Hello

Does anyone know of of Compact Flash radio frequency transmitter card. I'm currently using PDA win (very happy with it), but would like to upgrade my device to allow for RF support in order to improve the range and control from another room, just like with the real Pronto.
Any suggestion to get the same result is welcome (I already have an IR/RF extender from powermid, but it still requires me to aim at the IR receiver...).
PDA Win has an option for RF signal, but I do not know whether there is anything behind it yet...

Thanks

I wasn't aware that PDAwin included RF in any of their official releases.

I had proposed a method for sending RF using the audio output jack. In my tests, it worked with an iPAQ 3635 but was marginal with a Dell x5. I thought that some simple modification would probably allow it to work but that was about the time I ended up in cardiac care and I never followed up later with Dusan at PDAwin. Perhaps he has gone forward on his own - it's not particularly difficult but the RF transmitter used is critical.

What RF frequency do you want to use?

Dave

thanks for your answer. I'm not sure PDAWin supports RF yet, but in the output section I can currently select IR, but I also see that RF is greyed out for the moment, which led me to believe it may, but this remains to be proven.
Regarding RF frequency, I don't have a clue to be honest, I'm just trying to find a solution to this, so this is a bit technical for me.

Would Wifi be solution to my problem?

Could I use the standard Pronto RF IR converter (once I have found a way to send RF signal...)?

THanks

The Global Caché GC-100 is a (wired) network device. You can send TCP strings to it using a protocol which is similar to the CCF format. You would need a way to send the codes via WiFi (software on the PDA) and a way to get them to the GC-100 (wireless access point or wireless router).

If I were the programmers at PDAwin or TotalRemote, I would add support for this. (However, I asked PDAwin to support it long ago with no response.) The only software that I'm aware of that supports this is NetRemote. The x3i would make a fairly complete remote if it had both local IR and could talk to the GC-100.


The GC-100 costs less and does far more. The RFX6000 has a lousy reputation - check the Pronto forums.

Dave

I checked the price of the GC100, it seems to be around 400 USD, and if I understand you properly I would need a wifi receiver to be wired to the GC100, that would then send the IR signals. I'm sure this solution does a lot more (not sure what though), but I was looking for something more straight forward (and hopefully affordable).
I guess the answer is that it does not seem to exist right now, but I really don't understand why: what is the difference between wifi and RF? Wifi PDAs are widely available, and this should be a way to remove the out of line of sight constraint of IR.
And you even say Netremote translates CCF into wifi signal, then I only need a conveter back to IR for my devices, like the Pronto RX6000 does.

I was hoping there would be a simple 50 USD card in the market like for CF / IR card.., or any alternative solution at a reasonable cost, that removes the out of line of sight constraint, but without getting into a complex solution like setting up a wired network.

thanks

I also found an other RF expander [Link: universalremote.com]

could I use this with a wifi PDA and netremote? Would it work?
75 USD sounds reasonable.

Thanks

Worthington Distribution has the GC-100 for under $130 here.

That's no improvement over the Powermid.

No, I do not say that. NetRemote sends TCP strings to a GC-100-06 (via some intermediary) using the Global Caché format.

WiFi uses 2.4GHz and the 802.11 protocol. The RFX6000 uses 418MHz (N. America) or 433.92MHz (elsewhere) and expects CCF codes (after a preamble with the ID, and carrier frequency).

Hey, You could use a Terk LF-UNIV Universal Remote Control Range Extender. It is a small transmitter that velcro's onto the front of your remote/PPC's IR port. It converts the IR to RF and the base unit recieves the RF converts it back to IR and sends the IR to your AV gear. The base unit needs a power outlet and needs to be line-of sight with the gear it will control. The transmitter works off of a small battery. Check this link: [Link: proactiveelectronics.com]
It's a simple solution, but works well.
santai

Thanks

This is pretty much what I was looking for, I think it should do the job, for a very reasonable cost. The only problem left with this solution is looks: not great to have this velcroed to remote).
So I guess it does not exist yet in a Compact Flash format, or anyone can come up with a better solution yet?

Thanks

More than two years later, I am struggling with the same problem. The RF option is still there in the Options menu of PDAWIN's TV Remote Controller 5.5 and pdawin.com does not respond to e-mails (I have sent them three during the last three months). I don't wnat to tape some clunky thing with batteries in it to the front of my PDA. When I get a round tuit, I am going to take a CF IR card and try to convert it into a CF RF card. Assuming I get this to work, is anyone else interested?

Hello

2 years later I have finally chosen the "clunky think" from Terk, so basically the RF extender. It does not look good, but it works quite well, and since there was no alternative I'm pretty happy with it.
Having said that, if you have the skills to create such an RF compact flash car, I would be very interested!

Thanks

Olivier

I would be interested, or if you could convert bluetooth or 802.11 protocol into the rf protocol used by rf remotes

Yes- PDAwin have not responded to mu emails over 6 months either.

BUYER BEWARE - DO NOT BUY PDAwin unless you are sure you will not require any support from PDAwin. They do not respond.