Usb Uirt - FirM

["Frank Mc Alinden" <fmcalind@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All
Just thought i would share my latest  little hardware project......

As some Usb Uirt users may be aware the latest version supports multi
zoning
( 3 zones) ... zones 1+2 are available via the stereo socket at the rear
and
zone 3 is the blaster located at the front.....

I was thinking it would be nice to increase the zoning and emitter
capabilities of the Usb Uirt  which i have done  recently with the aid of
xPL .. FirM and FirM Serial....Works ok BUT  !!! 3 pieces of hardware
involved ;-(...........

Decided to try a method which i use with my 2 channel CBUS ir tx unit,
...with this setup i can send ir to any of FirMs 8 zones via a CBUS touch
screen.....

To accomplish the same with the usb uirt i have done a small hardware mod
in
FirM and rewrote the Firmware and i can now send ir to any of FirMS 8 Zones
from the usb uirt ......
Im using Zone 1 of the usb uirt as my "Select FirM Zone " channel
and using
Zone 2 of the uirt to send data eg vol up vol down etc............

Now that xPL-Uirt supports Uirt Zoning i wrote some Determinators which
watch for my dvd chan up and dvd chan dwn....and sents out  ir signals  to
turn on and off my hv menu system via zones 3 + 4 of FirM respectively..
;-))....Requires some short pauses (delays) between sending the zone
selection ir signal and the data ir signal , i also send the zone selection
ir signal twice (to be sure to be sure ;-)).....It seems to work quite well
and would be handy for uirt users who are trying to control identical
kit...although this version of FirM doesnt support Zone Rx Identification
,only zone led rx indication........

More Soon
Frank
www.armaghelectrical.com.au