A magic eye infra red controller question?

[Gludy]

I had planned a system on the boat that was a box of tricks that when connected to a PC would in effect order all the media files on the PC - this allowed me to connect a PC later. I planned purchasing a marine Pc and using it for a bit of Nav work using Raytech software and alo as the media Centre.

Problem 1 is that this box of tricks I supplied to Trader is controlled by an infra red remote and they say there is no way I can hide this box away and still control it – I thought there must be s system somewhere that took the infra red signal and then relayed it to the box hidden away in the cabinet – if such a system existed it would solve my problem.

They seem to have no problem controlling the two sky sat channels around the 4 TV’s on the boat and these required magic eyes to operate the remote – it’s the equivalent of that magic eye that I am after.

Otherwise I am into purchasing a marine pc right now, something I had planned to do later on. I telephoned a supplier of such PCs - they promised to get back with a quote no later than today but as normal for this industry they did not contact me and have now lost the job as far as I am concerned.

So does anyone know how I can hide away a box with an infra red receiver and then control it by some magic eye system using its remote?

 

[kcrane]

Microsoft themselves do an IR remote control for a PC, here is a US link, but others in UK can be found on Google

http://www.directron.com/xpmediactrl.html

Also, for more generic answer and closer to home, try here:

http://www.redrat.co.uk/





I've got two Freeview boxes on the cat, hidden away, and they also fitted IR eyes to pick up the signals from the remotes.

 

[petem]

I was in the market for something similar but bought a Loewe TV that enabled you to control the DVD/Video via the TV remote sensor.

Anyway Google for "infrared relay".

This stuff seems to be highly recommended

http://www.nilesaudio.org.uk/product_selection.php?catcdID=5

Pete

 

[Gludy]

I do not think my box has other than the IR reciever so I cannot plug in a remote IR reciver.

I need an ir receiver connected to what I think they call an IR flasher so that the flasher is placed in the cabinet and activates the IR sensor on the black box.

You I assime plug in the IR sensor to the freeview boxes - yes?

 

[Gludy]

Thanks - now found under 'IR Extender Kita' so now I can use my magic box as planned. All i needed to do was have it receive a ir signal then transmit it at the other end as the same IR signal. I knew this had to be available.

 

[jfm]

There are loads of these LED re-emitter things. You put an IR receiver outside the cabinet, and an IR emitter inside, connected by a wire.

They need a power supply. But be very careful. They are very voltage sensitive. Generally they need 12v - you wont find 24v, but you prob have 24-12v step down dc converters on the boat to run hifi and electronics, so you can easily find a source of 12v dc. For domestic use they are sold with regulated power supply "bricks" that take in 220v mains and put out say 12v.

Anyway, the point is they need regulated DC output. If you connect to the boat's DC supply, it will vary depending on whether batteries are on charge. Praps 11 to 14.4v. You will likely find this makes the electronics not work. So you need either to use the regulated 220v - 12v brick, but that means running genset or inverter to ensure always a 220v supply, or buy a DC DC regulator that can take say 12-16v DC on the input side and emits a clean 12v on the output side (avail from maplin etc)

Good luck

 

[Gludy]

Thanks for that helpful and detailed advice.

The Sat system is DC as are the TV's so it made sense for me to make the AC sky boxes work of the inverter circuit and therefore enable all to work without a gene.

The boat is 24v but does have many step down inverters and a lot running off 12v. I will however now make sure that the voltage supply to this cadget is a regulated 12 volt - I will probably get the Maplin DC DC regulator.

The black box thing is a Pinnacle system box. Basically it plugs into a TV and then searches (by cable or wirleless) for any PC it can find. In my case I am using a wired connection. Whilst not effecting the PC directory structure it menu items and re-orders all media files of all types within itself and makes them available to the TV system. In effect it is a black box media control system that holds no media files itself and it is very inexpensive. I paid £120 or so but they now have a new model out for just over £200 that deos more. If anyone wants more details I can post a link.

So I can then have the PC in my office used as a media PC as well as a PC for Nav work - its none critical nav work using Raytech software to overlay weather etc and plan routes.

After the suggestion on this forum, I have also wired the Raymarine E120 to enable me to use it via any TV with the remote keyboard plug in. So I have a lot of toys to play with for a few months.

 

[michaelh]

This site list a whole range of infra red extenders, some specifically designed to control equipment hidden in cupboards.

I think their blaster looks interesting - "VERY powerful infra-red output fills the room. Position almost anywhere. Handy for controlling equipment in a cupboard."