IR on Polisy

[apostolakisl]

I am considering moving ISY to Polisy, but I am using the IR receiver on the 994i unit and don't see that Polisy has any option to receive IR.  Ideas?

[JTsao]

There is no IR on the ISY-Polisy (IoP).  I was using IR on the ISY994 but now on IoP I am using only the dedicated home control buttons on Logitech Harmony companion remotes to control lighting and fans via the Hue Emulator Node server and the Virtual Node server.  In my case, pressing a home control button turns on a virtual switch, which can cause a program to run.  The switch has to be in a scene that is associated with the Hue Emulator (Notes->Spoken="1").  I am also using the UD Mobile app more in my house for controlling things.

Edited April 19, 2022 by JTsao

[lilyoyo1]

2 hours ago, apostolakisl said:

I am considering moving ISY to Polisy, but I am using the IR receiver on the 994i unit and don't see that Polisy has any option to receive IR.  Ideas?

I believe there's a Node server for itach. You may be able to use that

[apostolakisl]

22 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

I believe there's a Node server for itach. You may be able to use that

@JTsao 

Opposite direction.  I actually have that and am using it, but that is for ISY to send IR (via Itach transmitter), I need ISY to receive IR.  I have a Harmony Elite but also have a Harmony 900.  The 900 does not have a network connection so the Harmony node doesn't work as with the Elite.  And now Logitech doesn't make them anymore.  I could probably get another Elite used, but man, so much work.  It would be so much easier if there were an IR receiver for IoP.

[lilyoyo1]

32 minutes ago, apostolakisl said:

@JTsao 

Opposite direction.  I actually have that and am using it, but that is for ISY to send IR (via Itach transmitter), I need ISY to receive IR.  I have a Harmony Elite but also have a Harmony 900.  The 900 does not have a network connection so the Harmony node doesn't work as with the Elite.  And now Logitech doesn't make them anymore.  I could probably get another Elite used, but man, so much work.  It would be so much easier if there were an IR receiver for IoP.

Does the Node server allow you to configure/capture the input on the itach? Back when I used command fusion, I was able to use my itach with their receiver so i could still use a regular remote if i had to.

[apostolakisl]

29 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

Does the Node server allow you to configure/capture the input on the itach? Back when I used command fusion, I was able to use my itach with their receiver so i could still use a regular remote if i had to.

My understanding of ITach IP2IR is that the IR receiver on the unit only functions as a mechanism to learn IR signals, not to generate a specific action based on a specific IR input.  

[lilyoyo1]

5 minutes ago, apostolakisl said:

My understanding of ITach IP2IR is that the IR receiver on the unit only functions as a mechanism to learn IR signals, not to generate a specific action based on a specific IR input.  

There were 2 pieces that you needed which allowed me to use it with my dinky link. I'll have to see if i still have my old one to give you the model number. If the Node server cant  capture the input, it wouldn't matter anyway

[apostolakisl]

7 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

There were 2 pieces that you needed which allowed me to use it with my dinky link. I'll have to see if i still have my old one to give you the model number. If the Node server cant  capture the input, it wouldn't matter anyway

The node server has no instructions for anything but output.

[apostolakisl]

maybe I can use my old 99i as an ir receiver.  Have the ir trigger a network command to ISYoP.  Knew I kept it for a reason.

[hart2hart]

It may be a bit more than you want to setup but GCLink by io-guy is great.  It uses a PC or RPi connected to Global Cache GC-IRE.   I’ve been using it for years.  

[lilyoyo1]

2 minutes ago, hart2hart said:

It may be a bit more than you want to setup but GCLink by io-guy is great.  It uses a PC or RPi connected to Global Cache GC-IRE.   I’ve been using it for years.  

That's the part I was thinking about

[apostolakisl]

29 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

That's the part I was thinking about

Yes, that looks like it would work.  But, I think I already have everything I need in my old 99i.  I only need this for my theater room to let the handheld IR from my Harmony 900 control the lights in the room.  Like 3 commands at most.  The GC-IRE looks like it would be overkill.  Good to know it exists, though.  

What I don't understand is all the people going to these touch screen devices (phones).  What a terrible way to control things.  You have to look at the screen, you usually have to push a button to turn on the screen first, and if you accidentally brush your finger on the wrong spot it starts doing the wrong thing.  Regular remotes are so nice, especially the ones that use rf to a base station so you can hold the thing in your hand under a blanket or pointed completely the wrong way or whatever.  No look, you can feel the button once you get to know the remote.

[JTsao]

I agree about preferring a hard button remote vs. the iPhone and would love to have a replacement for the ISY994 IR input.

What happens when a USB keyboard is plugged into the Polisy?  There is a USB device known as a Flirc, that converts learned IR commands into keystrokes.  It has low cost and I can't imagine it being a stretch to get a Linux based microcomputer (the Polisy) to process keyboard entered commands.  Any thoughts?

[lilyoyo1]

2 hours ago, apostolakisl said:

Yes, that looks like it would work.  But, I think I already have everything I need in my old 99i.  I only need this for my theater room to let the handheld IR from my Harmony 900 control the lights in the room.  Like 3 commands at most.  The GC-IRE looks like it would be overkill.  Good to know it exists, though.  

What I don't understand is all the people going to these touch screen devices (phones).  What a terrible way to control things.  You have to look at the screen, you usually have to push a button to turn on the screen first, and if you accidentally brush your finger on the wrong spot it starts doing the wrong thing.  Regular remotes are so nice, especially the ones that use rf to a base station so you can hold the thing in your hand under a blanket or pointed completely the wrong way or whatever.  No look, you can feel the button once you get to know the remote.

I agree with the touch screen. We had touchscreens in the wall in our old home in addition to using command fusion years ago. Never used any of the touchscreens except for as an alarm panel. Was more work than simply using a keypad

I used command fusion since i was tired to an app at the time but no longer need them for the house. I never used it to control the TVs even though it could 

[xlurkr]

I'm using URC Complete Control RF remotes to MSC-400 base station to CQC (over RS232) to REST commands for some of my remote control of the ISY, and URC Total Control RF remotes to MRX-20 base station to REST commands for some other control.  Took me forever to figure out how to program it all, but it's nice to be able to do anything, from anywhere, with a hard-button remote.

-Tom

[hart2hart]

@xlurkr I’ve got complete control and msc400.   What is CQC? Google sending me all over the place.  

[xlurkr]

CQC = Charmed Quark Controller.  Used to be pay, but is now free.  It's a little like Home Assistant in its versatility, but only runs on Windows.

It handles IR, serial, and IP inputs.  You train it by repeating the input several times, and link the input to an action, which can be just about anything.  There's an ISY driver, too, and I realized after posting that I use the driver rather than REST for ISY control for one of these routes, or both; I forget.

But it's complicated.  That's part of the "took me forever" story.  Happy to help if you want to try it, though.

-Tom

[xlurkr]

I realize this might be a bit confusing.  The MSC400 can be programmed to send any RS232 message you want, based on what remote key is pressed, to the serial port of the computer running CQC.  It has been trained to listen for it, and issues whatever commands you define in response to receiving the right message.  That can be by manipulating devices known to its ISY driver, or by REST commands to the ISY.  The latter case is needed to invoke scenes on the ISY, if I remember correctly, because the driver is not scene-aware, only device-aware.

Because this setup uses an RF remote, and a wired connection to CQC, it's directionless, relatively long-range, fast, and reliable.  But CQC is somewhat obtuse.  It's mostly mouse clicks and dialog boxes to configure it, but its vibe isn't super intuitive.

-Tom

[xlurkr]

I've used MX-980 remotes mostly, with some KP-900s.  The KPs eat batteries fast, so I only have a few in key places to pause the DVR and mute and adjust the audio as needed, and leave the backlighting off.

-Tom

[hart2hart]

I’ve got MX990 remotes and love them
compared to any touch screen. I control
Lights , fans, thermostats and shades while watching TV or listening to music. Starting to use Alexa but remote is already in hand or close by.

Major problem with msc400 is that requires old drivers and a virtual machine with windows xp to download to it. Have you found a way around that issue? I look deeper if I can solve that.

Thanks for info.

[xlurkr]

8 hours ago, hart2hart said:

 Have you found a way around that issue? I look deeper if I can solve that.

No, I haven't, and I haven't made changes to the MSC programming in years.  I still have the XP laptop and software, so I should be able to, but who knows when it will fail to run one day.

I got lucky and was able to download and install the Total Control software before they locked it down, and I've been using those remotes and controllers ever since.

I'm note sure whose fully programmable remotes and controllers a DIYer could start with or move to today.  If RemoteCentral is still active, maybe you could find out over there.

-Tom

[Athlon]

13 hours ago, apostolakisl said:

Yes, that looks like it would work.  But, I think I already have everything I need in my old 99i.  I only need this for my theater room to let the handheld IR from my Harmony 900 control the lights in the room.  Like 3 commands at most.  The GC-IRE looks like it would be overkill.  Good to know it exists, though.  

Sounds like I have a similar setup. When I moved to Policy when my ISY was fried by a lightning strike I started using an Alexa device to control the lights in my home theater room - when said lights need to be changed outside of the ISY program I created.

So, I still use the Harmony Hub in there (have the Node Server for that). We tell Alexa to 'turn on the TV' (or 'turn off the TV) and it executes an ISY program. Depending on the time of day that program (besides turning on my AV equipment) will adjust the lights and drapes in the room. If we want to 'override' the program, we'll issue a  spoken 'turn on the speaker lights' or 'turn on the fan light' for example.

At first I missed the hard buttons on my Elite for the lights and fan, but now I no longer do. YMMV.

Edited April 20, 2022 by Athlon

[xlurkr]

MMDV (My Mileage Does Vary?)  My wife LOVES the voice commands.  I prefer buttons, esp. when they do more than one thing (like pause DVR = turn light on dim, play = turn lights off).  I think it's still hard to get the voice assistants to do multiple actions like this, but honestly I haven't looked into it a lot.  And, like many, I prefer cloud independence.

-Tom

[apostolakisl]

@Athlon @xlurkr

I have a routine setup in my Harmony 900.  I push one button and it does everything.  Turns on projector, turns on receiver, turns on (whatever input device I selected), it pauses for 15 seconds, then dims the lights.  The only thing I need ISY for is the lights.

I am all over having the buttons to watch TV or change the volume.  I will often start watching a football game or whatever an hour or so after it starts and zoom through the commercials.  Pretty much only a button thing.  Changing the volume is also not very voice command oriented.  You have to do it in stepwise fashion with voice unless your receiver is capable of going direct to a volume level by some API (mine is not).  And I get to leave my hand wherever since it is all rf.  And at the end, 1 button and it shuts everything down and brightens the lights.  I can push a button way faster than I can say a word and it never mis-understands me or does that swirly thing for 5 seconds before responding.  Plus, the remote just has a comfortable feel in my hand.

[Athlon]

20 minutes ago, apostolakisl said:

@Athlon @xlurkr

I have a routine setup in my Harmony 900.  I push one button and it does everything.  Turns on projector, turns on receiver, turns on (whatever input device I selected), it pauses for 15 seconds, then dims the lights.  The only thing I need ISY for is the lights.

I am all over having the buttons to watch TV or change the volume.  I will often start watching a football game or whatever an hour or so after it starts and zoom through the commercials.  Pretty much only a button thing.  Changing the volume is also not very voice command oriented.  You have to do it in stepwise fashion with voice unless your receiver is capable of going direct to a volume level by some API (mine is not).  And I get to leave my hand wherever since it is all rf.  And at the end, 1 button and it shuts everything down and brightens the lights.  I can push a button way faster than I can say a word and it never mis-understands me or does that swirly thing for 5 seconds before responding.  Plus, the remote just has a comfortable feel in my hand.

Exactly what we do (a program dims and brightens the lights when turning on/off the AV equipment), except for overriding lighting or drapes - that we do with voice.

By the way - you can add Universal Devices / ISYxxx as a device in your 'My Harmony' app.

Edited April 20, 2022 by Athlon