Barf wrote:There are alternatives to the IrWidget and to the IrScope.
For the DIY-inclined, using an Arduino with appropriate sensors and firmware is a very good alternative. I just finished this
hardware guide on how to build one such, to a price less than $10 USD. It can be used with IrScrutinizer.
Then there is the
IrToy, for around $20 USD. It can be used natively by IrScrutinizer. BUT, it can also be flashed with an alternative firmware, making an IrWidget.AFAIK, works perfektly.
IrScrutinizer also support some other hardware, like GlobalCache and CommandFusion.These are in the three-digit price range though.
Personally, I think that IrScope, although it "does the job", suffers from really bad "usability". Capturing several signals, and you must multiplex your hands between the widget, the remote, and the mouse, just to click away those pesky "OK" (modal) popups. IrScutinizer (which also supports the IrWidget) does not suffer from that shortcoming.
Finally, the IrWidget, as originially proposed by Kevin Timmerman, is a very simple construction. In the Tommy-version, it basically consists of one microprocessor PIC12F629, one FTDI chip (for USB communication) and one sensor (QSE157?). Then there are some mechanical components, a LED, and some resistors. Total price < $5 USD. No-one expects anyone to sell anything for the price of the components, but $35 USD...? But in the end, it is the free market; supply and demand rules.
Hello, although I have a usb ir widget, I decided to order a ir toy v2 and I received it a few months ago. I tested it shortly with ir scrutinizer and it was working as I got the decodes from the ir scrutinizer. I didn't dip any deeper.
Today I needed to do a decode of my remote, and decided to try ir toy. However, ir scrutinizer seemed to have a lot more features than I needed. I, therefore, decided to flash it to ir widget mode.
On its project page, I downloaded a bootloader.exe and a fw_update.exe file. According to its web page, to upgrade firmware, there are 3 steps.
Step 1, activate bootloader mode.
method 1, use a terminal program to enable bootloader mode.
After research, it seems to simply use a terminal prompt and type "bootloader.exe "a number"" in my case, it was com 9, so I tyed bootloader 9.
method 2, short two soldering points, which I don't have the tool to do.
Step 2, upload firmware.
type at the terminal the following command
fw_update -e -w -v -m flash -vid 0x04D8 -pid 0xFD0B -ix 1.hex
where 1.hex was the new firmware.
Step 3, reset the ir toy.
just unshort the ir toy soldering points and unplug it from pc.
In step 2, I typed "bootloader 9" and the indicating led became yellow.
I assumed that it was in bootloader mode.
I then went on to enter the fw_update command.
It flashed successful.
I was able to run ir scope with ir toy v2.
Can I assume that the flash was successful and I now have a ir toy emulated as ir widget?
Thanks.