Whittling down the amount of remotes in one's living room has long since been a challenge for the amateur home theater builder, and while there are some decent universal solutions on the market, the RF4CE Consortium is hoping to make things painfully simple. The group has been formed in order to "drive the adoption of an open radio frequency (RF) entertainment control specification based on IEEE 802.15.4." If you'll recall, this isn't the first time we've heard that standard called, as it's also used in MaxStream's XBee Xtender. Notably, Freescale is hoping to incorporate its Synkro technology into the specification, and in an ideal world, we'd see said protocol filter into DVD players, AV receivers, set-top-boxes and all manners of components. Let the IR-to-RF transition begin, we say.

Read - Sony's RF4CE Consortium release
Read - Freescale's RF4CE Consortium release

Amex Digital has certainly dabbled in the home theater space before, but we'll be honest, we're still scratching our heads on this one. The lightly detailed iMON HD Mobile is a self-proclaimed "portable media center," but beyond that, we're pretty much left to wonder what exactly is going on. We are told that it's an advanced IR receiver and VFD display device, and aside from delivering IR commands back to your PC, it'll also scroll across useful information such as news, media information, current time, weather, a graphical equalizer and system details. Guess we'll just hang tight until it gets fleshed out and goes on sale, though we can't say that display really gets our hopes up for anything great.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

If you've ever felt the burning desire to give your index finger a little more prominence in your day-to-day computing exercises, here's your chance. A DIY'er has combined an IR-based, homemade tracking system with a piece of software that he's coded which can translate the IR data into 3D navigation. So far, the system can track the movement of two hands using six individual points (we assume one per axis, per hand). Details are scarce on the project right now, but the prospect of manipulating onscreen images or spaces in three dimensions with a cheap and simple solution is definitely enticing. Check the video after the break to see a finger in action.

Right on cue, Denon has gone and launched the oh-so-snazzy RC-7000CI remote, which we had the pleasure of seeing a tad early thanks to the FCC. The fully programmable, ZigBee-based remote allows for universal command and control of all Denon remote controlled products "as well as products from other manufacturers," and those with internet access (that'd be you, hot shot) can simply connect the remote to a PC via USB and "program the functionality of all the products in their system" care of the online IR database. Paired up with one or two RC-7001RCI RF/IR Remote Bases (pictured after the jump), the duo creates a multi-room remote control system that allows for "both two-way communication and IR functionality." As with everything labeled Denon, don't expect either of these August-bound niceties to come sans a premium, as you'll be asked to cough up $299.99 for the remote itself, while each base station adds another $199.99.

[Via TrustedReviews]

Fujifilm has been lending a helping hand in the realm of investigative photography for quite some time, and the firm's latest picks up where the S3 Pro UVIR and IS-1 left off. Featuring Fujifilm's Super CCD Pro and Real Photo Processor Pro technology to see light from the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared portions of the spectrum, this 12.3-megapixel gem also sports face detection, password protected lockouts, optional "rubber body armor," CF / Microdrive slots, RAW support, and a live image preview LCD to boot. Moreover, it's fully compatible with Nikon F mount lenses and iTTL flash systems, which should ease the burden of switching costs if you've already sunk way too much into Nikon accessories. No word just yet on how much coinage this will demand, but look for it to land in precincts (okay, store shelves too) next month.

While its practicality may be somewhat limited, we've got to give some props to Benjamin Eckel for finding what is surely one of the most geeky uses for a guitar yet devised: turning that otherwise wailing axe into a makeshift IR decoder. In true DIY fashion, Benjamin admits that he doesn't entirely understand how the whole thing works, but he assures us that it does, requiring nothing more than a WAV editor and a means of hooking the guitar up to your PC. You'll still have to do the hard work of deciphering the waveforms yourself, however, which should prove to be endless good times.

[Via Hack a Day]

If you're looking to get in touch with your artsy side, check out Instructables' DIY infrared filter project, which not only involves crafting the hack, but also adds some new flavor to your digital photography routine. With some cardboard tubes, old negatives, electrical tape, and a few other minor tools, you can whip up one of these in a jiffy. You're good to go as long as your camera's sensitive to infrared light -- something you can test using an IR remote. We suggest experimenting with subject matter like nature scenes or architecture, but if you decide to perv it up, good luck trying to peep those Japanese Olympic swimmers.

Sure, there's already a way to beam high-definition content onto your TV if you keep all of your media stored on your iPod, but for whimsical shooters that wield their cameraphone or IrSS-enabled digital camera most of the time, Sharp's kicking out a bantam liaison just for you. Designed to ideally operate with high-speed infrared devices, the HN-IR1 enables cellphones and other IrSS gizmos to transmit high-quality photos wirelessly, where it's then channeled onto your set at resolutions up to 1,920 x 1080. Of course, it'll automatically downscale if you aren't plugged into an HDTV, and interestingly enough, it purportedly interfaces with a few of Sharp's AQUOS HD recorders in order to burn your photos to HDD / DVD. The wee device checks in at just 3.1- x 2.8- x 1.1-inches, handles photos up to eight-megapixels, and boasts a maximum transmission rate of 4Mbps, and while no exhaustive list of compatible devices was noted, a good deal of NTT DoCoMo handsets should fit the bill. So if you never seem to have time to transfer your photos over to entertain the family with a big screen slideshow, those in Japan can snag the HN-IR1 in late April for ¥14,000 ($116).

[Via Impress]

Apparently this is the season to give IR-less, inanimate objects a bit of infrared love, as we've now got yet another IR installation duty for you handle once you've mastered the chore of getting the connectivity in your PlayStation 3. For those mums and pops who frequent McDonald's all too frequently, you've probably got a satisfactory stash of iZ toys laying around like landmines in the kitchen floor. If you've already got a (partial) multiroom IR channeling setup going, there's always the need for more coverage, so that's where the relatively useless "orange iZ" comes in, along with an IR receiver, soldering gun, and a dash of DIY prowess. This engineering dad cracked open the critter, carefully inserted the repeater, and made sure to clean up the mess by routing the cables through a rear opening, producing an impressively clean result. So if you're looking to make something worthwhile out of those otherwise ineffectual Happy Meal toys, be sure to hit the read link for all your instructions, and click on through for the repeatin' in action.

[Via MAKE]

For those of you who've just unboxed (or already snagged) a Nintendo Wii, and are more interested in casing out the innards or hacking it up, we've got yet another challenge for you and your console. While we've seen how to control the functions of your home with a PSP, there's just something special about flinging your Wiimote up and down to lower and raise the lighting conditions around your crib. Aside from a Wii, Wiimote, and a good bit of spare time, you'll also need the Smarthome Insteon lights w/ ControlLinc, an Aurora Multimedia WACI NX, a Linux-based PC, and if you wish, an optional AXIS PTZ IP Security Camera and Proliphix IP Thermostat. Once you've got your hardware in order, you'll need to get your palms on a PHP script that directs the IP traffic and forwards the appropriate information. This home automation mod has the potential to control "lights, thermostat, cameras, jukeboxes, DVRs, TiVos," and basically anything you can dictate via IP information. So if you're looking for a great way to spend your hours off, and don't mind getting dirty with a little coding, be sure to hit the read link for the full rundown, and click on through for a YouTube demonstration.

[Via Digg, thanks Nate]

Ok, so the PS3 certainly has its strengths (like the built in Blu-ray player, for instance), but there's definitely a few gripes following it around as well. A (very understandable) complaint from AV freaks has been how the home-theater-centric console strangely lacks an IR receiver, and instead, Sony opted to offer up its proprietary Bluetooth remote to control the BD movie action from afar. Those looking to dictate your PS3 with that (presumably costly) universal IR remote, take heart, as the clever folks at Remote Central have whipped up a way to add infrared functionality to your IR-less machine. Aside from a PlayStation 3 and a desire to further integrate it into your home theater setup, you'll need a PSX/PS2 Controller-to-USB adapter as well as an original Sony DVD remote for the PS2 (model SCPH-10172) with external IR receiver (model SCPH-10160). Of course, the aforementioned remote should prove trickiest to find, as the current models lack that crucial external receiver to account for the built-in version found in the slim PS2 units. By connecting the external IR receiver to the adapter box, and then plugging the resulting combination into a USB port, you've created an unsightly way to talk to your PS3 via infrared. So if you've got integration on the brain, or just don't feel like shelling out the funds for that newfangled Bluetooth remote, be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny, and give yourself something productive to do over the relaxing holiday vacation.

[Via CEPro]

Jimbo, an intrepid member of the Sling Community, recently tore open his Slingbox PRO to document the chips inside, and in the process seems to have discovered an infrared receiver hidden away behind the Sling logo. No one's quite sure what this is for, but Dave Zatz, an Engadget special correspondent, is speculating that this may give the PRO some "SlingCatcher functionality" -- making it possible to watch a remote Sling feed on a TV -- or that it could possibly be used to display additional information somewhat like the upcoming Wii channels. Zatz has put in an inquiry to Sling and will keep all of us posted.

[Via Zatz Not Funny]

As if its insanely coordinated logistics system, biometric payment system, and (potential) RFID shelving weren't eerie enough, America's largest retailer is taking consumer voyeurism one step further with the use of infrared technology. In an apparent attempt to avoid the taboo "RFID" flavor of intrusion, Wal-Mart is hoping to sneak an IR system into its stores to gauge the effectiveness (and elicit more advertising dollars, of course) of its various promotions. Dubbed Prism, the arguably dodgy system was crafted by Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, Kroger, Procter & Gamble, Walgreens, and Disney in order to "track shoppers' movements around the store" and correlate them with actual sales in order to judge display effectiveness. The consortium of firms has coaxed the corporate giant to install a trial system in ten of its SuperCenters, with a much broader rollout expected to follow soon; so when making that mad dash to the Tickle Me Elmo eXtreme (or bathroom supplies) section, just remember that Big Brother could be keenly watching.

[Via TechDirt]

So you just paid $800 for your brand new Series3 TiVo ($1,000 if you transferred your lifetime subscription), waited patiently as the morons from the cable company tried to get their heads around installing CableCARDs in a non-TV device, and finally sat down on your couch to begin recording and commercial skipping all that great HD programming -- just to find out that your damn TiVo remote doesn't work! As many home theater aficionados know (first-hand, unfortunately), plasma TVs emit a significant amount of EMI and RFI signals from their surfaces that can confuse nearby IR sensors and render them useless, especially if your home theater gear juts out in front of the display. Well this problem has been happening in spades to new Series3 owners, as the box's IR receiver seems especially sensitive to other frequencies, so much so that they often need to press a button 10 to 15 times for a command to actually register. TiVo seems to be aware of the issue, but has not yet offered a solution, which is why the good folks who frequent the TiVo Community forum have put their heads together and come up with several effective workarounds. The most ghetto of these fixes involves attaching a tiny opaque "hood" around the box's sensor window, so that plasma interference can't go through but line-of-sight remote commands are still received. Since you probably don't want an ugly piece of cardboard hanging off of your beautiful $800 device, forum user "lightspeed" has come up with a slightly more difficult but much more aesthetically pleasing alternative: after carefully disassembling your Series3, you simply need to attach 6 to 8 small squares of GLAD Press 'n Seal to the inside of the IR window on the front face plate, which will serve to shield the sensor from the bad signals but let the good ones get through. Good job, intrepid TiVo devotees, but what we wanna know is: out of all the folks who beta tested this product, was there not even one of them who used it with a plasma and could have caught this problem much sooner? TiVo: makes a great product, but needs a little help in the e-commerce and quality assurance departments.

Read- Problem
Read- Fix
Read- Fix pics