Universal remote?

(this is still in idea stage, so bear with me...:whistler:)

We all have one problem in common: The remote. The batteries are dying constantly, we lose them, we mix them up, and (rarely) they interfere signals with each other! (shakes fist at Vizio TVs and Coby DVD players)
Universal remotes are a solution, but A) They don't always have that nobody-brand/super-old code in the remote, B) You may have the right manufacturer, but there are many IR revisions (shakes fist at Coby DVD players [Y U NO keep interoperability between same-age, different-style remotes????]), C) Some of them have the right device code, but only one slot!

I know very much about the web-based remotes, but A) Where's the fun in that? B) They don't always have the codes for the unknown devices online!

I'm planning to make a DIY universal remote. And microcontrollers are the way to do it.

(PS: I'm dead serious! I press the Volume Up button on the TV remote, it ejects the DVD! We had to upgrade to a different player: a Panasonic Blu-ray. No more interference.)

Well, I don't want to destroy the fun of building one, but if you decide it's too much work/not enough fun, I'll give a big recommendation to the Harmony 300. I can control 4 devices (should be able to do infinity really, but whatever), and when I plugged it in it had the codes for my 20+ year old stereo system.

Now, in the case of volume up = dvd eject. There just isn't anything you can do about that stuff. They just share the same code sadly. But I think the logitech remotes do a really good job of having the codes for just about everything, and if they don't you can have the remote learn new commands by inputting it in manually one remote to another.

I may just hijack their database, get the codes from there :whistler:

Main reason I am doing it is, nobody has done it before.
Other reason? Complete customization!

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Originally Posted by AmEv

I may just hijack their database, get the codes from there :whistler:

Main reason I am doing it is, nobody has done it before.
Other reason? Complete customization!

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Hey, I agree. It's a sweet project. Woz did remotes when he first left Apple. Loved that he could have completely customizable universal remotes. Problem was, back then barely anyone had even more than one television, let alone VCRs, remote enabled stereos, etc.

The issue that's hard pressing me right now is, how am I going do do the LCDs?

One semi-big (8-10") screen?
One small (~4")?
Two-line?
Touch screens?
Buttons off to the sides?
Array of buttons?
Some combination thereof?

And don't forget that the majority of the universal remotes out there are IR ONLY! Does not work with my Dish DVR. If you are custom building, add the hardware to do RF as well. I don't have anywhere near the skills to do something like this, but I'll gladly follow along if I can learn something.

Definitely consider dropping the results into a repository somewhere (like board files and artwork, firmware, etc.) so others can reproduce it.

This is one of those things I am DEFINITELY going to sketch out first!

Preference would be for easily sourced batteries, like AA NIMH over more difficult to find flat pack batteries. Charging internally via either a cradle, or even better, a USB/mini/micro jack would be awesome.

As far as screen, I'd have a preference toward keeping the more common remote type of footprint. Sure, a 10" tablet would be cool, but it's no good for the usual Al Bundy couch surfing one handed remote operation style. A 4" screen with softkeys on the edges, and normal buttons for the common controls like volume, mute, channel would be the way I'd like to see it set up.

Add some sort of "favorites" functionality, and you'll definitely be a winner.

Of course, it's entirely your remote, so go ahead and use or toss my ideas as you see fit. I'm just throwing out some things to think over.

OK, thanks for all the input.

I've thrown a SketchUp file here; it'll auto-update, so I won't need to throw links everywhere. But I will need to inform you of updates, though.

I'm thinking 6" touch screen with 5 buttons on each side.



The other think I am thinking is 4 AA rechargeable batteries.
1.2V*4=4.8V.
Or 2 sets together.....

That way, it's a combo charge port/USB update port.

I do have 4 NiMH batteries, though. Plain green, so will work for what I'm doing.

Doesn't a logitech harmony remote do all of these things already?

I mean i haven't found a device it can't control yet, It even controls my HANNS-G 28" OCD panel cause i noticed it had a IR sensor on the bezel but made no mention of a remote control or anything else other wise.(my only guess is it's for factory settings or something?)

set it to the "learn" function and 20 minutes later i was controlling it with the harmony.


Works as a playstation 3 controller as well, Controls all my old junk stereos that long lost there own remote controls.

four AAA batteries last well over a year on that remote, and at 5,900,000 devices currently supported (growing every day) your hard pressed to find something on this planet the harmony can't control.

Higher end harmony's also do IR/RF/Wi-fi

You're making this harder for me *minorrageface*

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Originally Posted by Twigsoffury

Doesn't a logitech harmony remote do all of these things already?

Higher end harmony's also do IR/RF/Wi-fi

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Yes, but they are costly. And isn't it much more fun and satisfying to make your own? This is a board for making and modding things, not buying things. :facepalm:

I really like the idea and will be following this as I'm a real lightweight when it comes to microcontrollers and programming. I'd love to take this project when done and modify it further to suit my own ideas.

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Originally Posted by TLHarrell

Yes, but they are costly. And isn't it much more fun and satisfying to make your own? This is a board for making and modding things, not buying things. :facepalm:

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Guess it is always cooler to make one yourself = D

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*minorrageface*

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*runs*

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*runs*

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*chases screaming*

I would think the most useful feature in a universal remote would be a speaker. Press a button on the TV/whatever to make the remote start playing ringtones until found and deactivated.

The really nice feature of the remote?

I have an IR HTPC keyboard.

This will enable me to use both the physical board and the remote.

Saw this today on Hackaday.com. Thought it might be an interesting read for you.

http://hackaday.com/2012/02/01/flexi...early-perfect/

Keep the ideas coming!