Smart Home Blog

CommandIR 2 – a second generation of hardware extension for Linux media PC’s, was reviewed on the MythPVR.com. It allows to control Linux box itself and any A/V equipment via IR. The CommandIR 2 is equiped by four independently controlled IR blasters, on-board IR receiver, wired IR receiver (optional), six software controllable LEDs (they can be used to indicate something like starting recording, high level of system load etc) and USB port to connect the PC.

The CommandIR 2 is design specially for Linux. MythTV supports it from the box. But for other Linux distributions the CommandIR 2 can be configured manually.

The CommandIR 2 seems very interesting devices to extend control of home entertainment system. It’d be nice to add it into LinuxMCE since it already supports GC100, IRTrans USB, Tira-2.1 and USB-UIRT.

[via MythPVR.com]

Using Nokia770 or its next generation N800 is limited just your imagination and a little bit of hardware issue. The new Maemo application Ir Remote Control can be a good confirmation of that. The application gives a easy way to use Internet Tablet as remote control for your A/V equipment and home appliance.

The first versions of the Ir Remote Control used a dedicated PC with running LIRC server there. The latest one has its own LIRC back-end and supports IR Trance Ethernet to send IR command via LAN.

Basically, the Ir Remote Control uses LIRC client library to send desired command:

netirsend --server 'localhost' --port '8765' 'SEND_ONCE' 'Yamaha_RAV16' 'Vol+'

where
- server – IP address or service name where LIRC is running;
- post – LIRC server port;
- SEND_ONCE – LIRC directive, can be also SEND_START and SEND_END;
- Yamaha_RAV16 – the name of remote supported by LIRC (the command LIST can be used to get the list of all remotes);
- Vol+ – desired command, in that case – increasing of volume.

So, using Nokia770 or N800 together with IT Trance Ethernet and Ir Remote Control gives you an elegant and efficient way to control your IR stuff.

Sony announced a three new remote controls for Japanese market – RM-PZ1FD, RM-PZ1SD and RM-PZ1D. The raisin of those gadgets is their simplicity. You didn’t find there LCD display even monochrome! The remotes have three infrared LEDs for a wider angle of coverage. The RM-PZ1FD is designed to handle by two hands (is has square shapes). The rest look like ordinary remotes. All three are waterproof. So, you can use them in the pool or jacuzzi without fear beak them.

The new Sony’s remote controls are compatible with 15 different brands such as Matsushita, JVC, Sharp, Toshiba, Sony etc. They available in Japan at $21.50.

Plutohome offers a few different methods to control A/V equipment. One of them is using of infrared commands. Only a small part of TVs, receivers and players has RS232 or Ethernet port. So, the easiest way is to attach IR transmitter to the core of media director, learn IR codes in case of missing of your device in the Plutohome database and send appropriate commands to your TV or receiver. Plutohome supports following IR transmitters:

• GC-100
• IRTrans USB
• Tira Remote Control Receiver/Transmitter
• USB-UIRT

GC-100 is the best solution if you don’t have media director near A/V equipment. In that case you can use it to send IR commands over LAN and then transmit them via IR sensors. Moreover, GC-100 includes one or more RS-232 and relay ports.
The rest devices can just transmit IR signals. They are good if you need to control your TV from the media director.

In my installation I’m going to control receiver Marantz 5600 placed in separate audio zone via GC-100 using its RS-232 port. Use instructions from wiki to know how to add Marantz to the Plutohome and how to configure GC-100.

P. S. Those devices can be used the same manner in LinuxMCE as well.

Recently I got GC100 in my hand to test it with Plutohome. By default GC100 has IP 192.168.1.70. So, that howto suggests to connect it to the PC using crossover, change IP of PC to something like 192.168.1.101 to be in one network and access to the GC100 properties via web interface – http://192.168.1.70. So, I followed by that recommendations. I changed IP of GC100 to 192.168.80.250 and exclude it from DHCP range. After that I put CG100 into Pluthome network and tried to add it but without luck. It seems that devices is not accessible by some reason. I even couldn’t ping it.

Well, after that I tried another way to install GC100. I discovered that core has virtual interface eth1:100 which builds network 192.168.1.* for GC100. I reset my device to factory settings (it can be done by connecting pins 7 and 2 on connector serial 1 with a flat bladed screw driver during power up) and let to Pluto discover it. But unfortunately, again without luck. I saw in tcpdump output that Pluto asked GC100 by its factory IP three times but devices didn’t answer by some reason. I connected GC100 to my Pluthome core using crossover. So, it should work but it doesn’t.

Anyway, it’s the matter of time. I’m sure it’ll work soon