Learning Infrared Remote Funtions
Learning Infrared Remote Funtions
I seem to be missing a very important piece of the puzzle when using IR with Housebot. I don't understand how I get the codes into Housebot. I have an Ocelot controller. Do I learn the codes within Housebot or do I use the codes thats are in my Ocelot controller memory? Can't seem to figure it out. That said, I have been playing with Housebot for a few days now and all I can say is WOW. I have used Premise, Homeseer, Active Home Plato and a few others. Housebot rules. Yes it's free but at any cost it's still a great system. Your ability to support so many different hardware and software devices is just amazing. How do you have so much time on your hands. I'm jealous. The Software Remotes are just what I needed. Now if only I was artistic enough to create some cool bit maps. Thanks a lot for all your hard work I will surely donate to the cause.
Robertc65,
The IR configuration is a bit odd, I agree. This is mainly because I choose flexibility over usability. Once you understand the process, it starts to make more sense.
Unfortunately, you will need to re-learn the Ocelot IR codes with HouseBot. When learning the codes through HouseBot, HouseBot will prompt for additional information that is not stored natively in the Ocelot (like a descriptive name for the Code that is used to identify the Code later).
If you haven't discovered the on-line help for the Ocelot plugin, you might want to look it over as it gives the step-by-step for running through the somewhat esoteric processes. It also give some tips that might be useful. If you have specific questions about the process, let me know.
Since HouseBot is a "one man project", it actually buys me a lot of time. To implement something like this in a corporate environment would take 10x as long. Instead, I have the freedom to have and idea, design it, implement it, and test it. There's no time lost in meetings, design specs, functional specs, insane marketing requirements, feature creep due to long release cycles, etc. etc. It's how software wants to be developed.
Scott
The IR configuration is a bit odd, I agree. This is mainly because I choose flexibility over usability. Once you understand the process, it starts to make more sense.
Unfortunately, you will need to re-learn the Ocelot IR codes with HouseBot. When learning the codes through HouseBot, HouseBot will prompt for additional information that is not stored natively in the Ocelot (like a descriptive name for the Code that is used to identify the Code later).
If you haven't discovered the on-line help for the Ocelot plugin, you might want to look it over as it gives the step-by-step for running through the somewhat esoteric processes. It also give some tips that might be useful. If you have specific questions about the process, let me know.
Since HouseBot is a "one man project", it actually buys me a lot of time. To implement something like this in a corporate environment would take 10x as long. Instead, I have the freedom to have and idea, design it, implement it, and test it. There's no time lost in meetings, design specs, functional specs, insane marketing requirements, feature creep due to long release cycles, etc. etc. It's how software wants to be developed.
Scott
Thank You. I got it now. I had not checked out the Plugin Help section under the Help pulldown menu. Lots more docs in here. Wow development really can be productive when not in a corporate environment. I'm not a Programmer but I do work in corporate IT and we for sure spend more time talking then doing. It takes a lot of pizza and conference calls to deploy a new server.
Got another question. I was trying to get my 2 year old 36" non-digital Sony Vega tv to respond to discrete Power commands. I went out to Remote Central at the link below and copied the Power ON and OFF codes. I then created a Sony Remote within HouseBot. I went to the IR Configuration dialog and clicked add to add a new IR Code. I selected my Sony TV remote from the dropdown and clicked the Proto code button. I then pasted the code into the window. Clicked OK a couple times. Then clicked to transfer codes to the Ocelot. I can't get the TV to respond to the code. I have tried a few other discrete codes and none of them seem to work. If I learn a command from the Original Sony Remote it works fine. Any ideas. It really seems easy but I'm not sure what I'm missing. I don't have a Pronto and have never really played around with Discrete codes before so I'm pretty green in this area.
Thanks Again
Got another question. I was trying to get my 2 year old 36" non-digital Sony Vega tv to respond to discrete Power commands. I went out to Remote Central at the link below and copied the Power ON and OFF codes. I then created a Sony Remote within HouseBot. I went to the IR Configuration dialog and clicked add to add a new IR Code. I selected my Sony TV remote from the dropdown and clicked the Proto code button. I then pasted the code into the window. Clicked OK a couple times. Then clicked to transfer codes to the Ocelot. I can't get the TV to respond to the code. I have tried a few other discrete codes and none of them seem to work. If I learn a command from the Original Sony Remote it works fine. Any ideas. It really seems easy but I'm not sure what I'm missing. I don't have a Pronto and have never really played around with Discrete codes before so I'm pretty green in this area.
Thanks Again
It sounds like you are taking the right approach for importing the Pronto codes. If you have one of the 'blinking' IR emitters, I would suggest using it. You can get these at SmartHome for the same price as standard stick-on IR emitters. They blink when they are receiving IR Codes. This is helpful to 1) know that the code is being sent to the device, and 2) verify that the length of the code looks right compared to other 'learned' codes.
In my own experience, sometimes I've had to play with the Pronto codes to get them to work for me. On one occasion, I had to send the code multiple times to get the equipment to respond. I was able to do this by tweaking the part of the pronto code that tells how to send the 'repeat' burst. Here's a link to an excellent article that details the Pronto code format, if you really want to get into the gore of it.
You might want to visually compare the Pronto code from a discrete code to a learned code to see if there is a difference. Sometimes you can clearly see that one is much longer, or the frequency is different, etc. It may give you a clue on what might be wrong.
Hope this helps,
Scott
In my own experience, sometimes I've had to play with the Pronto codes to get them to work for me. On one occasion, I had to send the code multiple times to get the equipment to respond. I was able to do this by tweaking the part of the pronto code that tells how to send the 'repeat' burst. Here's a link to an excellent article that details the Pronto code format, if you really want to get into the gore of it.
You might want to visually compare the Pronto code from a discrete code to a learned code to see if there is a difference. Sometimes you can clearly see that one is much longer, or the frequency is different, etc. It may give you a clue on what might be wrong.
Hope this helps,
Scott
You should be able to see them by navigating the "Remote Control Library" found in the listing in the left part of the main screen. Each remote control and associated IR codes can be accessed there.
Or you can get to the IR codes by clicking on the "Press to configure IR" button found in the Ocelot Hardware Interface configuration.
Scott
Or you can get to the IR codes by clicking on the "Press to configure IR" button found in the Ocelot Hardware Interface configuration.
Scott
Thanks again. I hate to be a pain but this software is very cool and I'm currently obsessed with it. I still can't see where the learned Hex code is displayed. Under the remote Control Library I have created a Sony TV Remote. Under this it lists my Code Names. With a Code Name selected all that is displayed are Code Name, IR Code Number, The large Pronto Code Data Window (which is blank) and an Apply button. The pronto code window is empty for the codes I have learned. This is where I pasted in the Pronto Code for the button Codes I created for Discrete OFF and ON. I Also went to the Ocelot Hardware Interface and clicked Press to Configure IR. In here I see the list of commands I created. Clicking on any one give me the IR Configuration dialog. In here I still don't see where the Hex code is shown for the codes I have learned from my OEM remotes. I think I'm blind.
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