powermid/IR question

[astarink]

I'm planning to add IR to my homeseer setup. Basically i want to control my HA from my IR remote control and have my HA be able to turn on/off AV components. I currently do have powermids between two rooms, but my HA system is located in another room. I'm unable to run any wired solution and wireless is my only choice. Please look at the diagram i included, basically my question is if you have a powermid receive receiving the signal of a transmitter (Transmitter 1 -> IR -> Receiver 2 -> RF -> Transmitter 1....), does this result in an endless loop???

[Michael McSharry]

If the powermind supports multiple RF channels then you should have success with your #1 & #3 set to the same channel and #2 set to a different one. This opinion is based only on logic and not on experience. The reported success of IR-RF-IR has been hit and miss. It seems to work very well for some and does'nt work for others.

[astarink]

i believe the powermids operate on 418Mhz, can they be set to operate on a different frequency? Anyone experience with another wireless-IR-extender that operates on a different frequency?

[Michael McSharry]

I looked at my Recoton model and it did not have a frequency setting. Many 2.4G devices do because of the shared band with so many products. I do not know if there are any 2.4G RF/IR products.

[Doug Krasnoff]

possible solution

i do not quite know why you need to send an IR signal back to the computer. But you may want to consider the leapfrog gadget that attaches to a remote (your pronto) and sends a single back to a receiver that then blasts your IR to your (equipment in your computer room?!) Also cant you avoid the looping problem just by not having the pyramids facing each other (right)?!?!?! I currently use powerpyramids in much the same way as you contemplate, except to not send any IR back to the computer room. With careful positioning, and/or leapfrog, should not be any problem.

--doug

[astarink]

i do not quite know why you need to send an IR signal back to the computer.

My remote control does not support RF and i would like to be able to trigger events with my universal Remote Control.

But you may want to consider the leapfrog gadget that attaches to a remote (your pronto) and sends a single back to a receiver that then blasts your IR to your (equipment in your computer room?!)

This might be an option looking into, but i need to add this to both remote controls in order for it to work.

Also cant you avoid the looping problem just by not having the pyramids facing each other (right)?!?!?!

I was thinking about this, but than i need to point my remote control into another direction for triggering events and in this case the remote control upstairs (square 1) cannot trigger events.

I did some searching and it seems there are IR extenders that work at other frequencies (than the 418Mhz the Powermid operates on)... I just don't have any experience with these and don't know how well they work (the Powermids are working fantastic)

[Doug Krasnoff]

send me an email and I will send you my phone number

please email me at my junkmail account at my_name_is_mad_max@yahoo.com

We can trade phone numbers. I am not sure why you would want to trigger an event based on a received ir code? I am not even sure that is possible.

I control more than 20 pieces of A/V equipment thru HS.

--Doug

[Doug Krasnoff]

your diagram

I bet you spent some time with the diagram, but the receivers are the ones with the antenna and the transmitters are the ones without. So, it is a bit confusing.

--Doug

[astarink]

I bet you spent some time with the diagram, but the receivers are the ones with the antenna and the transmitters are the ones without. So, it is a bit confusing.
--Doug

you are correct, i mixed them up (confusing since they both receive/transmit either IR/RF), the picture is correct, just the labels are wrong (i.e. transmitter <=> receiver)

I was thinking using commands on an unused device on my remote controller (let's say VCR3 or DAT) to trigger events (like turning lights off/on)

Controlling my AV from homeseer would be an added bonus, but i'm mainly interested in using the remote to control the lights...

[astarink]

I changed the drawing to reflect the proper labels. So it seems if i use a receiver/transmitter that works on a different frequency than 418Mhz for Transmitter 2 and Receiver 2, i should work....

[Doug Krasnoff]

remote for lights

i also use my remote for lights, you need a ir-x10 "box" for that http://www.smarthome.com/4040.html if you have a pronto (which now i think that you do not even though you have the icon of it, you can download the x10 ir codes from www.remotecentral.com if you have a learning remote, you might have to buy another remote that has x10 ir codes in it. Should not be very expensive.

[Doug Krasnoff]

homeseer triggered by ir event

I would be very interested to know if the usbuirt interface can actually trigger an event from having an ir-code sent to it. I use a 1632 ir interface and while it can learn ir codes there is no way to trigger an event from an incoming ir signal. FOR ALL THE REAL EXPERTS OUT THERE can HS be triggered by an incoming ir signal?!?!!??!

--Doug

[astarink]

i also use my remote for lights, you need a ir-x10 "box" for that http://www.smarthome.com/4040.html if you have a pronto (which now i think that you do not even though you have the icon of it, you can download the x10 ir codes from www.remotecentral.com if you have a learning remote, you might have to buy another remote that has x10 ir codes in it. Should not be very expensive.

yeah, i do not have a pronto, but i have a Sony learning remote control, so adding new IR codes should be not an issue (i believe i still have an old X10 remote control laying around to learn from). I like to stay away from the X10 layer (delay and reliability issues).

Regarding your second question (USB-UIR), i really hope it would trigger an event based on a received IR signal... that's the reason i've ordered it, assuming this would work.. but now you made me wondering...