IrDA WAS Re: Homeseer/Slink-E/Sky Digibox

["paulgwa" <paulgwa@xxxxxxx>]

For those people with HA solutions based around a PC/Linux server=20
would it not be possible to grab the IrDA data via a dongle attached=20
to the serial port and using software route this information via=20
another serial port to the device to be controlled.

Not sure how Pace get round the handshaking side of the protocol as=20
the IrDA link is only unidirectional in their design.

Has anyone tried to grab the output from the remote using an Ir=20
enabled laptop??

Extended systems formerly Paralax Research offer IrDA dongles as well=20
as protocol stacks etc (http://www.extendedsystems.com)

Alternatively an IrDa evaluation kit containing 2 paralax dongles and=20
a designers guide + software is available via farnell for a rather=20
steep =A380 (search part number HSDL-8001) the piece parts inside are=20
sub $10 per dongle

"The HSDL-8001 Developer's Kit provides several tools to assist a
developer in designing an IrDA port into a product. This kit includes=20
two IrDA adapters (with external power supplies) for PC serial port=20
use, two 115.2 Kb/s evaluation boards with endecs, supplemental=20
discrete LED's, PC software, programming libraries, and=20
documentation. The combina-tion of hardware and software provided in=20
this kit allow a developer to experiment with and display how the=20
IrDA protocol establishes and maintains a link.
By using the programming libraries included in this kit, a developer=20
can establish a simple (non-IrDA) infrared link between a PC and the=20
developer's serial I/O device. And, the software provides a tool to=20
perform simple testing and debugging of the developer's=20
implementation of the IrDA protocol"=20

Regards

Paul