Project IR

While shopping in free I saw a few universal remotes being sold real cheap..(less than $10). I just gave my dad a computer last year for him to watch his movies. However, he currently has to control it with a mouse, which is not exactly user friendly.. which makes me remember sthing I wanted to know a few years ago..a PC IR receiver, in this way I can just buy a universal remote for $10 bucks and let him use it to control the PC

After some research, I finally remembered where I got stuck the last time — the difference btw IrDA and CIR. The IR receivers our laptop comes with are made to do IrDA (communication / data tranfer btw devices etc). This is different compared to the remote controls we use, they are called (CIR) Consumer Infrared. So I guess the next step is to get myself a CIR receiver hardware…

From http://www.alanjmcf.me.uk/comms/infrared/IrDA%20uses%20(brief).html :

‘Consumer’ IR

‘Consumer’ IR is the use of infrared to control consumer electronics products, for instance, TVs, hi-fis, DVD players etc.  This usage has no link with IrDA; the protocols used by the remote controls are quite unlike the protocol used by the IrDA (IrDA-Data) protocol suite.
Most software that is available for consumer infrared control from PCs appears to need custom hardware and does not use IrDA devices, they use a simple infrared diode connected directly to a serial port.  See my FAQ for some notes on this.  It may be that the IrDA devices cannot send (and receive) non IrDA signal, it will also likely be that the IrDA device does not give a long enough range and only works when near the consumer device.
However, some IrDA devices can be configured to send consumer infrared types of signal instead of the IrDA type signal.  See the documentation for your device.

To be updated..

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Posted in Uncategorized on January 18, 2010 No Comments »