 2 meters still aint far enough to control my tv etc

[Guest vijay555]

something that sticks in my mind from the recent Orange spvx press release is that apparently we're all "early adopters". I think a profile of spv users would show that many want to do as much as possible with their toys.. but obviously with enough style sense not to buy the casio RC watch!

I agree with Syvwlch's comment re circuitry, if i recall my early Palm days, it was possible to yank out a punch of wiring and it could then draw a spot on the moon with it's IR. some research has been done elsewhere on shorting some of the filters on the IPAQ's IR, don't know if it might be relevant to us, since they're made by the same company. I know the FCC has internal photos of the SPV(x) online.

On an aside, has anyone seen the IR keyboard being sold by Dixons, which is apparently "compatible with most PocketPCs". A different thread perhaps, but i wonder if they've considered SmartPhone compatibility? screen would be upside down, but a teeny keyboard would finally allow us to Ctrl-Alt-Del :)

http://www.widget.co.uk/asp/product.asp?re...archFor=&PT_ID=

V

ps i've written to widget asking if a driver exists or could be developed...

[Guest Richie M]

i use a 'One for All' controller, only cost a fiver and replaces all my remotes, i thought everyone had one of these things these days :wink:

:oops: OMG i thought i was cutting edge with my toys :shock: but i'm obviously not :cry:

Seriously tho, i could never get on with one4all controllers, unless it's one of them expensive ones from Richer Sounds (£150 bit much for a remote control)

[Guest midnight]

hehe, is that the one you can phone up if you are out and about and tell it to record something :wink:

wouldnt mind of of those myself, and more reliable than the missus when it comes to recording the correct channel and time :roll:

[Guest vijay555]

midnight - you want to try using the recently released "VNC for Spouses". Although it's only an early beta, tends to crash often, and only provides a slow one way connection, you get some limited control of 'er-in-doors. i'll dig up the link later :)

V

[Guest Syvwlch]

Here is a shot of the LED assembly...

This is a crop of the images we've all already seen, BTW. Still haven't opened my SPV.

Those are definitely SMD components.

SPV LED 1.jpg

[Guest fraser]

another 3rd party program has now managed to use the IR to beam files (one of the explorer programs), it's just a matter of time for us homebrewers to figure it out.  

Unlikely that they are doing something clever with the IR ports. They will just be using a standard SmartPhone API to do the file send, but the inbuilt GUI doesn't make use of that particular API yet. To get the IR ports in other devices working for custom stuff like this, you need to attach them as COM ports and explitly disable the IRDA stuff. I'm not sure if the SPV is the same, but there's a good chance of it.

[Guest vijay555]

Man i love smd, i remember inhaling a resistor from my 8210 = kaputski.

it was like that episode of ST:TNG when data absorbs the nanites through his "skin"

Anyone thought of asking the authors of the pocketpc programs if they've considered smartphone compatibility?

V

[Guest urdone311]

I don't understand why the SPV couldn't work as one since the new Sony CLIE's can. (They even include remote control software built into it!)...

OR did they use a different type of IR?

[Guest Myke]

thats a dumb question, we should ban this guy

[Guest madu]

thats a dumb question, we should ban this guy

hmmm.. so should we start banning everyone who asks, in your oppinion, a dumb question?? Start with me for example?

If there were no dumb questions, there would be no clever answers! So if you have nothing usefull to say - just say nothing!!

[Guest dodgybob]

nothing!

... sorry couldn't resist...! :oops:

Well... the CliE has a beefed up Infra Red Port... Sony designed the Clie as a PDA with a "remote control" feature in mind... So the IrDa port uses a very powerful signal... However this will prove to be a very BIG drain on the battery... so you have to reach a compromise... I'd spend the £60 and get a decent remote control... remember you take your mobile with you everywhere... what are other members of the household supposed to do when your out... use the normal remotes?????? :?

but its one of those "impress ya mates" things... would be cool :)

... but good old HTC did not think about these uses when designing... {they alredy had battery problems as it is...}

btw... I did a little experiment with me SPV and a Ericsson T300... I found that when sending a file through Infra Red the maximum distance between the two ports has to be approx 40cm... other wise it don't work!!

[Guest spacemonkey]

Ok, here's my 2p worth of comment...

Comparing remote control apps to between device beaming isn't necessarily a good test. I have a Handspring Visor and using that with friends Palm Vs you get similar distances, but using it as a remote, in general it worked from 1 -2 meters away.

When remote controlling something the protocols are a lot simpler than file transfer. Additionally the transmission is one way. That being said tho. The Visor worked for a lot of tasks but a number of the options on my VCR just COULD NOT be programmed onto it because of something freaky in the way the IR was working.

I'm not holding out much hope for a useful application, but if I could use my phone to just switch off my mates TVs that'd provide me with hours of amusement.

[Guest Maverick]

For those of u who have plenty of spare time !! :)

Infra red Remote control

I came across this site when I was looking for a software which will enable me to use my TV remote control to control my laptop thru the IrDa port. ;) :twisted: . This is handy because I use my laptop connected to the TV to view DivX movies.

After a futile attempt, I gave up on that now :D

[Guest madu]

I second that!!

[Guest amo]

Is anyone actually still working on this software or are we all just wasting our times???

[Guest madu]

A VERY good question AMO!

[Guest Maverick]

I would like to "waste" my time working on this software :)

Unfortunately... I dont have the time ! :shock: :!:

[Guest madu]

....and I don't have the skill..

[Guest fraser]

To be honest, I can't remember anyone saying that they actually were working on it! ;-)