Roomie Remote - Page 28

Not to add on to my own question, but I wanted to get some thoughts. If i purchase an iTach, will the IR blaster be able to reach the TV mounted on the wall about 6-8 ft away from the device? If so, i think i would skip the L5 and just use the blaster. My concern with the itach is I did not want to run a IR cord from the itach through the wall to the TV if that makes sense. I like a lot of the comments and this seems like a promising option instead of the harmony and it would allow me to run via iphone, ipad and the wife would enjoy

DGF, how would I be able to have separate zone 2 commands when the only way to control zone 2 is to enter the room 2 room (at least that

(Your last message seems to be cut off in mid-sentence, but when I "quote" it, I see your full text - looks like there's a control character (less-than sign) after the word "that")

My understanding (and the way I've implemented it in my own config) is that holding down the 'room 2' button on any remote just inserts a specific hex pattern into the IR string that the receiver knows relates to a room 2 command - the hex codes to control volume for room 1 & room 2 might be almost identical, except for the presense or absence of the room identifier. This allows you to to have multiple volume buttons on the same page - because their IR codes are different. I'm pretty certain that holding down the "Room 2" key on your remote doesn't actually trigger the transmission of any IR 'rays' - it's when you then hit the "volume" key with the zone button pressed that the string gets shot out.

As another example, I have a B&K whole-house AV unit in my rack - I have one page with 8 sets of controls (vol, bal, input channe, etc.), one for each zone - however, if I use the B&K physical remote, I have to hold down individual buttons to let the B&K AVR know which zone I'm referencing. Having something like Roomie greatly simplifies the task.

I'm not sure if this makes sense, or if anyone else would like to comment - but it works for me!

Dave
Edited by DGF - 2/8/13 at 9:22am

This makes sense but how would I get the IR code or even hex code for the room 2 commands?

...this is what I was trying to explain in my earlier post (#805) to you. You either need to find somewhere that documents the codes or you'll need to capture the codes yourself - once you have inserted the relevant strings into the Roomie config file they will be available for use.

I have looked and the codes are nowhere to be found, not even on remotecentral. How do I go about capturing something like the volume for room 2?

I looked around for you too, but also came up blank. To do the capture you'll need an additional piece of hardware - I use a "USBIRT" and recall global cache has a reciever unit that can translate IR into a hex string - I'm sure there are other options too.

As a side note, it does seem like an overkill to have to buy additional gear that you'll maybe only use once or twice (the USBIRT runs at about 50 bucks new + shipping - http://www.usbuirt.com/ ) - this may be a real stretch, but I have wondered if it would be possible to take an mpeg of the command being sent (using a digital camera aimed at the remote), email it to someone that has the hardware, and for them to reverse the process - ultimately ending up with the desired hex string. I know a digital camera can pick up some portion of the IR spectrum, I just don't know if it's the part we need. Thoughts anyone????

Dave

Does the L5 sold by roomie do the same thing? The thing that still has me a little uncertain is the whole pressing of the "room 2" button before using any other command in room 2. Are you saying that the combination of pressing the "room 2" button and then pressing the "VOL+" button (for instance) will generate a distinct IR code that can be learned and saved as a new button on the roomie? What I need to avoid is that this new code does not look to simulate pressing the "room 2" button every time I press the VOL+ button I have created for room 2 because it will not work. I hope you understand what I mean with this.

I guess what I'm asking is if pressing the "room 2" button gives off a code X and pressing the "VOL+" button gives off a code Y, will the newly learned and created button for the room 2 VOL+ just be X + Y (like a macro) or will it be a completely independent code, say Z? I'm hoping it's independant because I cannot have the "room 2" button press be simulated every time I press on the "VOL+" button for room 2.

The blaster will easily handle that. My office is 14 feet square and I have three HD panels, a speaker bar, and a small AC unit all controlled via the blaster on the opposite wall.

Thank you for confirming! So unless I hear otherwise and I probably wont in a roomie forum I am going to chose this over a harmony. I am crossing my fingers I dont hit any road blocks. I will probably order the itach from amazon unless others have a better preference.

I believe that the L5 also has the capabiliy to capture IR too.

As mentioned, I don't think that pressing the room 2 button generates any IR transmission - it modifies what you would have got from just pressing the vol control. If the vol button generates "A" on its own, then simultaneously pressing room 2 + vol generates "B" - there's no separate "Room 2" code.

"Are you saying that the combination of pressing the "room 2" button and then pressing the "VOL+" button (for instance) will generate a distinct IR code that can be learned and saved as a new button on the roomie?" - yes!

I'm pretty certain you can do exactly what you're looking to do, because I do the exact same thing.

Dave

That's good to hear that it can be done. One precision though, I do not simultaneously press the "room 2" button and "VOL+" button, I just press and release the "room 2" button and then press any other button (such as VOL+) to control items in room 2. I hope that doesn't change anything from what we discussed.

As for the L5, it is cheaper than the device you suggested so if it can capture IR, it would be better to get that since I will be buying an itach IP2IR anyways from roomie.

Sorry - I thought the buttons were being pressed simultaneously (you wanted to simulate 'holding down' the room 2 button for 5 seconds in one of your earlier posts) - however, I think everything is identical to what we've been discussing.

I think that the L5 gives you more functionality and integrates nicely with the iXXX - IR capture isn't overly complicated, so I'd say go with the most cost effective device - I just happen to have a USB-IRT laying around from earlier forays into this kind of thing.

Dave

Thanks Dave, you've been extremely helpful. I will look into the L5 when I buy the itach device from roomie.

I may be wrong, but I thought the itach units could capture IR as well through a small window on the back of the units and Roomie 1.7 integrates the learning. Have never tried it but I thought this was possible.
Edited by hgmobile - 2/8/13 at 6:59pm

Yes, the iTach IP2IR together with the iLearn software (I have a Mac) does a good job of learning IR commands. The IR learning window is a very small hole next to the power jack on the back of the unit. I've been able to learn three full devices quite easily although the original remote must be held straight on at about 1/2 inch away from the learning window (hole). The iTach has a strong IR receiver and iLearn grabs the IR command quickly. However, I could not get the Roomie app to work with learning at all. I don't know what the trick is, but I just couldn't get Roomie to work with learning. The iTach's IR blaster and emitters are really strong and the iTach IP2IR does a better job than even the original remote for one of my receivers. Very very happy with Roomie and iTach and am waiting for Roomie's upcoming update for the better ISY-994i support.
Edited by dbong - 2/8/13 at 7:57pm

^ Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Roomie 1.7 now incorporates learning in to the app itself and iLearn is no longer necessary.

Yes, but I hope with 1.8 they make it possible to add learned codes to existing devices. At times, I have to have three devices (ip, provided ir, and custom ir) to mash up and control a single activity. The new Marantz 8801 is an example of that, as roomie remains sloppy on getting the right, hardware specific codes set implemented..

So if you want to learn just one or two codes, you have to create a separate device in your setup. You cannon augment an existing code set, like you cold with harmony (as much as I hated that system, that was nice)

Roomie does indeed have easy built-in leaning. But, I couldn't get it to work at all. Roomie prompts that it successfully got the IR command, but the code itself never works. Not sure if it is a bug or what. The iTach works very well. But, you need to manually copy/paste these learned GC IR code strings into Roomie's RoomieCodes.plist file (XML). This is fairly easy to do but it is an extra tedious step.

Question for anyone who has Roomie running on iPad and an Oppo BD player - does Roomie easily assimilate the Oppo's network features such as DLNA? Ideally I'd like to browse my DLNA server and play albums via Roomie through the Oppo without having to turn my TV monitor on. If so a screenshot showing how that looks would be great too.

I have "Lounge 1" that I press that takes me to an activity.
My devices are Marantz SR 6006 (IPSL-P) via RS232.
Sky HD via (IP2IR) on Infra Red 1.
LG TV via (IP2IR) on Infra Red 2.
Epson Projector via (IP2IR) on Blaster.
Panasonic BluRay via IP.
I don't want power on for all activities as I want to add the Epson Projector to this room as well. I have different activities Like watch Sky HD on TV with surround sound via Marantz SR 6006 or Watch BluRay on LG TV and surround sound via Marantz SR 6006.
Watch movies on Epson projector via Panasonic BluRay and Marantz SR 6006, etc.
Things seem to get messed up like Sky HD will not switch on when I press this activity, but it will switch on via the remote in Roomie separately. No matter what activity I press that has sky HD included, the Sky HD box will not switch on with all the other activities at the start.
The Sky box will always work using "Test Remote" after everything else has been switched on automatically via Roomie.

Is it possible for a Projector and TV to be in the same room and have different and separate activities or do I have to set them up as separate rooms.



How do I get both a projector and TV working via Roomie in the same room?

At the moment I have IP2IR controlling my Sky HD via IR 1, LG TV via IR2 and then the blaster controls the Epson projector. My Marantz SR 6006 is controlled via the Global Caché iTach Ethernet to Serial Adapter with Power over Ethernet. (IP2SL-P) My Panasonic bluray player is IP.

Anyone any idea /

Thanks in advance.

Need help.

I just got the Itach Ethernet to IR BOX, and used it to successfully set up an Apple TV with port 3 using the blaster. Now, I moved in to my final component, a Toshiba HD DVD A35. I tried to set it up using the default Toshiba all HD DVD profile, but it doesn't work. I can see the emitter light up, but it doesn't do anything. So, I setup a new device and ran through all 61 commands....and now the emitter won't light up so of course I'm not getting any results. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Did you log into the iTach and set up blaster mode? This is only available on port three as well...

No, because the blaster worked without logging in. The emitter finally worked too, I just had to find the exact IR spot on the device, it was different than the spot with the harmony emitter so that threw me off. Guess I should login to the ip of the Itach and see what's there....thanks!

Yes, I think you need to enable blaster mode on port three to increase the output. Again, only port three supports this.

Wishlist: Alarm/music functionality in roomie app.
I can get iPad alarm app to play wakeup music.
I can get Roomie to play musicfrom iPad to living room AVR Yamaha RX-A2000 to zone 2 speakers in bedroom.
I can'tuse any app to put the 2 together :-(
Grrr. It could be so easy with software! Hardware fix would require the receiver to be on all night.

I'm not missing anything here right?

My wishlist:

- Discreet Power on/Power off for Opp 103
- IP control for Comcast RNG110 cable box

Doesn't the 103 have it? I'm pretty sure it did over IP when I had it like that, but I know it does over Serial.

Only power toggle over IP at this time. This isn't a Roomie limitation, it is supposed to be supported in a future Oppo firmware update.

I would be amazed if Roomie is ever able to control any Comcast box. This is one of the many reasons I ditched my Comcast boxes & bought two TiVo's. I will never go back to the Comcast equipment for many reasons.

See my above post about discrete power on & off for the 103.