I have just acquired an IR dimmer unit.
The problem I have in automating them is I can only turn them on or off with my 5000i in the automated sequence I wish to use. They work fine in the toggle mode by manually keeping the button pressed, but I see no way of dimming them and bringing them back up at the end of a show in an automated sequence. I have tried using repeated time delays between alias commands to give a long signal. All this achieves is lights going on and off rapidly.

Is there a work around so the remote firstly can put the lights in a known state, before the remote sends a command?
Is their a function that will keep the light transmit button depressed for apx 5 seconds? This would get around half my problem.

The light unit is from CPC part # RCS-2205 and -2206.

Using the search function for the last month turns up two useful threads below. I think you may need a dimmer that you can send a single IR command to and have it perform a dimming operation to a preset level. I think that's what they call "scenes".

"Need to get pronto to send 2 different codes at same time"

"programming buttons for a light dimmer"

When you say "IR dimmer unit" are you talking about a x10 switch or plug in module?. If so your options as you have found are pretty limited. You can set up several dim or brighten commands up in a macro but it still falls far short of achiving what you have in mind. Also as you have noticed you must come to full bright before you can dim. What you need are indead scene capable switches. With them you can set ramp rates from instant on to 13 minutes. You can set them to come to preset levels and also they return to the previous level when turned back on. If you have more than one switch each can be programmed individually (ramp rate and levels) and then all operated will one X10 command. Take a look at PCS smartswitchs at http://www.pcslighting.com for more information. I buy mine at http://www.homeautomationnet.com and have been very pleased with them. For a HT setup they really do the trick.