dstrickler wrote:
Any recommendations on a model for me to buy? The WiFi seems overkill and yet a good future-proof feature in case I move it to a different location. Come to think of it, I may do that this summer...
What about buying one with the included database? Sounds like you have that one, but have never found out how to access it...
I may not be 100% up to speed on the latest IRTrans offerings, but from my experience I'd recommend the IRT-LAN-MAC or the IRT-POE-MAC (I use IRT-LAN-MAC). That's ethernet with the database and iRed (price is the same with or without iRed).
You'll also need a power supply for the IRT-LAN-MAC (I believe "POE" means "Power Over Ethernet", which requires a special POE switch, but I don't know that for sure). You can buy a power supply with the 'trans, but I didn't. I found supplies here less expensive. If your setup does include POE, that would be sweet as it would mean one less power supply, but they are quite a bit more expensive.
You also might need the transmitters that hwitten refers to. They plug into the 'trans if you need to have the emitter in a different spot than the unit. But for my setup I didn't need that. In fact, the iRTrans built-in emitters are so powerful that I'm still amazed at the coverage. They flood the entire room they are in.
And I did buy mine with, and use, the databases. The database is the "recipient" of the codes file that I've been referring to and is mandatory for my "iRed-less" system. I'm just not familiar with Jay's notion that you can buy a 'trans with a database that is preloaded with some set of codes (like a universal remote). Even if that were true, I'd still need to program it with my own codes, because universal remote databases don't generally include discrete codes*, which I rely on heavily.
I steer
far away from wifi whenever possible. I wire everything. At least in my house I've found vast improvements in reliability, speed and signal quality when I hardwire. My system couldn't even play an MP3 without stuttering until I hardwired. Now that I'm pumping video, I'm glad I did. And since that put wired ethernet at every AV setup location, might as well just hardwire the 'trans. There's no modern AV setup that doesn't require the internet, might as well get a wire to it and add a switch (TVs, Bluerays, receivers, PS3, servers, AppleTVs, and on and on, they all want internet. WiFi
all of those?!? Good luck...)
It was
great to hear from tinbert about iRed 2's progress:
- he is correctly referring to "rem files." That's the doc with all the codes I've been referring to. Nice to hear about iRed's support of those.
- He mentions iRed 2's support for converting Pronto codes. That is what I was using iRed 1 for, and now it seems he's got that working in '2, so that's great. You'll need some way to do that if you grab codes from the Remote Central site.
- And yes, you configure the 'trans using a web browser. Lot's of options and pref's to tweak. But I haven't discovered a way to load the rem file into the database using that, hence my need for the iRTrans software on Windows.
- If, in fact, iRed 2 can now do that, that would be awesome. But I'd have caution about the way tinbert worded that. He says "at least it allows one set of codes." If that's the case, that wouldn't work for me, as I have multiple set's of codes (devices) in my rem file (one for each of two TVs, two receivers, cable box, Mac Mini remote, etc). As I recall, the iRTrans Windows software doesn't support more than one rem file at a time, so all the device codes have to be in one file, but you can have all the devices you want in that one file (limited only by the size of the iRTrans' memory).
If iRed 2 can upload a rem file, that would be sweet. But if iRed 2 can only upload one of its devices to the database, that would be less useful (at least for me). Maybe tinbert can weigh in on that, and add that capability to iRed someday if it currently cannot do that.
Again, I'm very happy to hear that tinbert is continuing development with iRed 2, and according to hwitten it's now more stable and useful than when I stopped using it.
That being said, from a purely workflow point of view, I'd tend to use iRed 2 for Pronto code and perhaps rem file manipulation, but still try to eliminate it from day-to-day use. There's certainly nothing inherently wrong with running it along side Indigo, if in fact it is now stable and able to handle multiple iRTrans devices, but for me, less components to program and run is the way to go. I have such a massive collection of AppleScript now (it's in the hundreds of scripts) that managing another set of them in a program outside of Indigo is not for me.
Wow, I do go on, don't I... but let me add: my experience with email support from tinbert and iRTrans has also been very positive, second and third only to Indigo's! If only Adobe would answer (or even
look at) some of my support-related issues the way that these fine companies do!!
* For the uninitiated: "discrete" codes are ones that your devices' remotes don't have built in. For example: most remotes have one power button that toggles. Press once for on, again for off. Using that IR code in a HA system is not reliable, as there's no simple way to ascertain the current state of the device. Did Indigo power on the TV, or did you press its power button? You need a code for "power on" and separate one for "power off." Those are discrete codes (and you have to claw your way around the internet to find 'em). Another common need: a lot of devices make you cycle through video inputs (HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Component 1, etc) using one button or an on-screen menu system. If you want to press one button to turn on your PS3, TV and receiver, and have all three set to the proper inputs, etc., you're going to need a ticket to the "discrete code" fun ride. Warning: it's quite scary while you're standing in line trying to get in, and equally harrowing inside, but totally worth it when it's over.