[maemo-developers] [maemo-developers] Re: Using the N770/N800 as a remote control.

[From: Jon Smirl]

On 1/16/07, Ted Zlatanov <tzz at lifelogs.com> wrote:
> On 16 Jan 2007, jonsmirl at gmail.com wrote:
>
> > If only the N800 had IR support then it could be used to go after the
> > high end remote control market. Maybe we'll get it in the next model.
> >
> > There were at least five devices like this at CES this year.
> > http://www.rticorp.com/products/T4.html
> >
> > They are remote controls in the $1,000 to $1,500 range for high end AV
> > installations.
> >
> > N800 has everything necessary except for the IR support. I could
> > easily see these vendors OEMing the N800 instead of building their
> > own.
>
> Would it be possible to write a generic remote control for the
> 770/N800, which talked (over TCP/IP or Bluetooth) to a master
> controller?  The master controller would know that "turn TV on" really
> means "send IR code xyz" but the generic remote control doesn't have
> to.  Are there any protocols to do this already?  Also, UPnP seems to
> be possible with the 770/N800 Media Streamer as a controller, IIRC.

There are several 11b/g to IR converter devices on the market but they
cost $600. You might as well install something like a Media Center PC.
But doing that makes the installation much more complicated than using
a simple IR transmitter. Designing IR into the N800 would add about $3
to its production cost.

-- 
Jon Smirl
jonsmirl at gmail.com