stuart wrote: > ...IR REC/XMT module which hangs off a serial port. ... > ...it would appear networked devices...which costs big $$$'s may be > possible with only $'s worth of parts, some knowledge of hardware and > an MVPMC box.
Adding a serial port to an MVP requires a hardware modification - right? So it sounds like this approach would still have a rather limited audience. If you're going to bother with hardware hacking, why not attach the IR components directly to the MVP? Wasn't there talk on the list a while back about replacing the power LED with an IR LED (or putting the IR LED in parallel)? If cost is an issue, and the MVP has the CPU cycles to handle decoding/encoding in software, then this would be the route to take. If you're looking for a least effort solution, then using an off the shelf transceiver with it's own microcontroller and a serial interface makes sense. > Yes there is a receiver already in the MVPMC box, but the firmware only > decodes the protocol particular to the MVPMC (and maybe other) box(s). This may be a hardware limitation as well. Most IR receivers (at least years ago this was true) are built as modules that include not only the IR phototransistor, but also demodulation circuitry that is tuned to a particular carrier frequency. As I recall these frequencies rang from something like 40 KHz to 80 KHz. A receiver designed for the lower end of that spectrum probably won't work with a remote sending a signal at the high-end. Of course there are receivers designed to handle the broader spectrum (like on learning remotes and receivers for computers), but you won't necessarily find such a receivers on a device like the MVP designed to work with only one remote. >> TX only >> http://www.irblaster.info/ $15 USD >> Dumb serial ... >> http://www.evation.com/irman/ 35.00 EUR >> serial What distinguishes between "dumb" serial, and serial? I presume the latter have CPUs that decode the data? If they successfully work as a "universal" receiver, then the additional cost is probably well worth it compared to the effort you'd have to put into writing software to do the equivalent. -Tom ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc. Still grepping through log files to find problems? Stop. Now Search log events and configuration files using AJAX and a browser. Download your FREE copy of Splunk now >> http://get.splunk.com/ _______________________________________________ Mvpmc-users mailing list Mvpmc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mvpmc-users mvpmc wiki: http://mvpmc.wikispaces.com/
