Hi forum,

Quite some receivers and other electronic apparatus have some sort of IR connection jack at the back. Often they even have input and output. Specifically Onkyo have what they call RI (Remote Interactive) - it also appears that this standard has been extended to cover HDMI connexions as well. Apparently this type of "connection" seems to support two way communication to some extent.

My question:
Can anyone confirm it would be possible to connect a IT blaster exit with forementioned IR input jack (output (?)) and directly control such component, instead of sticking a IR blaster on the IR-eye?
I also wonder if any software exists (linux or win) that would be able to visualize the command sequences travelling over the cable connexion?

Preferably I'd like this to function using Linux, but any Windows solution is also welcome as this may lead to a solution.

Thanks for your comments!

Erwin

It is possible with some equipment, not sure on the Onkyo's, best to contact your authorized Onkyo dealer that you purchased the product from or contact Onkyo's tech support.

Hi, thanks for replying;
I guess tech support won't be obvious as we're talking about an 'elderly' but magnificently working TX-DS939 (also known under Integra brand if I'm not mistaken) that I bought second hand...

If you have any other pointer to get me going that would be great!?

Much appreciated,

Erwin

Don't assume that you will not receive assistance from Onkyo just because this is not a new purchase...

This isn't a PC manufacturer :), audio companies genuinely TRY to help... (even if they do not help, they at least take your calls)

I have not worked with Onkyo on a regular basis since the mid-90s, but the original idea was to allow cassette decks and CD players from the same mfg/series (with or w/out remotes) to at least be operated in a basic manner from the receiver's remote.

Other items have an "IR In" port on the rear, which is more universal.

what EXACT items are you trying to connect, what EXACTLY are the ports called (if they are not all Onkyo/Integra RI ports), and what EXACTLY are you trying to do with them??

Are you looking to insert a repeating system (Xantech, Niles, etc) so you can place the components inside a cabinet and still operate them via remote??

Are you looking to consolidate remotes to one advanced programmable remote??

If so (on either/both of the examples above), some of these rear ports are compatible, and some are not....
Which is where the "which exact components" question becomes important.

Sometimes the solution is simple... sometimes it involves more advanced steps such as stripping the carrier freq. off the signal in an advanced programmable remote's programming software...

Hi 2nd Rick,

Thanks for your reply;
Here's some more information of what I'm trying (wanting) to achieve:

I'm working with LinuxMCE.
LMCE is capable to set up an audio / video network througout your whole house.
For this it uses a core server and one or several media directors. You should think of a media director as being a possible 'lightweight' small form factor PC with sufficient capabilities to run 'your' required video / audio - if you want HD 1080p, then the system has to be capable to deliver - if you want 7.1 audio your media director has to be capable to transmit 7.1...
You can also use a 'single' core/hybrid.
It really is a very interesting system if you're into it :-)

LMCE is capable of routing 'commands' to the various media directors, so you would e.g be able to control a media director playing in the main bedroom from say, the livingroom.
It can also 'translate' various commands, like Pronto codes e.g. to rs232 and transport these over your TCP/IP network to the rs232 port of a connected media director, to which e.g a receiver or LCD-TV's rs232 port is connected.
Main advantage of these 'direct' connections is of course 2-way communication.

As a second instance LMCE can also route these commands using e.g. USB IR-blasters. As I noticed that quite some IR-blasters have mini-jack outputs to connect to stick-up IR attachments, this is where I got the idea of maybe directly connecting to IR input/output on various equipment.

As my elder TX-DS939 alas does not have a rs232 port I am mainly interested to find out:
a) can these input/output (cfr photo) be used in this perspective?
b) if yes, will I have (even if limited) 2-way communication?
c) if yes, it will not be necessary to 'stick' an (ugly) IR-blaster on the front side

What would I like to control?
Most all options on the receiver:
- volume up/down
- select source
- select / control zones
- tune radio station
etc.
My thinking is that once I would succeed in setting up direct connection over the IR ports, most all applicable Pronto codes would be useable.

In the manual there is mention of:
- remote sensor HR-10
- remote emitter HE-50
- Xantech multi-room system (us and canadian only - so I'm not sure about mine...)

As far as I understand this is intended to connect 'remote' (in another room / second zone) IR emitter and receiver in order to be able to use a IR remote control in the 'other' room.

The RI (the black ones on the photo) connectors are intended to interconnect 'compatible' equipment. These seem to 'pass through' commands like play, ffwd etc.

The MR connectors are intended to connect the emitter / receiver.

Hope this helps, and you can point me in the right direction?

Thanks very much,

Erwin

Onkyo RI and IR In are different.

IR In - is for eliminating the emitter on the front.
RI - (remote interactive) is for interconnecting several Onkyo/Integra products in a system.

If you have an Onkyo Brand Receiver, CD, Tape & DVD then chaining them together with the RI jacks would allow the receiver's remote to control them all. Also when you push play on the DVD it will switch the receiver to DVD as well. If you control the receiver with RS232 then you can pass the CD,Tape,DVD player RS232 commands along through the receivers RS232 jack by using the RI in and Outs on the other components.

Rob thanks for replying,
Unfortunately, as stated earlier, my Onkyo model TX-DS939 does not have an rs232 port.

What I aim to achieve is exactly to convert these IR codes to 2-way communication in one way or the other.
I can control the receiver by sticking an IR blaster LED onto the receiver - LinuxMCE will thus be able to convey (PRONTO) commands to the receiver via IR-blaster. This is of course only ONE WAY communication.

I would like to set up 2-way communication (hopefully) by means of using these RI (remote interactive) jacks.

I'm looking for help on how to get started intercepting / translating the signals on this bus.

As far as I have read here and there it seems that the same rs232 communication language is also used on USB bus and (???) on this Remote Interactive bus.... Not sure about this though...

Thanks for your information,

Erwin