Database Users

a 'remote' challenge!

Hi all
Don't know how many of you guys are ipaq transferees like myself, but there is one piece of software on the ipaq that has not been adopted in the XDA series handhelds, namely REVO - the remote control tool.
Anybody into gadgets in the way that we are will have too many remote controls lying about. This tool allowed me to put them on a shelf, and use them very rarely.
So.....
Does anybody have a clue how to extract it from the ipaq ready to be placed on the XDA II. NAturally, owning both devices, one would assume that providing I use it with either one or the other, you can provide this useful information conscience clear!!!!
Look forward to any thoughts
JJ

jjcodex said:
Does anybody have a clue how to extract it from the ipaq ready to be placed on the XDA II.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, the Himalaya infrared hardware is not capable of communicating with customer devices like TV sets. There is nothing any software could do about this - only some hardware change can help.
Cheers
Daniel

Also some Ipaq's Irda are just very powerfull made..have a range of 10-15 meters.
Normally pda Irda's have a range of 2-3 meters.

not sure why the ir would be 100% incompatible with the tv
if special software written for it was used
about the range issue
http://www.smarthome.com/8220A.html
http://www.homeautomationnet.com/Shopping/remote-control-accessories.asp
http://www.pdawin.com/irtranceiver.html
suppose one of these would inc the range
i had
http://www.pdawin.com/
this software running on my xda1
too bad the range was only 30cm

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I am surprised that the range is so different between devices. I understood that the infra red transmit distance was usually further than the receive. Would this be applicable to the XDA II I wonder. I will run some experiments with a phone to see if I can assess distances.
Had a look at the PDA Win software, looks quite functional, perhaps not as slick as the built ipaq version. 30cm range... doh!
They seem to have specifically excluded the XDA II. I wonder if this is a range issue as you guys have suggested.
Hmmm......
Sounds like an excuse to spend money on a very very very posh do-all remote control!!!!!!!!! (LOL)
Thanks for your thoughts anyway.
Cheers guys

Rudegar said:
not sure why the ir would be 100% incompatible with the tv if special software written for it was used
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, TVs use "consumer" infrared, while PDAs use "IrDA". See here for a more detailed explanation. It has nothing to do with the power or the range of the IR LEDs and phototransistors.
Cheers
Daniel

Well, TVs use "consumer" infrared, while PDAs use "IrDA". See here for a more detailed explanation. It has nothing to do with the power or the range of the IR LEDs and phototransistors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and yet i had pdawinøs software working ok on my xda1
and also used it to comm with my laptop so some infrared classify as
both IrDA and consumer
if the range is ok then the only difference i can think of is protocol and that should be possible to work out so that software would work on the xda2
i also had my trusting old hp48 calc working as a remote at a time
prob still have the software somewhere

Well, TVs use "consumer" infrared, while PDAs use "IrDA". See here for a more detailed explanation. It has nothing to do with the power or the range of the IR LEDs and phototransistors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would have to side with Rudegar on this one, as I have not only used the Ipaq for several consumer devices but the extremely fundamental Palm III (aahhhh those were the days, when a calculator was considered to be a posh option.
I would say, however, that neither successfully worked with a sky remote, which I wonder may be due to two-way data transfer. I wonder if this is the IrDA vs Consumer difference.
I read the link to the Irda page, which as you suggest states that the two are different. I would agree that the two standards are different, but unless built-in hardware compatability is provided to the majority of pda's, there must be a way of emulating the consumer device within the IrDa protocols.
Hmmm... A little out of my depth on this one. Hopefully somebody else can explain!!
Cheers
JJ

The xda 1 I have works fine as a remote control for my tv and dvd etc, I use "learning2 mode to program the xda using the original remote handset. The xda 2 however is total crap as a remote, however if you wish to use it from one position, for instance the couch in your living room, there is a device called an infra red repeater, this allows you to operate an infra red device from a greater distance, I will see if I can find a name for manufacturer but I am sure this device exists, its selling point was enabling you to operate your cable/sattelite box from upstairs even when you had no line of sight to the box. It was a money saver because you could connect your cable/satellite to your upstairs tv instead of having to purchase a second box from the provider and be able to change channels from upstairs.

Guys,
I wouldlike to get inside the discusion because I have almost the same problem and I would like some help.
I also found the hard way that the XDA II does not work as a remote control, then I found this Total Remote software and module that really got myself impressed, I bought it and also the adaptor for the audio output.
Now I am able to output the signals without problem, the software works very fine and control the eletronic equipments without any problem.
But then I got to test the learning mode and then my problems started. The XDA II canot learn nothing! It wont recognize any kind of command that comes from any remote controler. To make sure it was not a problem of the software I tested to more diferent remote controler softwares and they also does not learn. What really make me disapointed is that even touching the controler IR led with the XDAII IRda port, the XDA II can´t learn anything.
I already tried to disable the "receive all incoming beans" and do a soft reset, but this also does not worked.
I am writing this in the hope I am forgetting something and one of you give me any more idea.
OR
To also ask for the more experts, if it is possible to substitute the IRda port with a common IR led found on any remote controler (of course doing some soldering). If there is compactibility between them, I think I will give it a go, since I really whant a remote control on my XDA II.
Thanks a lot
Felipe

thats what i've been saying all along
the xda2's ir modules is not the default ir module which all the remote software is written for
the remote applications would have to be written directly for the modules ir in the xda2 for it to work
i've come across no such applications as of yet

Bluetooth Remote control for a pda ??

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Its not to use a PDA as a remotecontrol, but looking for a small BT remote control for a PDA.
On some boards other people looking for same, but nobody knows.
A small device like a remote contol for car alarm.
I tried a BT headset , but found no way to get the button status
programaticaly .
Anyone has an idea ??

Could you please explain what you want to do?
I did not quite understand you.
Do you want to remote controle your PPC via Bluetooth and Desktop PC or are you looking for a remote controle to do something with your PPC while you are a few meters away.
I never heard of such a thing though...
Greets
Alex

i look for 2nd.
I can do this with my mobile phone, sent keystrokes via BT to PPC and use this programmatically.
But look for smaller device . like a headset, cause I cant put my mob phone on a keyring ;-)
But cant find such a small BT device ( like remotecontrol for car alarm)
also cant figure out how to get the signals when a button ön a headset is pressed.

Could you please give us some examples of successful usage of mobile phone for remote control? It can be interesting and funny.

There is software to use a fone as BT remote control for a PC or a Mac.
Name is Bemused ( dunno if i spell it right ).
You can use this to control MediaPlayer etc. on ur PC.
But I am looking for a small solution for a PDA, to start an app on a PDA when I am a few meters away.

okay, imagine this.
i'm walking in the school campus and someone (hopefully a pretty girl) comes up to me and wants to talk to me while i'm listening to mp3 on my pocket-pc and i have the small bluetooth remote control clipped to my shirt. i can simply click the button that i assigned to 'pause' to stop the music. then talk to that person and then press the 'resume' button when i'm done to resume the music.
all without having to pull the device out of my pocket and turn it on and all that stuff...
what do you think?

Hi msafi!
I think this is what you are looking for:
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/globalsat-bth820.php

If you're going bluetooth, you might as well use a full keyboard credit card sized.
Please send me one if you have one spare!
V

Auspicious development project - Is it even possible?!

Hi all
I need to develop an IT project for my HNC in Computing.
I'm a mature student with 5 years programming experience in VB. I've also got non-commercial experience with C#.
I was considering developing an application that would run on my QTEK 2020i.
I'm also a member of and MR2 owners club www.imoc.co.uk
I was thinking of combining these two interests and developing a diagnostic application.
Basically, as with most cars, the MR2 has a diagnostic port into which you can plug a diagnostic tool. Most of these tools simply run into a box with a single LED...the idea being that if there's a problem with your engine, the LED will blink and you are left to count those blinks and then look up that number of blinks to determine the error.
I was hoping to fabricate a connector from this diagnostic plug that I could connect to my QTEK 2020i. I would then read the pulses from the diagnostic port and interpret them programatically; presnenting the user of my application with an on-screen display of the erros and an option to print a report!
This could be expanded to encompass multiple vehicles...perhaps by providing the user with the ability to enter their own diganostic parameters etc.
Anyhow, I have no knowledge of developing on the .NET CE and even less when it comes to the potential uses of the various imputs on the QTEK.
Can anyone tell me if ANY of this sounds plausible?
Cheers
Wayne

This sounds a fun little project. Have you thought about using a modified Bluetooth GPS reciever to transmit the signal via bluetooth to your PDA which you could then check up apon when your running the engine on the move.
All you'd need to do is listen to the bluetooth com port and display the relavent data regarding your engine.
Just an idea to make it a wireless mod for a more impressive feature.
(Now I'm wondering if a QTEK 2020i could program an ECU for full engine customisation on the move.)

I saw a bluetooth car diagnostic system using a Microsoft smartphone at the Modaco meetup last year. Didn't get me excited, but did a full job at getting full diagnostics...
V

symondavis said:
This sounds a fun little project. Have you thought about using a modified Bluetooth GPS reciever to transmit the signal via bluetooth to your PDA which you could then check up apon when your running the engine on the move.
All you'd need to do is listen to the bluetooth com port and display the relavent data regarding your engine.
Just an idea to make it a wireless mod for a more impressive feature.
(Now I'm wondering if a QTEK 2020i could program an ECU for full engine customisation on the move.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tbh I'd have no idea where to start with modding a Bluetooth receiver (don't yo umean transmitter though?).
Once I've got the application running it would be easy to expand later as I would hopefully develop it in a way that the different aspects of the application work very much "black box". I'd just have to write something to do the bluetooth side of things as an additional "black box" later on.
So, it sounds as though this is very possible then!
any idea if anyone on here knows enough about the numerous QTEK ports or how to access those via the .NET CE! :S
Cheers
Wayne

There is already a C# based OBDII diagnostic program out and contains all Source Code as well
OBDGauge 1.3 for PocketPC
http://www.qcontinuum.org/obdgauge/
I was coding my own version before until i found it, and decided not to reinvent the wheel
I used a XDAII Serial cable and connect it to the OBDII Port to my XDAII. Works perfectly, however, my Universal doesn't have a Serial Port, unless u get a Bluetooth version

MDA USA, Tv Remote program...

Hey everyone! After searching on the forums and other sites for a long time i have came to a holt!
I'm looking for a IR remote control program for my T-Mobile MDA USA WM5 (WIZA200), and I have tried alot of programs... Lets see, so far no luck at all, most of the programs I downloaded install fine and I can run them but no IR ANYTHING! They can't seem to send or 'Learn' any of the IR signals.... So it makes me really frustrated, and I am wanting a program to control my home intertainment center..
If anyone could help with maybe supplying me with a download link or maybe one of the programs that have been 'modded' to run with theWizard then that would be awesome!
Thanks in advance, hope to hear a reply!

i dont think the hardware on the fone is capable to support the function you want....but im not 100% sure

hmm, can anybody confirm this, the wizard does have a IR port, and most of the programs installed and runned fine(other then it couldn't send or receive IR....)

Hi, I just remeber when I was reading some reviews about the wizard that a review had confirmed that:
The reviewer said that he could use the kjam as a remote controller for his TV and DVD player from almost any distance within his room.
I was happy, but I have some doubt with regard to (any distance), since I think that IR range is not enough to send for a 4 meters distance!
I really dont remember where I have read this but I am sure that I have read it, so I think that the wizard is capable of using IR as a remote control, but there is somehow a lack of software support for this issue.
good luck all

Hi, just a corrrection, may be I have mixed things up.
I searched for the topic on the internet and I found that it was talking about JASJAR, here what was exactly written:
"Originally Posted by Tekflow at http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=30449
This is one good surprise. I have been using Pocket PC Phones since the first O2 XDA, then XDA II, then i-mate PDA2, and none was really compatible with any TV remote control software (unless you sit at a distance of 1 meter from your TV!). But now everything changed with the Jasjar. The IRDA is so powerful: I am using it as a TV/DVD/VCR... remote control nearly from any distance (even with small obstacles between the TV and the Jasjar). I tried NoviiRemote and Total Remote: they both worked perfectly.
Good news!"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the link is: http://forum2.mobile-review.com//archive/index.php/t-35506.html
but do you think that the IrDA port of the kjam is very different from JASJAR's?? I really need to know! tell us guys!!

As far as I know Novii is currently looking at the specifications of TI chip so that they could customise their famous Novii TV Remote to work with Wizard.
PPB

So I desided to write a little dilly about what remote programs don't work for the MDA! ( AKA: WIZA200 )!!
So it starts here!
#1 Vito Remote - Will not reconize the IR port! ( What a supprise! lol )
#2 Novii Remote - Don't even start with this one, nice interface though!
#3 Windows remote II ( I think...)
Feel free to add to this list! And if you find a IR remote program for the MDA then please fill us in!
Right now i'm testing Total Remote, but don't get your hopes up, it seems to lock-up when trying to train, but I'm not giving up yet because I might have some settings wrong!
BTW Bust I can't wait for Novii to get that done!

I only have a wallaby, but the hardware is just about the same, as far as the IR is concerned.
I'm not familiar enough with the newer devices, but I do know that the ir components in the wallaby/BA, and many other pda devices from that time period, are capable of being used as remotes, with the only real drawback being transmit distance (the hardware is not the same as a real remote controller).
I use pdawin's tv remote 5.5, and it works about 8 feet or so (about 3 meters). it learns and what not.....
another post I have read says that netremote from proximus also works..... good luck

i'm not sure about the jasjar, but keep in mind that consumer ir is what has a much longer distance
my clie worked really far away
i tried the jam's ir and it was 2 meters ish
haven't tried the wizard's ir for remote though

Hmm, see the thing with the Wizard is that I can't find a program that will reconize the IR port, it's not a distance problem.... So if anyone knows of a remote program for the Wizard, then that would be awesome!

don't bother
It's not worth your time. Both the jasjar and the wizard have FIR or Fast infared which means it will only transmit about 2.5 feet (if your lucky)away from the reciever. You need to find devices that use CIR or commercial infared. I'm pretty sure they don't make one in a minisd format so you will have to play the waiting game. Another way aroung this is to get a remote repeater and have your infred port right next ot it but that sucks also

It's not worth your time. Both the jasjar and the wizard have FIR or Fast infared which means it will only transmit about 2.5 feet (if your lucky)away from the reciever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems that JASJAR users are more lucky than u think, they got their remote control functioning from 'nearly any distance'
See my upper post and good luck

novii remote works fine
see this threwad for a similar discussion:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=43678&highlight=
just installed the novi 4.0 beta trial version and it works with my wiza200.
distance varies:
TV aprox. 3m
DVD (is on floor): 1.5 m
but TV is fine for me since the original remote broke into pieces and is just hold together with tesa.

Bluetooth Quick Connect / Favorites Today Plugin and/or Command-line app

I'm a Desktop .Net developer with NO bluetooth experience and only a bit of low-level networking experience so I'm speaking from limited knowledge, but not complete ignorance.
I use my phone as an A2DP source and AVRCP client for quite a few devices (Jabra JX20 Pura, Jabra BT3030, Windows Vista, various BT speaker systems) and Alpine BT300) around my house, garage, car, and on the go. They all work wonderfully (some have better range than others, some better sound), but using any of them presents a couple common issues.
Some devices (like my car), constantly seek out the last paired device until they connect, while most of the other require a connection to be initiated from the phone. The phone doesn't care which is around or has the best signal, just which one successfully connects first.
I'd like an app that could have profiles setup which would let me control certain variables OR at a more basic function (see below):
Bluetooth Profile
Device Priority
Minimum Strength (to be used when more than one device has the same priority)
That would be my ultimate goal, but in the meantime I'd be happy with something as simple as a command line app that could be bound to a key or shortcut which would try to connect to a predefined list of BT MACs for a given profile and stop when the first one connects successfully. Variations on this might allow a connection attempt to a specific device instead of a list. This way I could have StartMenu or Today shortcuts.
The point here is largely to have to avoid nagivigating all the menus needed to initiate an A2DP connection, but I'm sure there are MANY other uses people would find.
If someone could point me in the right direction (I'm researching already of course) to the namespace(s) and or class(es) in .Net 2 or newer which would allow me to enumerate and/or initiate connections, this may be something I could bring to the community (assuming it doesn't already exist, and I have asked MANY times).
I've created a poll also to see what kind of interest is out there for this software and how much support I might receive.

I've been knocking an app up to suit my own personal A2DP needs... and a lot of yours by the look of things ;-) Things it does:
Kinetic scrolling finger friendly list of A2DP devices known to your phone (tap to select then tap again to attempt connection).
Toolbar buttons indicating active A2DP connection status (tap to disconnect active connection).
Bluetooth devices applet shortcut.
Switch bluetooth on (a good few of my devices need the phone to be discoverable so the app forces the phone to be discoverable at all times *blush*).
Switch bluetooth off.
Shortcut to program launcher list (automatically displays this list when you initiate a connection to a selected device... and there's items to display in the list of course).
Command line access (via secondary exe) allowing you to attempt connection (to a named , the last connected or first found device) and disconnect an active A2DP connection. I've only really tested the named device connection but the other 2 modes *should* work
QVGA / VGA and orientation aware.
I've been wanting to work towards getting it up on XDA... but time constraints (and a baby on the way ) have gotten in the way and it's unlikely I'll have the time to do it for a good while. I'd be happy to pass on the code to someone willing to take it further if that's any use. It's written (very quickly!) in VB.net BTW.
It uses a few bits and bobs from other people though:
A2DPToggle's "a2dp.exe" to handle initiating a connection.
Icons from lord only knows where I found them.
The kinetic list code found on here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=333124&highlight=klist). IIRC, I used the gingercat updated version and tweaked it to my own needs. There's many a kludge I've put in to the code to get things working quick-smart (D-Pad navigation mainly).
InTheHand 32feet.NET libraries (http://inthehand.com/content/32feet.aspx). These work with MS Bluetooth stack only.
So permission from the respective folks above would be needed before releasing it into the wild I guess.
Here's a screeny

Hey great tool! When I click a device will it auto connect or only open the BT Explorer and will it work with Broadcom BT Stack? Thanks

Oops, meant to say it's been developed for the MS bluetooth stack only. Sorry about that.
When you attempt to connect to a device it first checks the device is reachable and only then attempts to initiate an A2DP connection.

Northernmost said:
I've been knocking an app up to suit my own personal A2DP needs... and a lot of yours by the look of things ;-) Things it does:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely. I can get around in VB.Net and C# just fine. If you don't want to publish the code publicly, PM me your email address and I'll invite you to my Sharepoint site (easiest way I know to share files and manage communique), otherwise attach here.
It sounds like you've already covered 99% of what I was looking for, but I'd be more than happy to do what I can to more the idea forward, even taking suggestions from others in this thread.
About the BT stack, I'm running a Vogue with a ROM cooked in PPCKitchen, how do I determine which stack I'm running and can that be changed?

rainabba said:
About the BT stack, I'm running a Vogue with a ROM cooked in PPCKitchen, how do I determine which stack I'm running and can that be changed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've no idea what stack Vogues come with but the MS stack device list looks like the attachment below. If yours looks the same it's the MS one. I guess the Vogue forum should have any info on swapping stacks if it's possible.

Sounds like I found the correct people to answer my question about BT. Is there a way / how can I: enable my Mogul 6800 phone to transmit the sound that would normally go through the speaker to my BT headset in order to listen to streaming audio from the net using Kinoma Play which goes out and picks up all sorts of "radio programs" , i.e. not using a direct URL. I am also not able to listen to audio files from the Audio Recorder through anything except the speaker, even not through a head phone. Do I need to download a program or set up my phone differently. I currently have Titan WM6.1 Build 20755 GPS kitchen from PPC Geeks. Thanks so much for your help.

jminor4326 said:
Sounds like I found the correct people to answer my question about BT. Is there a way / how can I: enable my Mogul 6800 phone to transmit the sound that would normally go through the speaker to my BT headset in order to listen to streaming audio from the net using Kinoma Play which goes out and picks up all sorts of "radio programs" , i.e. not using a direct URL. I am also not able to listen to audio files from the Audio Recorder through anything except the speaker, even not through a head phone. Do I need to download a program or set up my phone differently. I currently have Titan WM6.1 Build 20755 GPS kitchen from PPC Geeks. Thanks so much for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need an A2DP capable device (high quality), connected, THEN start your audio program OR use a program called Audio Gateway with a basic Bluetooth headset (low quality audio).

thank you very much.

Northernmost, how about that source code? If you want to pass it along less privately than a post here, PM me and I'll provide a solution (source control, WSS, etc.)

Sent you a PM the other day. Let's go the private way for now.