Remote Control?

[ShinOBIWAN]

Hi all,

One thing I've never seen or heard anyone do in DIYAudio is a remote control for the volume. I've seen plenty of attenuators with motors but what about the IC logic controllers and IR sensors for the remote control?

I would greatly appreciate any links or info folks have on this subject.

 

[jaycee]

You would need:

An IR reciever to pick up 35KHz RC5/whatever IR signals
A Microcontroller (pretty much unavoidable)
For driving a motor, a H-bridge IC or discrete H-bridge.

The second part is the stumbling block for most users, but there's really no practical way around it.

Rod Elliot saves the day though as he has a remote control project: http://sound.westhost.com/project110.htm still involving a PIC microcontroller but you can get these pre-programmed from him.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Holtek make a range of pre-programmed IC's for remote control, and they are cheaper than buying PIC's.

 

[jaycee]

That's OK if you're happy making your own remote handset. If you want to use standard remote controls though, they all speak RC5 or such, so you pretty much need a microcontroller.

 

[mark_titano]

Try this one


http://belinfabien.free.fr/preampli/kaneda/telecommande/telecommande.htm



Marco

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

That's OK if you're happy making your own remote handset. If you want to use standard remote controls though, they all speak RC5 or such, so you pretty much need a microcontroller.

The Philips RC5 is only one of MANY completely different remote control systems, although it is the singular most popular one - presumably because Philips are a major component supplier to other manufacturers?.

 

[Leolabs]

Not to forget the NEC format too,which is quite popular in Asia.

 

[fab]

Anyone has tried the http://www.diycable.com/main/product_info.php?products_id=505
kit?

I am thinking of ordering it but I would appreciate some comments if possible.

 

[Vikash]

Hi Ant, what did you end up with?

 

[ShinOBIWAN]

Hi Ant, what did you end up with?

Hi Vikash

As of yet nothing but I found out the eaiest method, for me, would be a Dact stepped attenuator (8-way variety) with the Bent Audio remote kit for the Dact.

Here's the attenuator:
http://www.dact.com/html/attenuators.html

And the remote:
http://www.bentaudio.com/parts/dact.html

Also take a look at an exact same configuration that Ed built (its under 'Volume Control' on this page):

http://www.duffroomcorrection.com/wiki/User:Ed_Wildgoose

 

[AuroraB]

That would be something nice......

There have been a few attempts at this, but the serious ones both went sort of semi-commercial ,-
the www.apoxcontrols.com is not longer supported,
www.dantimax.dk is.......

The source and volume part is fairly simple, but we need a uP guy for the programming....personally, i have hardly used a compiler in the last 15 years. Anyone volunteering for the job?

Could be a "forum owned" design.... I will happily join in fomulating the system part and the hardware..

EDIT: perhaps we could persuade the Apox guys to donate their design to the forum, - since they don't support it anymore....
It certainly looked like a very good design for the job

2.EDIT If this was to become a reality, one should make sure to use a freeware orr shareware compiler... PICs or better ATMELs seeems to be the uP closest at hand. The shareware area for ATMEL is huge......

 

[jaycee]

For Atmel chips there is a sample RC5 decoder as an application note.

 

[fab]

That would be something nice......

There have been a few attempts at this, but the serious ones both went sort of semi-commercial ,-
the www.apoxcontrols.com is not longer supported,
www.dantimax.dk is.......

The source and volume part is fairly simple, but we need a uP guy for the programming....personally, i have hardly used a compiler in the last 15 years. Anyone volunteering for the job?

Could be a "forum owned" design.... I will happily join in fomulating the system part and the hardware..

EDIT: perhaps we could persuade the Apox guys to donate their design to the forum, - since they don't support it anymore....
It certainly looked like a very good design for the job

2.EDIT If this was to become a reality, one should make sure to use a freeware orr shareware compiler... PICs or better ATMELs seeems to be the uP closest at hand. The shareware area for ATMEL is huge......

I finally ordered the dantimax kit. I first got good support when mounting it but after that the remote kit with the Alps motorized pot seems a little slow (about 16 seconds to complete the full course of the pot while continuously maintainning the volume button of the remote control). I now get no response from dantimax. Also, it seems to move with noticeable steps. Is that normal? Can someone comment?
Maybe the uP program is not optimized?

Thanks

 

[suzyj]

How about this:

http://www.mhennessy.f9.co.uk/preamp/index.htm

Looks like a fairly well thought out preamp, using a PGA2310 for the volume control, and a PIC microcontroller to control everything.

I'm thinking of doing something similar myself, but with a pair of power amps integrated, as well as a board for switching video signals. Sort of a suround receiver with the surround bit removed, and a little more attention paid to the audio specs

Cheers,

Suzy

 

[AuroraB]

Ah-- I know about the Mark Henessy design..
a setup using PGA type volume controls was also published in Elektor about 2 years ago..(?), designed by this guy..
http://www.dh3ben.de/html/electronics/electronics_index.shtml

Personally, I would like to see a 64 step relay ladder control, or a straight 8-bit version ala AlephP......