PC Remote Mod

Alright, so I was surfing eBay one night, trying to bore myself to sleep, and I decided to see if there was anything out there like a PC volume remote control that I could use when I go to bed, since my bed is across the room from the computer, and I could adjust the volume of my music without having to walk over to my computer.

Well I decided to get this neat little Creative PC remote set, since it's got a nifty, little, credit card sized remote control:




I got it today and, being me, I took it apart to see what it was like on the inside, after all, this was a huge reciever unit compared to the popular Packard Bell remote out there, which has a large remote and a small reciever; totally oposite of this one. Turns out it doesn't HAVE to be this big at all, it's a small circuit that's only a little more than 1/3 the size of the enclosure:




My idea is to install it in my second to top bay in my case, since it's unused, and run the cable out the back to the 9-pin serial port it uses, with a 90 degree connector from Radar Electric. Here's where I plan to install it; "circled" in red:




My only problem is that Radar doesn't carry the 90 degree 9-pin DB connectors anymore, and I can't seem to find anyone on the net that sells any of the black (deep blue) infrared (IR) plastic. I'd need a very small piece (2cm by 4cm), and I'm thinking I might just end up getting some POS remote off of ebay and just taking the IR plastic out of it, unless someone knows of a place online that sells the stuff. I'm really needed something flat, not curved, so it's flush with the 5.25" bay cover.

~C.P.

Sweet Idea! I also have the same issue as you laying in bed and the computer being to far away. I didn't know this remote exsisted. How much did it cost? I will search around for the plate for your Ir. I remember someone on myhtpc or some other website using something similar in a 5.25 bay. I'll post when I find it.

Or you could make it yourself, using WinLIRC to record codes from an existing remote and using Girder or IRassistant to control software.

The hardware is tiny, mine is built into a DB9 housing, and with just a three wire cable from the back and to a 5mm hole on the front where the receiver is.

But that remote is sweet..

The thing cost me $15.98 including shipping. Although the volume is slow to adjust with WinAmp, it works great in Windows Media Player, except more than half the functions that work with WinAmp, don't work with WMP, I've still got some tinkering left to do with it though

I found it! But this guy used a vcr front panel "tinted", and cut it to fit into a 3.5 bay. But he says that he had a plan before to use a piece of plexi glass and use auto window tint to tint it and then use that for the bay, that might work. Heres the ) Linky!!

Ahh, good idea. I'll see if my older brother has any of the dark tint left from what he used on his car. Spray with windex, apply, take squeegy and smooth out air bubbles....done ^_^.

Veland said:

Or you could make it yourself, using WinLIRC to record codes from an existing remote and using Girder or IRassistant to control software.

The hardware is tiny, mine is built into a DB9 housing, and with just a three wire cable from the back and to a 5mm hole on the front where the receiver is.

But that remote is sweet..

Click to expand...

Please Veland how did you set up WinLIRC to use the DB9 infrared receiver? Right now I've finished to solder mime, but doesn't seems to work properly...

Thanks,
Adriano

Make sure you got the com port active in the BIOS and that you are telling WinLIRC what com port you are using. Then it should just be a matter of giving it a new config file and off you go!

Any error messages?

Thanks for the fast reply
I've installed WinLIRC using the Config File for my Sony RM-D420 remote controller, even if the Systray Icon doesn't change color when I hit buttons, is it right? or something is wrong with my IR receiver? No error msg at all.

Adriano

with winLIRC you have to have it "learn" each remote so you must press buttons and all kinds a junk so it learns each key and then you should see the thing in system tray change colors when you press a button. TO get it to work with winamp you must simply get th eplugin and map the winamp controls to whatever name you gave the desired buttons.

Yep, try to get it to learn. When you start the process it first find the carrier of your remote, this also shows if everything works ok. Then learn each button and do an "analyze" after that. Then you should be set!

I suppose something was wrong with my poor soldering skill coz no signals are detected during the learning process, and the remote works properly, so I've to recheck all...

Adriano

Wow, you're all getting to this before I can =P. I actually can't get to it until some time next month or later this summer along with some other projects I have to finish. Sorry about the uber long wait everyone . I'll be sure to post pix when I do get around to doing this. =\

~C.P.