[mythtv-users] Hooking Hauppauge NOVA-T remote to NOVA-T-less front end ...

[Jules Gosnell]

Nick wrote:
> On 09/08/06, Jules Gosnell <jules at coredevelopers.net> wrote:
> 
>>I bought a pair of NOVA-Ts for my back end which lives in my office and
>>would like to set up a remote control for my front end which lives under
>>the tv in the living room.
>>
>>I have a couple of remotes and infra-red eyes sitting on my desk, that
>>came with the NOVA-Ts.
>>
>>Is there a reasonably painless way of reusing one of the infra-red eyes
>>somehow (it has a headphone jack on it at the moment, but I might not be
>>averse to some simple soldering) to allow the front end (which does not
>>contain a NOVA-T) to 'see' a NOVA-T remote control ?
> 
> 
> It may be possible to use LIRC via a soundcard input with the existing
> 3.5mm connector, but this depends on how much of the IR circuit is in
> the head of the eye. You could also try using a 3.5mm audio extension
> lead from the backend to the frontend but this may introduce
> unsatisfactory latency and mean a cable needs to be dropped between
> the two systems.
> 

I looked over the lirc stuff last night after reading your mail and 
noticed this, then tried plugging the eye into my mic socket - the plug 
is slightly smaller :-(

> It will probably be quicker to either build a homebrew serial IR
> receiver (schematics on the lirc.org site), 

my electronics skills are probably not up to that...

buy a pre-assembled one
> (such as zapway.de),

I found this last night, read through it and decided that I wanted the 
internal EPIA model. Unfortunately, Thomas' write up says that this only 
works for 5v COM2 ports, whereas mine appears to be 12v - so I have 
mailed him to ask him whether he has a solution to this.

  or get hold of a USB IR receiver.

I'm trying to keep everything within the case, which has a nice grille 
at the front behind which I intend to position the eye.

  It's likely
> most of the IR components of the eye could be reused if you go the
> homebrew route, but I haven't yet taken one apart to see exactly
> what's in it.

If its changing a plug, I am probably up to it. Reverse engineering a 
circuit is way beyond me !!

> 
> You can still use the Nova-T remote with the homebrew receiever -
> however this also allows you to use many other remotes with your
> frontent, whereas the Nova-T card/eye limits you to using RC5-based
> remotes.

I see - the homebrew receiver definitely seems to be the way to go. I've 
got a number of remotes at home that I could use...

Thanks for all the guidance, it is much appreciated.


Jules

> 
> 
>>Are there lirc configs out there which allow you to control most of
>>mythtv's fn-ality via a NOVA-T remote ?
> 
> 
> Yes. The LIRC website (http://lirc.sourceforge.net/remotes/hauppauge/)
> carries remote configurations for most if not all Hauppauge remotes.
> 
> Hope this helps,
> Nick
> 


-- 
"Open Source is a self-assembling organism. You dangle a piece of
string into a super-saturated solution and a whole operating-system
crystallises out around it."

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