Difference between revisions of "USB UIRT"

Revision as of 14:02, 10 June 2008

• Manufacturer home page: http://www.usbuirt.com/
• Seems to work: http://wiki.linuxmce.com/index.php/Video#Equipment_used_in_the_demo

Use in LinuxMCE

Connection

• This device is Plug&play, which means not significant amount of modifications to get it to work.
• MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PERFECTLY GOOD BATTERIES IN YOUR REMOTE, IF YOU ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS RECORDING IR CODES

Adding Remotes

• Windows XP MC Remote is added automatically.
• Adding different remotes (needs more work)

Controlling AV Devices

• AV Devices is the main page used for making and adjusting control over A/V Equipment.
• Also take a look at Infrared Codes if you are having problems with the prepopulated Codesets.

Sales Pitch

The USB-UIRT, along with Automation Software such as LinuxMCE, allows your PC to both Receive and Transmit infrared signals -- exactly like those used by the collection of remote controls you've acquired for your TV, VCR, Audio System, etc. The USB-UIRT can:

• Receive signals from the remote controls you already have (allowing your PC to perform actions when the 'Play' button is pressed on your VCR remote, for example)

• 'Learn' from remotes you already have and Transmit a duplicate of these signals from your PC (for example, your PC could automatically turn ON your VCR and tune it to channel 3)

• Use codes available from the Web for other remotes (such as the Philips Pronto) to control all of your equipment with Remote (IR) receivers (including special 'discrete' remote codes your brand-name remote doesn't include!). For example, the USB-UIRT could transmit the discrete 'Input 3' code to your TV to directly switch it to input 3, rather than cycling through all of the inputs.

Technical Details

IR Reception

• 34-40KHz Frequency Range
• 56KHz IR Receiver Add-On Option*
• UIR-compatible Receiver Mode
• >8 Meter Sensitivity
• IR Wavelength Filtered
• USB Wake-from-Standby Capability
• Built-in wideband IR detector for accurate Learning, including carrier frequency.
• USB Wake-from-Standby Capability

IR Transmission

• 20-60KHz Frequency Range
• Two (2) built-in High-Power Emitters
• 1/8" Mini-Jack for External Emitters
• UIRT-compatible Struct and Raw modes
• Extended-length code support in hardware (up to 96burst-pairs)
• Max-length burst code support in driver (up to 2048 burst-pairs)

Dimensions

• 2.4"W x 1.5"D x 0.7"H

Troubleshooting (0710)

Because of an bug within ftdi_sio.c, the UIRT can't transmit commands. Here's a small solution to fix this.

1.) Get the sources for your kernel

2.1) Edit /usr/src/[YOUR VERSION]/drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c

2.2) Find the function "ftdi_tiocmget". It should look like "ftdi_tiocmget(struct usb_serial_port *port, struct file *file)"

2.3) Within this function is a case-block, just after "case FT2232C:" add "case FT232RL:"

2.3) Save the file

3.) Rebuild the module by typing

cd /usr/src/[YOUR VERSION]/ sudo make drivers/usb/serial/ftdio_sio.ko

4.) Backup your existing ftdi_sio.ko module

cd /lib/modules/[YOUR VERSION]/kernel/drivers/usb/serial/ sudo cp ftdi_sio.ko ftdi_sio.ko.backup sudo cp /usr/src/[YOUR VERSION]/drivers/usb/serial/ftdio_sio.ko ./

5.) Reboot your system

See also

• http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/USB-UIRT
• https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-meta/+bug/177166