Hey all,
I am interested in the idea of using my phone to control my home theatre equipment. The ability to control any IR equipment with your phone would be a very neat feature and a nice selling point, especially as Google has made clear their intentions to enter the home automation field. However at present it seems very hard to do this with Android.
I know that a solution is to use an IR transmitter connected to the 3.5mm headphone jack. The leader in this market seems to be a company called ThinkFlood who have a product called RedEye Mini. Here's an explanation of how it works...
http://thinkflood.com/products/redeye-mini/#how-does-it-work
Unfortunately for us Android users the software is in beta testing and the RedEye Mini hardware is not compatible yet.
I am wondering if anyone can shed some light on this project and whether it can be achieved yet by any other means?
Also does anyone know whether native support of IR hardware has been considered for Android. Seeing as this technology could very easily be built into phones it seems like a smart move for Google with their home automation drive and all.
I am interested to hear your thoughts and solutions.
Thanks
The concept of home automation would be improved if IR were not used at all. Line of sight comms is very limiting. On the plus side of course it means there are fewer radio waves flying round my house and frying my brain!
I agree 100%. I need to keep all the brain cells I can
Unfortunately though most home theatre equipment still relies of IR and I believe it will for a few more years. Google should jump on IR if they are serious about home automation.
if you use XBMC than there is an nice app to control it and many more.
Controlling the PC is easy as apps can communicate with it via my home network. The problem I have is using my phone to communicate with other equipment such as my TV and AV receiver. For these the only way I can think of controlling them is via IR.
edcoppen, as far as I know you have 2 options for IR on Android:
1/ - Already available DIY solutions -
You can check the Androlirc application (that would be me!)
And a friend of the project has developed a enhanced Audio2IR module that is called Irdroid (mine was just a proof of concept)
You'll have to be (or get) familiar with LIRC to go down that path.
2/ - Anounced and "soon to be available" IR equipped Android devices -
Touchsquid
Conspin Andi One
That a lot of link dropping for a first post, I hope xdadevelopers will let me submit that... (Submit...) Yeah, that's what I thought, you'll just have to look for web sites by yourself then.
Anyway I think we're gonna get some action in the IR/Tablet world soon... Until we get rid of that 30 years old, one way tech (on the plus side, it "owns" 100% of the market and the battery autonomy for a traditional remote control has to be measured in years... that's close to an infinity in the Android world)!
Quite interesting that there will be IR equipped mobile devices any more. I thought the technology would die out. I actually still carry my Nokia N73 with me and from time to time change the channel on the TV in the pub. Great fun!!!
Yeah, I had a nokia 7650 ten years ago with an IR transmitter/receiver and used to have so much fun changing channels in my sports bar. I reckon the technology has less interest nowadays as we move further into the digital age. The best and easiest way to automate your home theatre and stereo systems is to connect them to a pc and control everything from your phone. there are tons of apps in the market that allow you to do this. I have tried a few and am currently using three I find the best: Unified remote (specifically for their spotify remote, which now a days is my stereo system, but they have tons of other remotes and works great over LAN), phonemypc (for me one of the best vnc apps in the market) and remote desktop client, a great RDP app. Whatever you can connect to your pc (with the right hardware/firmware you can even connect all the appliances in your home, even your lights and air-conditioned, to a main server) you can control from your phone, either through LAN - using your home network - or even away from home using the internet (WAN). IR is an obsolete technology in the digital age.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
StreetGuru said:
Whatever you can connect to your pc (with the right hardware/firmware you can even connect all the appliances in your home, even your lights and air-conditioned, to a main server) you can control from your phone, either through LAN - using your home network - or even away from home using the internet (WAN). IR is an obsolete technology in the digital age.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
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I dont agree that it is a dead technology... yet! Most AV devices in the home still rely on it and unless i'm mistaken cannot be connected via the PC. Take for example my Samsung TV or my Harman Kardon AVR. I really want to be able to control these from my phone and cant find a viable solution. I have all the apps you mentioned and none of them help me here. You say via the right hardware/firmware can help... but what hardware would you use to connect the two devices I named to a PC, and how mush does it cost?
If an IR transmitter could be built into a watch 10 years ago I see no reason why it coultn't easily be added to a mobile phone. I know its personal preference but I would see it as a strong selling point.
IR hardware range too weak
My older HTC Windows phone had IR support, I had hoped to install AV remote sw on it. Found out the hard way that the IR range on many phones that had the hardware was only a few feet. It was intended as a bidirectional business card sharing type of thing before bluetooth took over. I'm thinking bluetooth is why most phones don't even have the IR hardware built in anymore.
I'm currently looking for a T-Mobile Froyo phone that has IR with sufficient range for AV remote use, any experts out there?
I don't want to depend on any dongles plugged in to the phone, but I would consider an external wireless box that had the IR command set and transmitter and a wireless way to communicate with the phone, preferably bluetooth so I don't have to turn on the wifi radio every time I use it.
i have a new enough Sammy tv to use DLNA etc, but that means turning on the wifi.
Related
I've installed TV remote controller 5.5 from www.pdawin.com but cannot get any of the built in settings ie. SONY TV to controll my equipment. I cannot get the XDA2 to respond to the softwares learn function either. Can anyone please help?
I had this exact same issue. I gave up after 20 minutes. If anyone has any tips on using as a remote, I would also be very interested to know.
well i cant say for xda2 but i had it running on xda1 and the Infrared transmitter is WEAK! the tv would only react if the xda1 were as close as 30cm from the reciever of the tv
so unless the Infrared t ransceiver is much more powerfull then the one in xda1 then even if you find a remote program it's next to useless with such a short range
unless you build something like this
http://www.pdawin.com/irtranceiver.html
I had TV remote working on my previous Dell Axim X5. The IR transmitter was weak too, think it had to be within a metre or so from memory.
I've tried the XDA2 only inches away from the IR sensor on the TV and it still doesn't work, either it is really low powered? or there is a fault somewhere?
This is probably a hardware limitation.
It's possible that the used infrared led's aren't emitting in the standard consumer electronics spectrum.
If this is the case, the XDA II can't be used for remote control applications, unless you replace the IR transmitter (which means opening the case and voiding warranty).
It wont work due to the fact that the Xda II does not have a consumer standard IrDA module on it. A severe limitation of the Xda II as well I feel. A bit of a step backward from the Xda I too.
Grrr. I didnt want it anyway.
its not a hardware problem.... its a software problem...
RichMercer said:
It wont work due to the fact that the Xda II does not have a consumer standard IrDA module on it. A severe limitation of the Xda II as well I feel. A bit of a step backward from the Xda I too.
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Yes, XDA2 can not be used for remote control applications!
I wonder why anybody would want to turn this beautiful cutting edge piece of technology into a remote control when a very comprehensive learning remote can be had for about £5.
cruisin-thru said:
I wonder why anybody would want to turn this beautiful cutting edge piece of technology into a remote control when a very comprehensive learning remote can be had for about £5.
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I've often asked myself the same question I do see people with PDA's creating the odd havoc in TV shops n department stores switching the channels etc.
Really have not wanted to control my TV, aircon or anything else with my XDA II .
I wonder why anybody would want to turn this beautiful cutting edge piece of technology into a remote control when a very comprehensive learning remote can be had for about £5.
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well i suppose many people say the same thing with a search replace of remote to phone when they see how much more we pay to get a pda and cellphone in one
Even fully compliant IrDA components are only rated for a transmit distance of 1 meter. Consumer remote controls are much brighter.
Yes and since the cheapest usable tv remote controller with a more powerfull beam can be bought for around 5 dollar... why didn´t they put these ir leds in the mda xda ii?? max difference 1 dollar in large quantities?
With all these remotes laying around on the table (about 8 of them) tv remote on the pocketpc would be very usefull. Learning mode, program what you need or get them from the database on internet. Also the possibility to program macro´s so you press one button to play and watch dvd and power on 5.1 surround system.....
How can the ir leds be tweaked?
michiel
Yes and since the cheapest usable tv remote controller with a more powerfull beam can be bought for around 5 dollar... why didn´t they put these ir leds in the mda xda ii?? max difference 1 dollar in large quantities?
With all these remotes laying around on the table (about 8 of them) tv remote on the pocketpc would be very usefull. Learning mode, program what you need or get them from the database on internet. Also the possibility to program macro´s so you press one button to play and watch dvd and power on 5.1 surround system.....
How can the ir leds be tweaked?
michiel
Yes and since the cheapest usable tv remote controller with a more powerfull beam can be bought for around 5 dollar... why didn´t they put these ir leds in the mda xda ii?? max difference 1 dollar in large quantities?
With all these remotes laying around on the table (about 8 of them) tv remote on the pocketpc would be very usefull. Learning mode, program what you need or get them from the database on internet. Also the possibility to program macro´s so you press one button to play and watch dvd and power on 5.1 surround system.....
How can the ir leds be tweaked?
michiel
the only useful app that ive ever found for any pda to control a pice of equpiment was one for a palm that i had,
the software was called mini-disk titler ,
you just filled in the track names on the screen then tapped on title. the pda then sent the sequence of button presses to title the disk in about 20 seconds , much quicker than faffing with all the menus on the player
ian
well the very brigth remote leds may not be able to transmit data as far as the ir in the xda
about extenders for the ir
http://www.pdawin.com/irtranceiver.html
http://www.homeautomationnet.com/Shopping/remote-control-accessories.asp
http://www.smarthome.com/8220A.html
Does anyone know anything about the release date, or whether the devices have been released.... for the Pocket PC that allows you to watch live TV feed via the SDIO Port?
I know there was a company that said March 06, but they've sorta gone quiet... there's radio devices out there, and devices for the PALM or CF Card... But anyone know anything about one that will be compatible with the MDA Pro???
:-/
Tv and Radio only via WIFI or 3G connections via subscriptions or internet based feeds only.
dont know any that will allow this via an SDIO slot, but would be interested if found, suspect if used it will be a massive battery drain.
There was something meant to have been released in March:
http://msmobiles.com/news.php/4782.html
But can't find anything else about it... :-(
You might consider this
If you want access to TV/Sat/Cable or your DVD player you might want to try this.
http://www.slingmedia.com/
It has a mobile player.
Re: You might consider this
Celestial said:
If you want access to TV/Sat/Cable or your DVD player you might want to try this.
http://www.slingmedia.com/
It has a mobile player.
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Is there anything cheaper than $249 :-/ ??
here is the site:
http://www.eopstech.com/eops/index.html
doesn't open on my side (looks like it's hosted on a dialup connection :lol: )
ady said:
doesn't open on my side (looks like it's hosted on a dialup connection :lol: )
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Doesn't open on my side either :-( Is this somewhere that sells them? Makes them??..
Hi to everyone on the forum. This is my first post. I'm recently the owner of a new HTC Universal (T-mob MDA Pro).
Just thought I'd let you kno - I'm a PhD student working on mobile digital TV. I'm working in 2 European projects aimed at delivering mobile digital tv based at Brunel University. I currently have one of the digital TV SDIO receivers mentioned here. It's a prototype from a company called DibCom. It's a DVB-H receiver. DVB-H sends boradcast data in bursts so a receiver only has to be powered in bursts thus saving battery life. DVB-H braodcasts were tested in Oxford not so long ago. DVB-H broadcasts are not gonna be around until a few years yet so to test the chip I have to set up my own digital DVB-H channel and broadcast to myself! I'm working on user interface terminal applications, middleware and protocols. My job is to create the interactive side of the broadcasts - basically creating the interactive services like you see with regular DVB-T freeview only for mobile devices (and hopefully much better!). So interactive sports, shopping, gaming etc can all be done on your mobile device. That's the plan anyway! I'll try to attach a pic of the prototype chip here (taken with my MDA PRo!)
All the best guys!
LLOYDY
cool sounding job man.
what do you believe the DVB-H reception will be like, I find freeview starts to go all blocky when its windy so I have no idea what DVB-H will be like if i was on the move (maybe on the bus or something).
Well this is why also the reason we needed a new technology to deliver to mobile devices. DVB-H doesn't need line-of-sight to the transmitter like DVB-T does. It will use "transmitter" and "receiver diversity" so that one strong signal can be singled out from lots of signal echoes and bounces. It is designed specifically for mobile use. One of the projects I'm working in is called PLUTO (Physical Layer DVB (that's the U!) Transmission Optimisation) where we're working on this exact issue. See http://www.ist-pluto.org for more info on this. The second project deals with broadcasting applications and user interfaces voe rthe new network etc and is called INSTINCT World (due to commence in September). INSTINCT World is a world-wide project with China being the newest member so far.
But... we'll soon see! All the best,
LLOYDY
So if this isn't coming out for ages.... why was msnmobiles saying the device for Pocket PC will be out March 06?
And there's already one out for the PALM devices using the CF card...
:-/
If you have windows xp media center you can use www.orb.com for live tv and whatever media files you have on your pc. I use it all the time to watch sports while my wife is shopping at the mall. EDGE speeds are adequate to watch but it is a little hard to read the scores on my wizard. If you can get onto a wifi connection the picture comes in perfect. The program tests your internet speed connections so gives you the best picture for your internet speeds. Best of all it is free and works really well.
Sorry for being misleading: I wasn't saying the devices won't be out until next year (I've had mine for well over a year now), I was referring to the broadcasts - broadcasting in the UK (and most of Western Europe I believe) won't start until next year sometime (I'm unsure about the USA). DVB-H still hasn't got a designated broadcast radio band yet. This is all still up in the air. I'm sure there are many companies about to release or have already released the receiver chips. Nokia have released their DVB-H capable phones already and I have been working with a few of them. Only thing is they use their own proprietary software and drivers which cost $$$. I'm working to develop an open standard across the board and eagerly awaiting the JSR272 (a proposed API from Java ready for mobile television and multimedia). As you can see the Digital TV Group is a member of the projects I'm working in and these are the people who set the digial TV standards.
@Jeeb75:
The media streaming your referring to though is Internet streaming. This is completely different and is an inefficient use of internet traffic/bandwidth (until internet router broadcasting protocols are properly used at least). With DVB-H you will get clear, crisp Digital TV and services over-the-air just like you can pick up a standard TV channel a home. Thanks for the info tho - I enjoy getting TV streams on my Universal.
Again, I apologise for the misunderstanding. Hope this helps!
LLOYDY
Just in case anyone's interested in this, just found out from the manufacturer, that the items are available now, and work on analogue signals, so will work now too.
USD$150 is the price at the mo, which isn't toooo bad when you think of how much a portable TV would cost...
I'm gonna order one, and if anyone want's to know about it, will update this in due course
Dave.
jmdrizen said:
Just in case anyone's interested in this, just found out from the manufacturer, that the items are available now, and work on analogue signals, so will work now too.
USD$150 is the price at the mo, which isn't toooo bad when you think of how much a portable TV would cost...
I'm gonna order one, and if anyone want's to know about it, will update this in due course
Dave.
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More info/details please
I checked out dibcoms website, from what I can tell, they are only making the internal chipset for the all in one analogue and DVB h tuner, not any ready to sell devices
I'm currently reviewing the SDIO analogue TV tuner from Eopstech. Both its power and sound is off-board due to the bandwidth limitations of SDIO.
Also, due to the bandwidth limitations, the bigger the screen size, the lower the frame rate. On my Magician in portrait mode, its very good. It slows down a bit in landscape. On the Universal in landscape it can be quite gittery but still watchable. The most annoying thing about it is the external battery pack which is quite bulky and only lasts 2.5hrs. However, you can plug headphones, power and an external aerial into it.
lloydcody: can you upload the pictures you posted to the forum itself or resize them pls.
lloydcody, couldn't you lose your job by disclosing those pics on here? I would take tehm down if I was you..... (although I wouldn't know if you have signed a NDA)
I haven't got a job - I'm a student! Just thought I'd let you guys know that mobile TV is soon on its way. There's nothing wrong with the pics. This is not a hush-hush project - far from it. I'm part of an open standards project not some secret corporate prototyping.
You can buy one of these chips yourself if you're interested - though they're not cheap!
@nedge2k
What do you want me to do with pics?
LLOYDY
LOL. Sorry, and thanks for clearing that one up. How much are the chips?
I have tried a couple, but one does not support the processor type and the other just hangs my MDA.
Anyone know of any decent remote control apps to control TV's etc?
I have tried 2... one from Vito and one called TV Remote Controller 5.7. I have been unable to get either to work and no support at all from either on my support requests.
I probably try like 4-5 programs but non work.
You'll be struggling anyway. IR on the wizard is a short range type so unless you want get off the couch to go shove the PDA a foot away from the TV you'll be disappointed.
I do not care about distance of remote as i desperatly need something that will allow me to access the service modes of my 55" television. A quick in and out and not for normal use.
I just need software that works for Philips Service modes. And that is a special order remote if i cant get this software going.
It's getting off topic but why don't you just buy a universal remote - they come with the codes for the various manufacturers.
JoninLA, i agree with you
the only time i ever used a sftware remote...was at school....used to rewind the tapes and turn tv on and off
otherwise its not for everyday use
and i also heard the wizard IR device cant supprt the signal..
The Wizard's OMAP processor is giving everyone fits. There are no remote control apps that work on the Wizard yet. Novii looks to be closest; they just signed a developer agreement with TI. Read more about this here.
MrCyberdude said:
I do not care about distance of remote as i desperatly need something that will allow me to access the service modes of my 55" television. A quick in and out and not for normal use.
I just need software that works for Philips Service modes. And that is a special order remote if i cant get this software going.
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So does NoviiRemote Deluxe - more than 700 codes are available. I finally found a codebase for my TV that is 17 years old
anybody here know to to enable HD2's infrared port for us to use it on Novii IR Remote?
Thanks.
the HD2 has no IR port.
I would love to get an ir remote program working on the hd2. there are portable ir transmitters that plug into the 3.5" audio port that with the right program can be used as remote controls for tvs/dvd players/etc. The redeye mini is a recent on i saw released for the iphone... if someone developed a program for wm that used those transmitters, I would definitely buy it.
zarathustrax said:
I would love to get an ir remote program working on the hd2. there are portable ir transmitters that plug into the 3.5" audio port that with the right program can be used as remote controls for tvs/dvd players/etc. The redeye mini is a recent on i saw released for the iphone... if someone developed a program for wm that used those transmitters, I would definitely buy it.
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You can get a good All-in-one-IR-Remote Control (p.ex. from Logitech) for almost the same price as a transmitter so why you want to use that? Its uncomfortable, slower in use and the haptic feedback on the flat screen of the HD2 is worse than on a real hardware remote control... Just help me understand
elburna said:
You can get a good All-in-one-IR-Remote Control (p.ex. from Logitech) for almost the same price as a transmitter so why you want to use that? Its uncomfortable, slower in use and the haptic feedback on the flat screen of the HD2 is worse than on a real hardware remote control... Just help me understand
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Because I have different devices throughout my home that I could use that for, not to mention at my moms and brothers homes, and I always have my phone with me. I don't want to have to carry a remote, also. Plus remotes have a habit of getting lost in my house. It would be convenient to be able to pull my phone out where ever Im at and control everything in my house. $50 for the redeye mini is kinda expensive, but I think I've seen cheaper ones.
zarathustrax said:
Because I have different devices throughout my home that I could use that for, not to mention at my moms and brothers homes, and I always have my phone with me. I don't want to have to carry a remote, also. Plus remotes have a habit of getting lost in my house. It would be convenient to be able to pull my phone out where ever Im at and control everything in my house. $50 for the redeye mini is kinda expensive, but I think I've seen cheaper ones.
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the infared feature is damn great to works with...esp last time when i was using xda flame....super infared device....basically control any ir stb or devices except my air-con.....how i wish thinkflood will release redeye also for windows mobile..
OK, well i have searched for about a week now and feel either it doesnt exist or im just not looking in the right place. I'm interested in programming a universal remote for my EVO but the problem i am having is finding the hardware to make it work.
What is needed:
Wifi to RF converter OR
Bluetooth to RF converter
Does anyone have any clue where to find one? You would think that with Iphones popularity with their phone attached junk someone would have gotten smart and made one that you could just sit next to your entertainment system so that you dont have to plug in a device to your phone....
Anyways, i didnt find anything on here, not online, nor in the underground layer of electronic geeks... jk. I dont have the skills to build my own device or i would. I'm taking computer engineering so maybe someday i will.
Any help from you gods at Xda would be appreciated.
You can buy a Bluetooth to Serial port converter, like this one:
http://www.totalpda.co.uk/+/Bluetooth-Serial-RS232-Adapter.7562.html
Maybe you could then find a serial or legacy IR transmitter device to send the IR signals to your devices. I'm assuming they are IR and not RF.
You could use something like this for the IR unit:
http://www.expansys.com/actisys-ird...=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=base
So you connect both units near your equipment, Power them somehow, point the IR device towards the Equipment, Connect via Bluetooth to the Serial Port Profile and assuming you are sending the right signal for the device you should have control.
Of course because it works both ways, you could 'Read back' the signal from your remote control into your android application and store it against the event you want to fire via your GUI controls. Simples.
hmmmm yes...I think that'll work
Logicalstep
I think the easiest solution would be to write an android app to use the ir dongles that plug into the headphone Jack. There are a couple out there... most of the iPhone adapters plug into the headphone jacks, I believe. Also there was one out for winmo years ago.
Anyways, I think they just convert audio signals into ir remote signals, so the app would just need the collection of audio signals for the various ir signals needed. I bet you could get one of the iPhone ir dongle companies to help out in writing an app, cause that would mean another market to buy their hardware.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
I'm liking the first one. But not the single idea. Not. Many people I know would want to buy a single and risk losing it when you could have a stationary device sitting right there. Plus if it could be wifi connected then you could control it from anywhere.
Maybe I did not look hard enough, but I could not find a "similar" Android Universal Remote systems like the ones below for the iPhone. I'm looking for an Android UR application that allows an Android Smartphone, that has no IR, to interface to an existing IR blaster via WiFi or Blutooth to control AV components. It is possible that I miss it, so if someone can point me to one I'd appreciate it. If none is available, maybe someone can write an Android UR app that can interface with one the "existing" IR blasters that work with the iPhone. These IR blasters, as you can see below, are not that expensive.
I was impressed by how the UI is easily customizable in the iPhone app in the video for the UnityRemote... Who knows... maybe gear4 is already writing an Android app for it.
http://us.gear4.com/product/_/93/unityremote/?cid=31
http://www.slashgear.com/griffin-beacon-makes-your-iphone-4-a-universal-remote-07124546/
http://www.slashgear.com/peel-fruit-turns-iphone-into-show-suggesting-universal-remote-08118392/