Ext. IR port, anyone used it yet?

[ailean]

Hi,
Wondering if anyone's used the External IR port on the back of the MD yet?

Now I've got all my gear in nice cabs I'm starting to look at IR distribution systems so I can leave the doors closed most of the time.

Where possible I'm going to try to use the external IR ports on my gear rather then having to stick emitters on the front (cheaper and cleaner if it works ).

What are the pin assignments/protocols used on the MB, was it designed with any paticular brand of gear in mind?

Has it ever been tested?

[Jean-Max]

Originally Posted by ailean

Hi,
Wondering if anyone's used the External IR port on the back of the MD yet?

Intersting answer , also for me !!
I plan to command the MB by a small wire (3.5 mm plug to 3.5 mm plug) from the 3.5mm socket in the back of a Powermid XL receiver, to the back of the HD MediaBox (3.5mm socket ??)

Info on Powermid XL pyramid couple (emitter + receiver) :
http://www.cyberselect.co.uk/product/952

-> do you think it's possible ?
Thanks

[Atman]

Attached is the pin assignment of the external IR connector. It uses a standard 3.5mm audio plug so it is pretty easy to DIY. It is the same as some external IR cables shipped with some TV cards for PC. The +5V is supplied by the HDMB to power the external IR receiver.

[pkeegan]

It doesn't look like it's an emitter in. Xantech IR distribution connection
blocks have just a 3.5mm (mono) 2 wire jack where you plug your emitters
in. So i don't know that you can just plug a cable, with two mono jacks from
the Xantech distribution block emitter out port to the back of the HDMB. You
definately don't want to plug a source 5 volts back into the distribution block.

Since Atman suggests that the +5 volts is for a receiver, there may be IR
receivers on the market that need the voltage for it's power supply, Xantech
and Buffalo use +12v. I'm not familiar with anythat use +5v.

It's unfortunate that you can't just plug a cable from an emitter port of the
Xantech or Buffalo distribution blocks directly into the HDMB. Thus eliminating
the stick on emitter.

[ailean]

Atman, thanks for the details! Can the +5v be disabled from firmware or is it hardwired (I've seen some IR IN sockets offer this so they can be used with either emitters or distribution systems).

pkeegan, yeah this is what I suspect, you maybe able to use a stereo lead and cut the wire to the tip at the MB end. From what I've read up so far it seems that companies not only use different voltages but also different pin layouts. polarites and modulated/unmodulated (baselined ) data.

Xantech seem to have the most info on whos' sockets do what and how to adapt there kit but it appears that kit from the same company doesn't always use the same method! I've gone with them for now with enough IR emitters to get started and I'll see if I can find more details on the direct connections as an option.

[Atman]

Originally Posted by ailean

Atman, thanks for the details! Can the +5v be disabled from firmware or is it hardwired.

The +5v can't be disabled from firmware. Since the IR cable is usually tailor-made, it is easy to make the cable with the +5V disconnected.

[Jean-Max]

Originally Posted by pkeegan

It doesn't look like it's an emitter in. Xantech IR distribution connection
blocks have just a 3.5mm (mono) 2 wire jack where you plug your emitters
in.

Yesss : mono without +5v
Here is an example :

[pkeegan]

I think this might work.http://www.irblaster.info/receiver.html

Note: Its an IR receiver.



I still think it's unfortunate that you would have to use a seperate IR receiver
than a just a direct emitter input. I belive most people who place these units
inside a cabinet have additional equipment in the cabinet as well and would rather
have the unit designed with an emitter input spec'ed to a xantech (my preference)
or to a buffalo electronics IR distribution system.

[Jean-Max]

Originally Posted by pkeegan

I still think it's unfortunate that you would have to use a seperate IR receiver
than a just a direct emitter input. I belive most people who place these units
inside a cabinet have additional equipment in the cabinet as well and would rather have the unit designed with an emitter input spec'ed to a xantech

Yes !

First Idea:
If the HD mediaBox is in a cabinet , a simple 3.5 socket on it (Mono IR+ Gnd) would allow a wired command of the HD media Box from an standard IR emitter with Xantech and Powermid standard (Mono IR+ Gnd)

But could-it be possible to DIY a stereo cable with :

On the Xantech IR emitter side : a 3.5 mm Mono IR + Gnd jack
On the HD media Box side : a 3.5 mm Stereo jack, with IR + Gnd, but without +5V at the end
??

Second idea:
If the HD mediaBox is in a cabinet, why not to past an IR emitter led on the HD mediaBox IR eye ?
(The IR emitter led is wired from an IR emitter Xantech or Powermid standard)

cf this auto-pasted IR emitter leds model :


??

Thanks for your ideas

[pkeegan]

Originally Posted by Jean-Max

Yes !

First Idea:
If the HD mediaBox is in a cabinet , a simple 3.5 socket on it (Mono IR+ Gnd) would allow a wired command of the HD media Box from an standard IR emitter with Xantech and Powermid standard (Mono IR+ Gnd)

But could-it be possible to DIY a stereo cable with :

On the Xantech IR emitter side : a 3.5 mm Mono IR + Gnd jack
On the HD media Box side : a 3.5 mm Stereo jack, with IR + Gnd, but without +5V at the end
??

I like your idea. Hopefully someone will try it out and post the results.

[emelie]

So did anyone come up with a working DIY idea to solve this?

Em