[mythtv-users] IRK! Infrared Remote controlled USB keyboard project

[Andrew C. Stadt]

On 22/05/2010 3:58 AM, Andrew Armstrong wrote:
> Hi,
>
> For those handy with a soldering iron I've started a new SourceForge 
> project called IRK!
>
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/irk-usb/
>
> IRK! is an alternative to LIRC (on Linux) for people who want to 
> control their MythTV system using a LEARNING infrared remote control.
> This is an open-hardware Infrared Remote Controlled USB keyboard 
> implemented using a PIC microcontroller and written in MikroC C-language.
> IRK! enables you to use your LEARNING remote control to control any 
> system that you can plug a USB keyboard into. It is operating-system 
> agnostic.
>
> "Open-hardware" means that you will need to be handy with a soldering 
> iron, have reasonably advanced electronic circuit board assembly 
> skills and have the equipment to be able to program a PIC 
> microcontroller. I didn't say it was going to be easy!
>
> Once you build the hardware and program the microcontroller with the 
> hex code from sourceforge you can then select which keystrokes are to 
> be programmed into your LEARNING infrared remote. IRK! will teach your 
> LEARNING remote a code for each keystroke combination that you select. 
> Once your remote has learned the code onto a button, pressing that 
> button will cause IRK! to send the keystroke via USB to your MYTHTV 
> system.
>
> The beauty of this system is that IRK! doesn't need to recognise a 
> zillion remote controls, and it doesn't need to conform to any 
> particular remote control protocol standard.
>
> Note, if you don't have a LEARNING remote control then IT WON'T WORK. 
> And I can't vouch for all learning remotes. It works with mine, a 
> TheaterMaster MX500.
>
> IRK1 is completely free (GPL v3 license) and can be built by anyone.
>
> Enjoy!
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>
Interesting concept - anyone have any luck getting this to work with 
something like the Logitech Harmony series of remotes?
I also noted in the schematic a HD44780, and particular reason you chose 
a 16x2 versus one of the larger, and can it be used to display system 
messages, or is it just for IRK itself to display messages?

Cheers,
Andrew.