Here's a way to control your TV without a handheld remote control

[ITrek]

I haven't tried this myself yet but it looks promising.  http://nicolas.cx/pcir/

This is a learning IR device that will learn your remote control commands.  It connects to your PC through the serial port.  It also includes an IR transmitter so you can control your TV from a Windows program.  The IR commands can be added to a batch utility so you can play those commands back with a batch file.  The batch file could be added to the Windows startup group to turn the TV on and setup anything like S-video input that's necessary when Windows starts up.  It's $40.  Might be better than hassling with a manual remote every time you turn on your cab.

[Lilwolf]

This is pretty sweet!

This would be GREAT for turning on/off your monitor in an arcade maching running a TV (that can't be switching to power on with fresh power).

[Jakobud]

Hmmm so this box hooks up to your serial port and it outputs an IR signal that your TV can recognize and thus control the TV?  Wow that sounds actually pretty dang cool!  Control your TV with your computer!  

[darkmanx]

holy crap, that is god!





ok maybe not but pretty sweet. nice find!

[Howard_Casto]

I can confirm that these do indeed work.  

As a matter of fact high-end companys have made a fortune selling poor rich saps 300$++ remote controls that basically do the exact same thing this does.  All they bought was a pda with special software on it when the calculations could have been stored on a speak and spell.

Ok enough poking fun.... great link!   Now I don't have to look for schematics as I was giong to build one.  But the question is does it work on xp?  Serial + xp = ?!? ya know.    

[ITrek]

Well, according to their web site the "new" version 2.10 software supports XP.  I doubt there would be a problem with serial port support.  To bad they don't have DOS support, at least for the batch files.

[J_K_M_A_N]

I have been trying to build my own. Check out these sites. I couldn't get mine to work yet but I SUCK at electronics. It took me SEVERAL tries to get the dpadpro working. Please let me know if anyone can get this working. The parts are VERY cheap. I think I spent like $10 on all parts. Good luck.

http://winlirc.sourceforge.net/                   -     Software
http://www.manoweb.com/alesan/lirc/      -   The hardware page I tried to follow.


J_K_M_A_N

[M6A4TS]

Or you could get a Midas Remote Control Watch from www.thinkgeek.com Then you'd be the only one able to turn on the tv and it would be kinda like your own personal "key" to the machine.

[Mr Kray]

There's a great program called Girder - http://www.girder.nl that can take pretty much any input (inc. remotes) and translate them into commands, it can also be hooked up to an IR transceiver so you can control other devices remotely using the PC... But best of all, it's free!  

Also Girder has it's own scripting language, the ability to do macros and commands can be run using triggers instead of inputs (i.e run at a certain time or when something happens etc.) so you could program it to setup your display properly when you start up your system.

If you haven't noticed, I really like this program and recommend it to anyone who has the time to learn how to use it as it's a little confusing at first.

- Kray

[Jakobud]

That girder tool looks cool.

"Ultimate Windows Automation Tool".....hehe... that turns me on

So guys, these IR receivers/transmitters look pretty easy to build.  But don't IR devices require a line of site for operation with other devices?

[Mr Kray]

Yeah, you do require line of sight for IR to work, unless you made your own RC Transciever (and maybe receivers too) and hooked that up, or you could use IR and an elaborate mirror system to bounce the IR beam around corners!

- Kray

[Jakobud]

Okay that's what I was wondering when I saw the site that showed the guy making the IR reciever in a parallel port connector. What advantage does that have if it will only work when your pointing our IR remote at the back of your computer...

[BobA]

I saw the IR receiver on the back of the computer and wondered why as well.  I think somewhere else someone mentioned using a 25 pin extension cable to move it to another position.  You would think though that it would be easier just to wire the receiver with fewer wires but who knows what else might have to be considered.

BobA