Building Your Own IrDA Interface? 18
agdv ponders a cool sounding project: "I am interested in giving my desktop PC IrDA capabilities, as it has an IrDA header in its motherboard. While not very useful for my current needs, it would allow me to play some and have it ready should I ever need to transfer stuff to it from say a PDA. I know I can get one for about 25 bucks from eBay, but I was wondering if it could be reasonably easy to make one myself."
"I know it would be way more fun, possibly cheaper, and I presume I can get all the necessary materials from RadioShack or Mouser (I made a cable for direct serial connection and one for connecting my TI computer to my PC that way, but I don't know if this would be a bit out of my league). Has anybody tried something like that? Is it feasible? Do you have instructions, or hardware to reverse-engineer?"
If only more PC makers would make this a standard port, IR would be very useful. As it is ... does anyone have any successful projects to reveal?
Look ar lirc (Score:1)
http://www.lirc.org
and
http://winlirc.sourceforge.net
Re:i've tried it, here is where I got stuck... (Score:1)
www.girder.nl (Score:2)
I use it on my laptop in my car which has IR hiding in the dash, and I use girder to support the funky IR keyboard and remote from a web TV..
Wheee! (Score:2)
For the copy and pasters: http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+build+IR+IR
It is a standard port (Score:2)
The IRDA header is a standard port, there are five connections:
VCC(+5V)
key (no connection)
IRRX (recieve)
Ground
IRTX (transmit)
Some older mainboards have the recieve connection split into two connections; slow speed recieve and high speed recieve.
You can find more info in your mainboard's manual, or if you lost the manual (like I did), the manufacture's site.
Basicly everything's already on the mianboard except the IRDA transciever.
Re:Just Buy A Packard Bell Remote/Reciever Combo (Score:1)
Building Your Own (Score:3)
This German Site [tscherwitschke.de] has plans to build a very small one that you could throw in a bay, or add to your baybus if you are so inclined. Try Google [google.com] if you need more ideas.
-OctaneZ
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Re:i've tried it, here is where I got stuck... (Score:2)
Microchip solution (Score:4)
One thing I really like about Microchip is that they are pretty committed to distributing free samples and free/low cost tools for development. If you've ever priced the development hardware from Intel or Motorola, you can see why this is such a big attraction to the small time/home developer.
finding components... (Score:1)
I find the prices for these things a bit too steep. So i set out to make one, but i hit the problem when i tried finding these components in local electronics shops.
anyway here's an address:
http://rcswww.urz.tu-dresden.de/~sb831436/irda/
i've tried it, here is where I got stuck... (Score:5)
Here are some very usefull links I managed to track down regarding this project. If anyone finds a source of breadboard mountable/soderable IR RX/TX's, please post!
The best page (diagrams and all): http://tscherwitschke.de/irda.html
Another project page:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/1475
Retail systems:
http://www.actisys.com/act210.html
http://www.evation.com/
Re:i've tried it, here is where I got stuck... (Score:1)
For finer pitched parts you generally have to flux lightly, get a big glob of solder on the iron, then drag it across the correctly positioned pins. The solder will heat the pins, which are very tiny so they heat almost instantly, and wick under. The solder mask tends to repel the solder, so you usually don't get solder bridges. When you do its easy to remove them. Takes practice, but done correctly you can do a 100+ pin chip in less than a minute or two.
Re:Just Buy A Packard Bell Remote/Reciever Combo (Score:1)
--
Here is a circuit that requires only 2 components (Score:2)
Its a much better (simpler and easier) design
than the ones shown. It only requires the IRDA module, 1 resistor and the MoBo socket.
A friend of mine has bought a heap of modules and we are about to install them.
Wireless palm sync - WOW.
Just Buy A Packard Bell Remote/Reciever Combo (Score:2)
Buy one (Score:2)
speaking of Irda (Score:1)
I have found lots of software that lets you control the computer with a remote but none to let me control things from the computer.
Re:speaking of Irda (Score:1)