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Use a universal remote with PS3
Universal remote fans -- after trying a Logitech Harmony remote, we can't go back to one-remote-per-device -- will run into trouble on the PS3; its standard remote works over Bluetooth, not IR. So the PS3 remote gains the ability to work in other rooms, but it loses the universal appeal of IR blasting. Remote Central documents the process of adding an old PS2 IR receiver so that you can use that PS2 remote -- or a universal model -- with the PS3.The steps seems simple enough; all it takes is the PS2 IR receiver dongle and the PS2-to-PS3 gamepad adapter. The translation loses some of the functionality of the PS2 remote -- 14 common commands work, but 35 don't -- but it may be enough to watch Blue-ray movies with a universal remote.See also: Universal remotist finds fault with PS3, console lacks IR port[Via Engadget]
Control your PlayStation 3 with IR
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]
TV remotes demystify Wii sensor bar
It seems that the Wii's sensor bar isn't entirely necessary to use the Wii remote's pointer functionality. An intrepid Wii user has posted an online video showing intermittent pointer reception using two TV remote controls in place of the sensor bar.Apparently the Wii sensor bar is actually a transmitter for a dual IR signal that gets triangulated by the Wii remote, not a receiver for a signal that comes from the remote. This revelation would seem to suggest that any correctly positioned, consistent dual IR source can be used in place of the official Nintendo provided sensor bar. With this information in hand, how long will it be until we see hackers rigging up their own custom sensor technology?
Slingbox PRO has a mysterious built-in infrared receiver
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]
Universal remotist finds fault with PS3, console lacks IR port
Opposable Thumbs highlights a little publicized PlayStation 3 detail that could bug universal remote users hoping to incorporate the console's Blu-ray player into their tidy home theatre setups: PS3 lacks an IR port.It's a small gripe at best, but one wonders why Sony made the curious decision to deviate from the infrared standard (the remote uses Bluetooth). Or maybe it's obvious: save money (albeit pennies) by cutting the IR port out of manufacturing costs, plus earn money by forcing consumers to buy the only PS3-compatible remote, yours. Then again, maybe this is simply Sony's bold attempt to phase out infrared; maybe it's part of the "next-gen begins when we say so" act. After all, third-party remotes will come, including a device that supports both infrared and Bluetooth (aka the "true-universal" remote). Now there's an idea ...
Wal-Mart to use infrared to track shoppers / promotions
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]
TiVo Series3 + plasma TV = big problems
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- ProblemRead- FixRead- Fix pics
Heroes of the Pacific sequel coming to the Wii
Unless you're one who owns multiple consoles from the last generation or enjoy gaming via the PC, it's likely you've never played Heroes of the Pacific. While the game had some interesting segments, it was lacking in the kind of gameplay critics laud. According to Australian blog The Age, a sequel is in the works for next-gen consoles, including the Wii.According to the post, IR Gurus have completed 6 months of pre-production on the sequel Heroes Over Europe, which is to be published by Red Mile Entertainment. Sadly though, nothing is said about the Wii version of the title specifically, leaving us to speculate on how the Wiimote will be utilized.
Control your IR devices via SMS
As the site clearly indicates, "The purpose of this circuit is to make the human life better and easier," and we couldn't agree more. If you've got an ancient Ericsson lying around that would otherwise be ready for the recycle bin, this circuit gives your faithful friend a new lease on life as an SMS-actuated IR sender capable of controlling up to eight devices, depending on how you opt to build it. A simple 8-digit text message to the phone is all it takes to send the appropriate ON or OFF signals, and as an added bonus, the author shows you how to wire the phone directly into the circuit so a battery's no longer required. A better and easier human life, indeed.[Via Make]
Sirius Conductor enables whole-house sat radio fun
Breaking with the tradition of beginning nearly all of its product names with the letter "S" (see the recently released Stiletto, Starmates, Sportsters, Stratus and old school S50 for reference), Sirius has announced a new in-home satellite radio tuner known as the Conductor. Instead of lugging your Sirius boombox all over the house, you'll now be able to hook the tuner directly into your rack-mounted receiver (though you'll still need to snake that antenna outside) and operate it from almost anywhere in your pad thanks to the handy RF- and IR-equipped remote. The LCD-sporting universal remote can also control up to five other members of your home theater family, and if you're willing to shell out for an extra Sirius subscription, it has the ability to rock two separate audio zones with a compatible SiriusConnect tuner. (Howard in one room and Martha in the other -- does life get any better than that?) Scheduled for a November release, the Conductor system will set you back $150, but if you've already got yourself a lifetime sub, this would seem like a must-have item (well, as long as you don't mind eating the transfer fee).[Via Orbitcast]
Store your MacBook remote on your display
Jealous of the iMac's ability to magnetically store your Apple Remote for safe keeping? If you're a MacBook owner, a macosxhints reader discovered that you can toss that jealousy and join your iMac Remote-storin' brethren. Apparently, the top left of the MacBook's display is magnetic enough to support and hold an Apple Remote. I haven't tried this myself as I forgot to bring my remote out with me today, but I own a MacBook Pro so I'm not even sure if these machines have been endowed with the same abilities. Any other MBP owners out there try this out?
Found Footage: Use iSight as an IR detector
Here's a useful tip for those that want to test the batteries of their Frontrow remote, or any IR remote for that matter. Use your iSight! Just fire up Photo Booth (or a test video window in iChat), aim the remote at the lens and press a button. The iSight can detect the infrared light just like other video cameras.
How-To: IR Remote Control your Computer
For today's how-to we spent some time rummaging around in our parts box to build a serial IR remote interface for our PC. We took a few pieces from various designs to come up our own, built specifically to work with WinLirc or LIRC; it can transmit and recieve IR signals, just imagine the possibilities.
Opticon-toting driver gets $50 fine for changing traffic light
We hate waiting for traffic lights to change as much the next driver (or pedestrian -- we have to cross streets, too, you know), but we doubt we'd ever try to take things into our own hands like Jason Niccum of Longmont, Colorado, did. Niccum picked up an Opticon -- an infrared light used by firefighters and other emergency responders to trigger traffic signals -- on eBay for about $100, and has been using it to cut his commuting time. That is, was using it, until local cops busted him after they noticed a consistent pattern of traffic-light disruptions at certain intersections. They nailed Niccum, and the town now plans to change the frequency used by traffic lights to block unauthorized signals (until, that is, someone comes out with a next-gen model). Niccum, despite getting stuck with a $50 fine, isn't exactly remorseful. "I guess in the two years I had it, that thing paid for itself," he told a local newspaper.
