IR with eisy

[redridge]

Was it improved (number of stored codes) or punted altogether and not a feature?

[Spring]

If IR is not built in to eisy, can it be added? I rely on IR and RC5 codes in my HA system.

[gfrancis0]

I control about 100 devices with my IR remote via the ISY994. In order to switch to the eisy I would need the same functionality.

 

[lilyoyo1]

You can use itach devices with polisy via a node server so I assume it would work with eisy since they use the same node servers

[gzahar]

IR receive is not built in to Polisy or eisy.

IR transmit was not included in ISY994, so as @lilyoyo1mentions, whatever solution you used for transmit before should work the same with the newer boxes.  This can be done with network resources or node servers and itach devices, etc.

Regarding IR receive, I have looked for external solutions and have found a number of add on devices that could work.  But in the end of my analysis; the cheapest (if you already have an ISY994IR) and easiest solution is to continue using the 994 for IR receive and relay IR activity to eisy (or Polisy) using the rest interface.  This will most likely add additional delay to IR processing, so this may affect your use case.

Ideally, someone can/will make a node server that utilizes an IR receiver plugged into the USB port on eisy (flirc, USBUIRT, etc.).  This assumes node servers have access to the USB ports and that may be a big assumption.

[thedishking]

Seems like a miss to have not included IR receive functionality.

Hopefully it can be added.  Like others, I depend on my ISY receiving IR to trigger scenes and control lights in several rooms of my home.

[Geddy]

IR was removed in Polisy and not available in eisy. There are alternate options using node servers and IR devices as @lilyoyo1and @gzahar point out above. Doubtful it would ever be added back in. 

 

[hart2hart]

IR was removed in Polisy and not available in eisy. There are alternate options using node servers and IR devices as @lilyoyo1and @gzahar point out above. Doubtful it would ever be added back in. 
 

I’ve been watching because I use a lot of IR control in 3 rooms via my Universal Remotes. Which Node Servers receive IR and control devices? The ones I see send IR.

[thedishking]

1 hour ago, Geddy said:

IR was removed in Polisy and not available in eisy. There are alternate options using node servers and IR devices as @lilyoyo1and @gzahar point out above. Doubtful it would ever be added back in. 

 

@lilyoyo1 mentioned iTach.  This is an IP to IR apparatus - they do not receive IR.

While @gzahar mentioned a few devices that can provide a hardware link from a computer to the IR receiving world, who knows if any of them will ever be integrated.

Nothing that can be easily integrated today.

I was hopeful it was an oversight on Polisy - as it was initially marketed to "complement" the ISY.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by thedishking

[Geddy]

25 minutes ago, hart2hart said:

Which Node Servers receive IR and control devices? The ones I see send IR.

Since I don't use IR I guess you're right. Nothing "receives" this.

 

11 minutes ago, thedishking said:

I was hopeful it was an oversight on Polisy

Perhaps you can contact UDI directly via their web contact options to express your thought over missing IR. 

Figured it was answered fairly obviously above and in the years since Polisy was released. Didn't see the need to beat the dead horse. 

[thedishking]

7 minutes ago, Geddy said:

Since I don't use IR I guess you're right. Nothing "receives" this.

 

Perhaps you can contact UDI directly via their web contact options to express your thought over missing IR. 

Figured it was answered fairly obviously above and in the years since Polisy was released. Didn't see the need to beat the dead horse. 

I had been anticipating more to come of the Polisy.  Really lost interest a long time ago, and was hopeful this new eisy was going to bring some fresh ideas.

I was trying to share my thoughts with Michel and others that care to read them.

You seem to be speaking for them as an admin of this forum.

[Geddy]

1 minute ago, thedishking said:

You seem to be speaking for them as an admin of this forum.

Nope. Just another user, like yourself. Thus the suggestion to contact UDI through their site. That's always the most direct route. Especially during times like this where their attention is placed more on getting devices and getting things to other users. 

 

[lilyoyo1]

42 minutes ago, thedishking said:

@lilyoyo1 mentioned iTach.  This is an IP to IR apparatus - they do not receive IR.

While @gzahar mentioned a few devices that can provide a hardware link from a computer to the IR receiving world, who knows if any of them will ever be integrated.

Nothing that can be easily integrated today.

I was hopeful it was an oversight on Polisy - as it was initially marketed to "complement" the ISY.

 

 

I don't use the Node Server so I don't know what it supports and how. However, back when I did use itach devices, I was able to connect it to my dinky link to receive ir commands. 

It wasn't an oversight. IR wasn't greatly used over time so it wasn't added. The ROI wasn't enough to justify it for the few people who took advantage of it.

[hart2hart]

Thanks, making sure I hadn’t missed a new Node Server. I’m planning to use ISY IR with REST over to EISY.

[lilyoyo1]

27 minutes ago, thedishking said:

I had been anticipating more to come of the Polisy.  Really lost interest a long time ago, and was hopeful this new eisy was going to bring some fresh ideas.

I was trying to share my thoughts with Michel and others that care to read them.

You seem to be speaking for them as an admin of this forum.

We all appreciate your thoughts but what "fresh" new ideas were you looking to have since IR really isnt a fresh new idea!? Im sure Michel does appreciate hearing from users in how they can make eisy better when it comes to options that many will actually take advantage of vs a handful. IR isn't really a fresh idea since most people have turned to online streaming devices such as Roku, AppleTv, GoogleTv, and FIresticks.

When you look at the price range that eisy is in, there arent many controllers out there that can accomplish what it can. The magic behind automation is in the programmer not the controller. Just like anything out there; a well versed person can do more with less than a lesser person can with more. Give that well versed person an even more capable system- the sky becomes the limit.

If you look at how things have taken off, IR is falling out of favor and has for a few years. The lack of users clamoring for IR shows that as well since less than a dozen (if that) have commented on the subject between Polisy and eisy.

Geddy is a user like all of us in that he is willing to take time out of his day (voluntarily) to try and keep the forum straight....Addressing many of the issues that people have had with the forums over the years. He is not a UDI employee. Geddy and others here may have closer relationships with UDI due to history but overall we are all simply members trying to pitch in with answers and guidance.

 

[oberkc]

I am wondering aloud whether the legacy ISY can be maintained, along with the EISY/Polisy, only for the IR capability.  Of course one would have to create a communication path between the old and new (network module?). Unfortunately, I cannot offer any assistance in this matter other than to recall in the past that some were using multiple ISYs and could communicate between them.

 

[tazman]

I miss the IR inputs from before but it was said unless someone who could build a node server is interested it probably won't happen

 

[firstone]

IR transmitter functionality can be done with something like Global Caché IP2IR iTach TCP/IP to IR Converter. Or for those with electronics knowledge and time with https://github.com/mdhiggins/ESP8266-HTTP-IR-Blaster

IR receive is more complicated - as has been noted, Flirc basically sends keyboard presses to the system. This works fine on dedicated system, like RPi. But if one were to run a node server on polisy/eisy that intercepts key presses and does something, it would make for funny things on the box itself. That is - if you plug in a keyboard and press a mapped letter, node server would action on it.