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Topic:
Wired "IR" input for HTPC
This thread has 8 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Monday August 11, 2008 at 12:29
stricko
Long Time Member
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June 2003
79
Hi guys

I've got a horribly complex setup with two sets of kit in the same room. One set is for the room itself (a "cinema"), and the other is for my "lounge", on the other side of a wall. Both set-ups have separate amps, dvd players etc, but share other components including a satellite PVR and a HTPC. IR for the "lounge" system comes in via a Xantech box, and the usual emitters.

It all works a treat at the moment but I'm considering an upgrage which would see (amongst other things) a second HTPC, instead of one the DVD players. So I'd have 2 HTPCs, in the same rack, requiring separate IR control.

I've thought about putting one of the IR receivers (and the end of an emitter wand!) in an lightproof box, but there must be a more elegant way of doing it.

Ideally I'd like to replicate the direct IR feed I have on the HK amp which is part of the "lounge" set-up. All I have is a mini-jack to mini-jack lead from the Xantech into the back of the HK.

So has anyone seen a PC card or anything that would allow me to feed an HTPC with an IR signal direct from a Xantech system (or something like it) without using an emitter and a receiver?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts........

OP | Post 2 made on Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 05:43
stricko
Long Time Member
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79
I also have a similar question open on the AVS forum. Someone there reckons that a HP Pavillion Elite m9040n PC has such a jack input but I'm struggling to find any documentation.
Post 3 made on Friday August 15, 2008 at 21:33
jimstolz76
Loyal Member
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December 2007
5,607
I think you guys are going to drive yourselves crazy looking for this part (but if you find it, let me know!)

Just use black electrical tape over the IR emitter and entire IR window of the IR to USB sensor unit. You can make this look surprisingly clean if you're careful and no IR will bleed from one unit to the other.
OP | Post 4 made on Monday August 18, 2008 at 06:56
stricko
Long Time Member
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June 2003
79
The other way is just to put the IR head for the existing PC on an IR extension lead and hide it behind the edge of the screen in the other room. I was always nervous about doing this because the IR link from the original MCE keyboard was so ropey, but I've just switched to a 2.4ghz keyboard so I'll only be using IR for the remote (Harmony one).
Post 5 made on Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 13:24
Daniel Tonks
Wrangler of Remotes
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October 1998
28,779
I know this probably isn't what you're looking for... but if you're using a MCE system with an original MCE remote, then there are 3 unique IR codesets available. So you could use normal distribution equipment?
OP | Post 6 made on Monday September 1, 2008 at 09:32
stricko
Long Time Member
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On August 20, 2008 at 13:24, Daniel Tonks said...
I know this probably isn't what you're looking for...
but if you're using a MCE system with an original MCE
remote, then there are 3 unique IR codesets available.
So you could use normal distribution equipment?

Sounds interesting, How does one select which codeset is being used?
Post 7 made on Saturday November 8, 2008 at 13:37
orbitrix
Lurking Member
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November 2008
2
On August 15, 2008 at 21:33, jimstolz76 said...
I think you guys are going to drive yourselves crazy looking
for this part (but if you find it, let me know!)

Just use black electrical tape over the IR emitter and
entire IR window of the IR to USB sensor unit. You can
make this look surprisingly clean if you're careful and
no IR will bleed from one unit to the other.

I know it sounds crazy, but I can tell you from experience that black electrical tape is *completely* transparent to IR. (Man, was that a frustrating lesson learned!!)
Brian
OP | Post 8 made on Monday January 10, 2011 at 01:18
stricko
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
June 2003
79
Wow, it was a long long time ago that I asked this question.

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but Has anyone ever seen a solution to this one.

Cheers

Paul
Post 9 made on Sunday March 20, 2011 at 20:52
fixitnick
Active Member
Joined:
Posts:
November 2010
710
Direct IR input into the PC....

If you have a com port you can go this route.
[Link: smarthome.com]
I keep pointing my remote at the turntable but, it never advances to the next track.


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