Do I need Xremote and Girder?

[sonofdbn]

I have a USB-UIRT; what I'd like to be able to do is issue some remote IR codes from the USB-UIRT when I navigate (via a remote) to a button and "click" on it (also via the remote). For example, if I click on "Play DVD", the USB-UIRT should send IR codes for turning on the projector and lowering the screen.

Can this be done using only the USB-UIRT plug-in or do I need Xremote and Girder? I've used Girder before and really struggled with it, so I'd like to avoid using it if possible. I thought I read something which implied that Xremote didn't actually require Girder, but the documentation implies that it does.

I don't mind learning how to use the plug-ins, but I want to make sure I'm starting on the right track.

[Marbles_00]

The reason for XRemote is integrate Xlobby with Girder. You could say it acts as a 'translater' between the two software packages. Now Xlobby does support the USB-UIRT, but I think the control is only for Xlobby and it's integrated software (Winamp/Foobar and Zoomplayer/Theatertek). On its own, I don't thing you can use the USB-UIRT to do what you want. Now you may be able to find some X10 device that can integrate with Xlobby.

In the end, I think you will need XLobby to talk to some third party automation software albeit Girder or some other.

What kind of signals are required to turn on/off the projector and raise/lower the screen? Are they just 12v triggers? One option is using a relay board controlled by the parallel port. Use Girder with the LAU_IO plugin, and XLobby/XRemote to send the commands. There are lot's of options when using Girder, where people here and over at Proximis can help you with. You don't have to do it all on your own. Trust me, Girder may come across as a difficult piece of software (much like how Xlobby felt when I first started to use it), but it is pretty easy to set something up, once you understand its fundamentals.

Hope this was helpful.

David

[sonofdbn]

Thanks for the advice. Actually all I need is for Xlobby to send IR signals out through the USB-UIRT - no fancy 12V trigger stuff. I think perhaps the mention of lowering the screen was misleading - I'm not thinking of home automation - more like using Xlobby and the PC as a remote control (an infra-red one) for other devices.

I had the impression that with the USB-UIRT plug-in you can get Xlobby to store any remote signal and then get Xlobby to "respond" to that signal anywhere in a skin - using it for navigation, for example, and not necessarily just for the supported media players.

I suppose the question is whether the USB-UIRT plug-in supports transmitting signals in addition to receving signals.

[rembetis]

I suppose the question is whether the USB-UIRT plug-in supports transmitting signals in addition to receving signals.

Absolutely. The UIRT can transmit both from its face and through a mini-jack port on its back for IR blasters. Xlobby can both respond to signals received by the UIRT and transmit signals when a given action or event occurs. The process for configuring these things is different -- for the first you need an event you want to trigger, and then set the IR trigger for that event. I could be wrong but it was my understanding that a button with this trigger/event must be present on any screen you wish to use it for (i.e. you need to have a Now Playing screen displaying with a "Stop DVD" button event/trigger for that remote command to be registered). To have Xlobby transmit IR, you simply add that IR command to an event.

All the above assumes no use of Girder, which can both complexify (greatly) the process and broaden the possibilities.