Run a macro every 30 minutes?

[The Robman]

I saw this post at Remote Central that got my interest (quoted below).

Basically the guy needs a remote that can fire off one macro every 30 minutes, and another 5 minutes later. The first macro would change his video selector from the SAT input to the PC input, and the second macro would switch it back again.

I was wondering if a URC-8910 or URC-8800 (both of which have clocks) could be used for this. Could one of the extenders be adapted for this purpose?

Alternatively, is there an X10 type solution he should be considering?

I have a bar where I show SKY. The TV’s (there are 4 + 1 projector) are all fed from one source, I would like to show a 5-minute PowerPoint presentation every half hour or so. My problem is finding a switch that would automatically change over feed from satellite > pc every half hour and back after 5-minutes. As you can imagine the change (ideally) would happen maybe 20-30 times a day. As I see it, the only component that will need switching is an RC AV SCART Switcher to change the feed from a satellite decoder to a pc, which will be continually looping a PowerPoint presentation.

I think a VCR would do the job but there would always need to be a cassette in it and I think VCR's are limited to 8 events per day which would only allow 4 presentations.

I have had recommended a HomeVision (a bit pricey, a bit overkill), Pronto TSU3000 (still a bit pricey). Has anyone any other suggestions please.

Thanks

[gjarboni]

I'd say that timed macros in the 740 remotes would do the trick. You could put in 48 timed macros or actually 96. 12:00am ,12:05am. Or I guess you could use a custom delay protocol that would pause 5 minutes. I'm not sure which one would use more memory. The custom delay protocol has the advantage of not letting anyone use the remote to skip the presentation. Since the memory regions in the 740 remotes are resizeable, he could make a remote that had a large timed macro region.

[Herbie]

Since there's already a PC involved, I'd think this would be a TON easier to do with X-10.

The PC-to-X-10 serial adaptor is dirt cheap.
http://www.x10.com/automation/firecrack ... _br1ab.htm
(possibly cheaper elsewhere, this was just the first place I looked)

The Firecracker software is a free download from there too.

Added to that, the best product would be the VCR commander, which can learn IR Remote signals and then "broadcast" them back upon X-10 commands from the PC or any other X-10 controller.
http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ux23a.htm

By default it's setup to take "stop" and "record" commands from a motion sensor, but with the PC software and programming the "Sat" and "PC" receiver commands into it, it can be setup to make those toggles on whatever schedule he wants.
(not just on a regular interval).

HTH...

[jon_armstrong]

A small expansion of Herbie's Idea:

1. Control the Firecracker with this command line utility using Task Manager in every version of windows:

a. Switch the video input to the PC using the command line utility to the Firecracker.
b. Autoplay the Powerpoint Presentation trigered by Task Master with a small delay after a.
c. At the end of the Powerpoint Presentation send another command line program to the firecracker to switch back to Sky.

2. Use a video switcher like this one. I know he is outside the US with SCART connections so maybe the equivalent with different connectors.