Global Cache IP2IR for stereo av control

[arw01]

Wondering your fellows experience with the Global Cache IP2IR controller with your ISY's.

 

My AV receiver does not have an ethernet or serial control port, just IR (Yamama RX 567 I think it is), the Samsung LCD, panasonic blu-ray, tivo, etc)

 

It's frustrating turning on the equipment and the tv always moves the input to AV4 instead of my tivo.

 

I would like to program a KPL button into a scene to bring the tv on, flip the receiver on, etc. or at least have a "device" in my mobilinc to do this so I don't have to hunt 4 remotes all the time.

 

Is everyone that has one of the global cache happy with it? Good sale at smarthome this weekend at $94 from $139 and then 10% off and free shipping with their superbowl special.

 

Alan

[iostream212]

I currently do the same thing with a ip2ir unit and a kpl button. I love it. Fire on the kpl and TV goes on, stereo goes on, set TV input, set stereo input, set stereo level, and wake up dish receiver. I also got it hooked up with a ir receiver so that turning the TV on with the remote fires off the same scene and still turns the kpl button light on. Also works great to fire off the scene in mobilinc or setup a widget on droids.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[arw01]

Fabulous!

 

What else did you need to buy to make it all work, some emitters, particular kind? Read that at least one kind (didn't specify) that the ir blasters were not very strong. I have a few extra of those laying around from tivos and old cable boxes with a mouse etc, don't know if they all will work or not.

 

Alan

[iostream212]

The emitter I was using was from my PC TV tuner kit. Outside of your itach and isy and network module you should be good to go. The rest is all programs and network resources. I did eventual get a USB uirt and automation software (Elve). After that I moved my resources and programs off isy to Elve. the Elve scenes can still be run via isy so I get that nice redundancy (able to accomplish same task using different methods). I wrote up an integration article here: http://codecoretechnologies.com/community/index.php?topic=998.msg5456.msg#5456

HOW TO: Run a Elve scene from ISY

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[elvisimprsntr]

I have an IRTach which I use as a door stop. They don't store codes. I replaced them with www.thinkflood.com redeye units which have mobile apps and a rest API which you can tie into the ISY network resources. I'm ordering redeye pro unit as I write this from my home theater.

[johnnyt]

Have you checked out the Logitech Harmony Remote? For just controlling your IR devices in the same room, it's pretty cool. I've had one for about 10years now. I have not set it up to trigger any insteon lighting scenes but if you have the IR version of the ISY, you can either put it into your entertainment unit or set up a remote emitter and program it to run a scene when it sees certain IR code(s). I haven't tried anything else so I can't tell you what the trade offs are but it does seem cheaper if you don't go for the top of the line remote.

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[MikeD]

I ordered a refurbished Harmony 900 for a very affordable price. Works so well controlling all my A/V equipment that now I am considering adding the IR option to my ISY.

~Mike

[io_guy]

I have an IRTach which I use as a door stop. They don't store codes. I replaced them with http://www.thinkflood.com redeye units which have mobile apps and a rest API which you can tie into the ISY network resources. I'm ordering redeye pro unit as I write this from my home theater.

Not storing codes is the exact reason I bought the IP2IR. It will send any IR code you send to it.

I hate having a hundred "smart" devices in my home - I like having a single controller as the brain, not storing settings in multiple places. With an IP2IR I setup all my IR commands in the ISY's Network Resources and the IP2IR just receives/sends. Works like a charm.

[iostream212]

+1 on the harmony. I got a cheap used one off ebay as well. It has a lot of codes that even the factory remote may not have, like specific power on and power off commands (instead of power toggle). Also used it to get xbox 360 remote codes so I could automate that without having to buy a xbox remote control. Those redeye units look nice. I am glad that it has a rest protocol. Price point is steep though, specially if you need a device in multiple rooms.

[apostolakisl]

I have

 

1) Several Harmony remotes (2 890's and 1 900)

2) A GC IRtach

3) The IR version of ISY with the network module

 

I have all these crossed referencing each other. It works quite well. I don't see any problem in having the GC unit not locally store the codes. The ISY network module stores the IR sequences and I don't know why it would be better to have the locally stored.

 

Anyhow, I have my Hamrony remotes set to trigger the ISY which triggers the GC unit. I have the ISY set to trigger the GC from KPL's and programs (like when I leave the house it shuts all AV stuff off).

 

It is a rather complex web. Probably the best way to simplifiy the web would be to get rid of the Harmony and use a tablet or phone to work through the ISY. But, I still like real buttons when I am watching TV. It just is so much faster and you don't have to look away from the TV. It seems silly, but when you want a quick pause or mute of the TV, you don't want to have to wake your device up and hit the correct spot on the screen without accidentally brushing some other "button" which activates somethinge else.

[arw01]

Well, I am hoping it will send any code it receives to the ISY, did I mis-understand how it will work?

 

E.g. I want to reset my timers for lights off with any IR codes received, control my receiver to set it up properly, adjust the lighting with pause and play, etc.

[apostolakisl]

GC doesn't send codes to ISY. You get the codes via a couple of possible methods and install them into ISY.

 

I have an itach, which has the learning feature built in. Not all GC stuff has the learner built-in so you best confirm.

 

You can download a lot of codes from http://www.remotecentral.com/ Many times they are in a hex format but GC has a free download that converts to their format.

 

To learn your own codes, you download GC's free learning software which displays the codes when you point the remote at the GC (if your GC has the learning ir receiver like mine)

 

However you get the codes, you copy them into the network module (their is a thread on that in here with directions) and set it as a network resource. Then you use programs to call the network resource which sends the instructions to the GC unit which shoots it to your AV stuff.

[arw01]

I got the iTach IP2IR today and it does have the ability to "learn" a code. You really have to be right up on that little port on the backside to get it, but it will pick it up.

 

Your post helped me a bit, I was struggling with why I could pull the code in GC format, hit the HEX button and then I could not send it.

 

Now I get I have to convert it back to GC format or cut and paste the hex into a converter. I will give that a try next.

 

I found some discrete ON and OFF codes for the receiver and got them converted to the GC format. Very pumped about that.

 

[Yamaha On] sendir,1:1,1,39000,1,1,341,170,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,1506,341,85,21,3637

[Yamaha Off] sendir,1:1,1,39000,1,1,341,170,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,63,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,21,63,21,63,21,63,21,1507,341,85,21,3637

Now did I miss that the iTach IR2IP will NOT send back codes it receives? Maybe that is where I have to put in a IR Blaster so I can receive and send. Have to try and figure that out tomorrow.

[apostolakisl]

Now did I miss that the iTach IR2IP will NOT send back codes it receives? Maybe that is where I have to put in a IR Blaster so I can receive and send. Have to try and figure that out tomorrow.

 

What do you mean by this?

 

The itach has 3 ports, you select which port you want that IR command to use as the sending port when you set up the learning software. You can easily change it manually after the fact, it is one of the very first numbers in the code, I forget which one, but it is easy to figure out.

[arw01]

Now did I miss that the iTach IR2IP will NOT send back codes it receives? Maybe that is where I have to put in a IR Blaster so I can receive and send. Have to try and figure that out tomorrow.

 

What do you mean by this?

 

I was expecting, that when the iTach IR2IP receives a code, it would put it out over the TCP port to the ISY. Now I understand I have to buy the network module to have the ISY SEND the codes to the iTach IR2IP, but what do I need to do have the ISY receive and process IR codes from the iTach IR2IP?

 

My ISY is the 994i.

 

 

The itach has 3 ports, you select which port you want that IR command to use as the sending port when you set up the learning software. You can easily change it manually after the fact, it is one of the very first numbers in the code, I forget which one, but it is easy to figure out.

 

Yes, I found that after learning for a while it's controlled by the 1:1 at the start of the commands, the first 1 of the 1:1 being the device and the second being the port to emit it. So 1:3 is device 1 port 3 and I have that figured out in the commands. Only running one port this moment, but will get the other couple up and going. I am afraid that only having 3 ports on the iTach will be problem because I have 3 pieces of equipment spread out and I need to turn one port, it appears, into a receiver instead of a sender and that will be an issue.

[arw01]

Doing more reading on the IR, I see the ISY-994I seems to only support the Phillips RC 5 protocol for receiving IR on it's own?

 

Still digging around on what exactly the iTach IR2IP does when you put one of the transmitters into sensor mode:

 

[Global Cache Website:quote]3 Independent selectable IR outputs or sensor inputs

 

What I am after is the ability of my ISY to respond to certain remote codes from my bevy of 4 remotes I have now, Yamaha, Tivo, Panasonic, and Samsung. E.g. it knows someone is home if a remote code is used, and therefore won't plunge us into darkness.

 

e.g. when I hit the Tivo button, I want the TV to turn on, turn on the amp, wait 10 seconds, set the tivo input on the amp (the tv changes it ).

 

When I kit a KPL I want a movie mode to run, which I think I have pretty much down, but looking for that last piece of IR data to be brought INTO the ISY.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello arw01,

 

I am not sure how GC would help you since it seems what you are looking for is an IR receiver which translates IR signals to ISY.

 

I do not know of any such device (yet).

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[arw01]

Yes, that is what I was after.

 

I was doing a bit of reading about lirc, an open source remote receiver and transmitter software. I think a Raspberry pi may be capable of doing this with a standard IR receiver to USB and then using some perl script to send something to the ISY via the rest interface. I may order a "windows media" remote or something that will work with LIRC to "learn" remote codes.

 

However, in my life, I am trying to strip down the complexities of the system in general and adding another piece of software/hardware as middlewere isn't ideal.

 

I should probably ship back the IP2IR device, it's got some other interesting uses maybe with their composite video sensor I could tell that the TV was already on or the stereo was on perhaps.

 

Thanks Michael

[apostolakisl]

If your remote control is one that can learn codes or has a library of codes, you set your remote to transmit one of the codes that ISY understands as part of your macro that turns stuff on. The ISY is just one more device like your TV, cable box, stereo, etc.

[arw01]

None of mine are learning, I was hoping to get to remote nirvana!

 

alan

[arw01]

There are some extensive posts on the raspberry pi site about getting lirc set up and using a simple ir receiver with the GPIO pins. From reading around, for less than the price of the ip2ir iTach, I can get my cake and eat it too with some home brew work.

 

From there it should not be too difficult to get the pi and the ISY talking.

 

Alan

[apostolakisl]

I kind of feel like you will be re-inventing the wheel here. Teaching rasberry pi to understand IR commands and then processing that info so as to post it to the ISY REST interface is a lot of work and several extra steps. All you need is inexpensive, off the shelf ready to go learning remote that ISY directly understands and already has dedicated functionality for.

[arw01]

Possibly, but then I have to give up my beloved tivo peanut!

 

I have started down the slope of the Rasperry Pi, which has lirc support compiled right in now, and the Ugauanworks USB transceiver.

 

I will be in it just a bit more than the IP2IR iTach unit, but it will allow me, with a little programming, to recognize the codes from any remote lirc can understand and ship them off to the ISY.

 

I will start a thread on my journey, the Pi has been ordered from a US Supplier and I hear a couple of weeks is about normal to get it now.

 

I was also curious about the Pi for some other io operations with a second pi, or a third. The vegetronix moisture sensor and a ada fruit or other board would let me know how exactly wet my soil is and my greenhouse and my raised boxes. I may even look for a bury freindly Ph meter as well.

[iostream212]

Wow buddy you are hardcore. Rock on!

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[ez1976]

hey guys

after reading all your posts i decided to get the IP2IR module to work with my ISY.

because i live in israel and will not be able to use the ISY994 with insteon PLM (the 110V to 220V adapter is causing the signal not to go through).

so i will switch to use the INSTEON HUB with the houselinc software.

 

my question is this: will the IP2IR module (with the ilearn) work with houselinc so i can send IR signals from the remote software to turn AC on and off and turn home cinema equipment.

 

 

thanks