[mythtv-users] ATI Remote Bob I and II
Michael T. Dean
mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Sat Mar 4 18:29:26 UTC 2006
On 03/04/2006 09:37 AM, Steve Daniels wrote:
> I've seen the AT RF remote here:
> http://linitx.com/product_info.php?products_id=363
> But I have also seen version II here:
> http://linitx.com/product_info.php?products_id=594
> I was wondering what is the major difference?
>
button layout and production dates?
> I can only really seem to find documentation for the version two, does this
> mean that only the latest version of the remote is supported? Most likely I
> just haven't looked hard enough however.
>
No. Both are supported by the kernel module (which makes it work like a
keyboard) and LIRC (which makes it much more flexible). I use the ATI
Remote Wonder (original version). (BTW, I have no idea what "Bob"
is... Just in case that's important.)
> Do both of the remotes support the ability to have multiple remotes on
> different ID's?
>
Yes.
> I'm assuming that the latter pricey one would be better for MythTV. I'll be
> going through one floor, and one internal single brick thick wall in a UK
> house. Range needed through this is about 5 metres total. Any ideas if this
> will work? I won't hold it against you if it doesn't as I'm sure I can find
> other uses for it!
>
I find the range to be acceptable. I haven't played with it too much,
but I had to add a USB extension to increase the range beyond about 2
feet (away from the metal case, it seems to get much better reception--I
can now control it from about 25 feet without walls blocking and a bit
less with walls). And sitting on my couch with metal springs seems to
affect its range. And--here's the annoying one--when I have several
people in my viewing room right next to me and the remote, range seems
to get very bad (so I take multiple button presses to do anything).
Maybe my visitors just have too much iron in their bloodstream or
something...
I've heard that range is better with version 2, but I have no definitive
proof (as I don't feel it's worth buying a new remote). I keep saying
I'm going to fix up the antenna a bit, but haven't made time to do it.
BTW, the range/metal causing interference thing may answer Michael
Freeman's question about why not all remotes are RF... (Even the DISH
Network RF remotes transmit /both/ IR and RF at the same time to
increase reliability for same-room use.)
> One more thing, would it be possible to use two RF remotes on one system
> independently, with two copies of LIRC running different configs?
>
I'm pretty sure you could do that with one LIRC (if the remotes are the
same version, one receiver can pick up signals from both remotes--as a
matter of fact, a version 1 receiver /might/ actually work with a
version 2 remote and vice versa). So, just set your /etc/lircd.conf to
contain a definition for both remote codes and configure LIRC to
differentiate between the remote codes and you're good to go.
Mike
More information about the mythtv-users
mailing list