RE: IR to Serial on a PC

["Paul Gale" <groups@xxxxxxx>]

Forgot to ask - I've got a multi zone expansion board for HV but
haven't
used it yet. I know it has 8 IR zones output but not input zones.



Do you use any input zoning? i.e. to determine where an IR signal is
originating from? I guess an alternative is to use different codes in
different rooms (not such a good solution though if I want to use the
same or any remote)



Paul.



-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Gale [mailto:groups@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: 23 November 2002 13:04
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] IR to Serial on a PC



Thanks Mike,



I missed the serial bits in ACE - I guess you use a HomeVision event in
ACE?



I use Win2K server for all my HA apps - decided on this route as I'm
also running Exchange 2000 and IIS. Only trouble is I've run out of
serial ports (4) as I've got connections to Comfort, HV, Meteor and
something else I can't remember! Might go for a USB serial option as
I've had a few problems in the past with IRQ sharing and the serial
ports :-( + expandability would be better.



I run PC Anywhere on it and other PC's (my BT Satellite gateway) quite
successfully - shame W2K doesn't have a desktop sharing app that's
compatible with the XP desktop sharing tool (and works in the same
way):-(



Shame that Pioneer don't publish the serial protocol - seems rather
strange. My Panasonic plasma has the codes in the user manual and Onkyo
sent me a load of docs about their kit on request (excellent tech
support).



How are you getting on with your screen? I'm loving mine - just ordered
a load of Component cables from RGB Comms (broadcast cables hugely
cheaper than the audiophile rip off merchants!) + an RGB to Component
converter from rgbtosvideo.com. The Onkyo amp (989) has 3 component
inputs and switches between them.



Paul.



-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Griffiths [mailto:mike@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: 23 November 2002 12:16
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] IR to Serial on a PC



I do this  Paul

I use a mixture of IR and Serial
The IR bit is easy 
Just learn the IR into Homevision
Fire it off with ACE and distribute from HV via little emitters

Serial control is as easy once you get the protocol sorted
ACE allows you to send ASCII to serial ports and Dan has done a great
job of
modifying ACE to allow the flexibility needed for the termination
characters
Best way is to prove the control without ACE, then programme ACE 
To be honest the real advantage of serial is that you can interrogate
the
serial controlled kit so that you know what state it is in
I used to do that with my own VB program but ACE is so simple to use I
have
moved over to it totally, I'm sure that using scripts within ACE I
could
get
the status working again - it is just finding the time.
ACE will olso send serial out on any PC connected to the network ( very
useful!)

As you can normally find now discrete codes for IR on the web, there is
little difference in practice with controlling between IR and Serial

I use the ByteRunner x4 PCI board for the serial
Works like a dream
For the IR I use Xantech ket for neatness BUT you can source everything
individually

I have a dedicated PC (Terminator from Overclockers or Scam) This has
HomeVision, Comfort, ACE , ACE webserver, serial card.
I find by leaving a dedicated PC to control the house it works for
Months
without touching it - and the cost of the PC now is very small. I run
XP
on
it so that I can remote desktop onto it so the unit itself has neither
Mouse
nor keyboard.

Hope this helps 

Mike
PS If anyone can get hold of the serial protocol for a Pioneer 503HDE I
would be eternally greatful
I have the protcol for the 503 MXE but it differes slightly and Pioneer
in
their wisdom refuse to give out the HDE protocol even though the MXE is
available on their web site.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Gale [mailto:groups@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 23 November 2002 09:50
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] IR to Serial on a PC
> 
> My Plasma, DVD and Amp all have an RS232 port for remote control.
I'd
> like to use them as there are a number of benefits including
absolute
> control of volume (set directly to a level), input switching and no
IR
> LED needs to be stuck over the IR window.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm running Comfort, HomeVision, ACE and a multi-room audio system
with
> IR distribution. This means getting IR to HomeVision (and possibly
ACE
-
> but I'm not too sure about this) is easy.
> 
> 
> 
> What I want to do is have a PC (with a few more *cheapish* serial
> ports), take the IR signal and depending on what it is, issue a
> definable serial command over a selected serial port i.e. IR code
X
> received - Serial command string Y issued over serial port Z.
> 
> 
> 
> Any thoughts on the PC software/hardware needed?
> 
> 
> 
> Paul.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 
> 
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