Turn Your desktop into a Remote Console using usb-uirt

[ifish222]

how can i turn my desktop into a Remote Console using usb-uirt. i want to be able control on-off, volume, mute functions on my tv. right now i'm using beyond tv 4 to change channels, but surely thier must be a more complete media console out there.

[jrhees]

There are various software packages which might work for you. See the main USB-UIRT page for lings to many. Girder is probably the most general-purpose automation solution out there.

-Jon

[THEGUIRC]

I have built an application that puts your remote control on your desktop and uses the usb-uirt to send infrared signals to whatever you would like to control.

I can customize this program to fit anyone's needs.

[Guest]

Is there a link to this program. I am looking to just control one device from my PC.

[THEGUIRC]

Sorry. I don't have a link to my program yet. I only have screenshots of it displaying the menu system, which I can email to anyone interested.

[Bitmonster]

Well, EventGhost could also be used for this purpose. It has a webserver as a plugin so you can create a page with buttons for your needs. Such page might also be be used as an active-desktop-component, but I haven't tried it this way. I use a small standalone firefox-window to control my equipment.

[THEGUIRC]

I finally finished my GUI Remote Control and uploaded it to my website.
I am offering it as freeware in the hopes of getting feedback in order to improve on the design.

All I ask is that people register the application with me. It is a simple procedure of the user emailing me the Registration String and receiving a Registration Key in return.

http://www.the-gui-automation.com

I hope this will be helpful to some.
THEGUIRC

[girish_inf]

Is there a software that could map the universal remore keys (received via USB UIRT) to the PC keyboard?

[meenzal]

I see that the nifty s/w from gui-automation appears to be oriented to a specific set of cable boxes and my dcx3400 isn't one of them. I too would like to find software that I can configure (to operate my growing collection of robots.)

I tried HCS but it doesn't run on either my XP 32bit or Vista 64 bit machines. On both it simply exits and leaves a shell running that has to be killed with Process Explorer or a reboot. The whole daisy chain of applications idea doesn't really appeal to me because I have been fighting with Girder about which I am clueless, and trying to figure out how people succeeded with it.

IS there any software out there that we can use with some simplicity that A) works, and B) has documentation that explains simply how to use it? The whole daisy chain of applications idea doesn't really appeal to me. (B) is because I have been fighting with Girder about which I am clueless, and trying to figure out how people succeeded with it.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated!

[lagommette]

Hi meenzal,

I am the developper of HCS. At the time you tried to install HCS, the OCX MSINET.ocx had also to be separatly installed on the computer. This is why you did not manage to run correctly HCS.

Since 29th january 2010, this OCX is no longer needed.

Uninstall HCS and re install it and everything should be working.

User's manual is still in french. So if you need more info, do not hesitate to email me.

I am sure you'll find HCS very pleasant to use.

Let me know.

Regards,

lagommette

[meenzal]

Ohhhh. Ok. Thanks, I appreciate the info. I'll give it another try and see how it goes.

I appreciate the reply!

[mediadogg]

Hello,

I have been develping tools that support various kinds of Sony changers, especially the obsolete VGPXL1Bx series firewire controlled 200 disc changers. Most recently I have been working with DVD Profiler, and have made a popular plugin called LoadDVD. LoadDVD will load and play discs and hard drive media from just about anywhere in your network. There is built-in support for VGPXL1Bx, rs232 CX777ES and IR support of CX995V and other Sony models.

LoadDVD Pro adds a built-in media player, Playlist manager and automatic reconition and formatting of flash-based videos such as YouTube, Hulu, etc. In addition, if the selected movie is available on Netflix, a netflix icon is presented. Click on that icon and you will see the instant movie if available, or the trailer if available, or you will go to the web page in the embedded player/browser if neither are available.

Just recently I have announed my a/v Automation System, which is a small scale system for using USBUIRT for automation tasks within the home. There is the a/v DashBoard, which acts as a server for automation commands and LoadDVD acts as a client in the DVD Profiler environment. A standalone client is provided called runactions.exe that will send a set of commands to any automation server. The whole system is based on a small architecture that defines the automation commands and stores all configuration information in XML files.

Here is a screen shot of LoadDVD Pro running inside Invelos DVD Profiler, showing the embedded media player and Netflix Instant Movie Player.



Here is a video demo of LoadDVD Pro.

Here is an overview poster of a/v DashBoard.



Here is thea/v DashBoard User Guide.

At this time, I only support one instance of the USBUIRT blaster.

Links:

My website - free tools
Shopping Site - Advanced Tools

Support at www.Invelos.Com - plugins Forum, LoadDVD and a/v Automation threads

(Grateful acknowledgement to the management of Invelos Software)

[mediadogg]

For an idea of what you can do with my software.

Last night I was playing DVDs from DVD Profiler running on my laptop in the family room (home theater). Clicking on a disc icon, the laptop sent IR commands to the Oppo HDMI swicher to switch to the output of the Brite-View wireless HD receiver. The tranmitter sits in a closet connected to 2 Sony CX995V and a CX777ES.

The same action sequence sent a command to the a/v DashBoard running on my Windows Home Server. The WHS connects via USB to a Dacal/Ziotek changer, and to the CX777ES via a USB-rs232 bridge. The slot number is passed by LoadDVD in the action sequence to a/v DashBoard, which then sends commands to the CX777ES. This all takes a couple of minutes before the movie is spinning on the LCD TV.

Then I click on my virtual renote of the X10 1543 mini-controller and it sends an action sequence to the WHS which has another USBUIRT. Those IR signals are converted to X10 by the 1543 and sent to my home theater lights, which are Smarthome INSTEON dimmers, coded for X10.

I think you get the idea. I can do all this with just a few simple action sequence commands, that are triggered by one button click on the disc icon.

For example, to play the disc, LoadDVD sends:

"[DSC] %slot% [RON] homeserver [DEV] CX777ES1 [PRG] CX777ES [ARG] %connect% 36 %rslot% 0 0 1 [ROF]"

The %slot% is gotten from the DVD Profiler "Slot" field, and is used to populate the %rslot% before sending the string to the server. Assuming the slot was 47, the server then sees:

"[DEV] CX777ES1 [PRG] CX77ES [ARG] %connect% 36 47 0 0 1"

The a/v DashBoard in WHS pulls the COM port from the a/v configuration file and substitues for %connect%. Meanwhile, the CX77ES has been defined in the configuration file as cx777.exe, which is then called and passed the arguments, e.g.: "COM1 36 47 0 0 1".

A/v DashBoard has functions for discovery of supported USB, RS232 and firewire changers and automatic update of the configuration file.

"Mickey D" ain't got nothin' on me ... cause "I'm lovin' it" ...

[mediadogg]

Take a look at the newest member of the a/v Automation System

a/v Engine for Windows Home Server