[mythtv-users] USB IrDa Dongles vs. LIRC
Dan Wilga
dwilga at mtholyoke.edu
Thu Aug 4 15:57:24 UTC 2005
At 10:57 PM -0700 8/3/05, Russel Hill wrote:
>The LIRC FAQ says "it's technically not possible to use USB IrDA
>dongles with LIRC". However, on the LIRC home page there's a link to
>http://usbirboy.sourceforge.net/ which claims to be LIRC compatible.
IrDA is a specific type of IR hardware. Unlike IR remotes, it uses a
fundamental frequency that does not allow it to travel reliably over
more than about a meter. That's why it's generally used for things
like sending data from a laptop to a printer that is only a foot or
two away.
From my brief look at the USB-IR-Boy page, it doesn't look like it is
IrDA at all, which is why it can work with LIRC. It seems to support
the same IR protocols understood by LIRC.
>Can anyone explain the disconnect? Is there something fundamentally
>different about the usbirboy? Is it just a com port implementation
>with a USB back-end?
No, it is a native USB device.
--
Dan Wilga dwilga at mtholyoke.edu
Web Administrator http://www.mtholyoke.edu
Mount Holyoke College Tel: 413-538-3027
South Hadley, MA 01075 "Who left the cake out in the rain?"
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