PC digital media remote control

[rickgtx]

How hard would it be to have a JP1 remote to control a PC with an USB IrDa adapter attached? I would like to watch Divx or Web video on the s-video out on my laptop and control it with a remote.

It seems Streamzap (http://www.streamzap.com) sells a device to do that, but I don't want another remote. I have a small bevy of JP1 remotes now (URC-6960,URC-6820,URC-8910,URC-9960) that control almost all my media devices. [Still working on the Romba vacuum ].
Could I use something like IRAssistant (http://www.irassistant.com) or WinLIRC (http://winlirc.sourceforge.net) for the software control?

Has anyone tried this?
Thanks!

[johnsfine]

The irassistant web site says one of the available drivers works with "some IrDa ports". I doubt that would include your USB IrDa, but you'll get a better answer asking them than asking us.

The Winlirc site says it doesn't work with IrDa.

Regardless of which of those three software packages you choose for IR receive and regardless of what IR receive hardware you get to work with that package (IrDa or something purchased with/for that software), a JP1 remote can be programmed easily to generate the signals required.

I guess if you buy a Streamzap you would be buying their remote, but you wouldn't need to use their remote.

If you buy/build the simple IR receiver needed by winlirc, you wouldn't need to buy any remote.

[rickgtx]

Thanks johnsfine, that is pretty much what I expected. After I little more research, I find IrDA and the IR remotes are not too compatible. This page sums it up http://www.pcremotecontrol.com/irda/irda.htm.

[johnsfine]

After I little more research, I find IrDA and the IR remotes are not too compatible.

It's neither as incompatible nor as simple an issues as the above would make you think.

There are significant differences between IrDA signals and typical remote control signals but:

A) A few remote controls send simple IrDA signals rather than typical remote control signals. JP1 remotes can send those (and a slightly wider range of) IrDA signals.

B) Most (probably all) IrDA ports in PCs can be programmed to receive typical remote control signals instead of IrDA signal. The three obstacles to doing that are:
1) IrDA port programming documentation: Typically such documentation is released non disclosure and "need to know" to BIOS writing companies and to Microsoft, and not released the the general public (such as LIRC developers)
2) Making the OS and default drivers get out of the way: To use an IrDA port that way, you need to make the OS and the default drivers get out of your way. LIRC programmers have no trouble making Linux get out of their way for such things. winLIRC programmers have a lot of trouble making Windows get out of their way.
3) Lack of freeware programmers who have the time and expertize. Lots of reasonable and desired features are missing from lots of good freeware projects (obviously including both JP1 and winLIRC) simply because no one had the time to code it.

[IMind]

You could look at buying just a USB IR receiver off of EBay for a Windows Media Center remote. Although it's probably easier just to buy the remote itself and toss it in a box somewhere.