What is the ultimate infrared device to use with HS3?

[jrfuda]

I'm slowly moving from HS2Pro to HS3Pro. I used an Ocelot in HS2 for infrared and X10. I will not have any X10 in my HS3 setup, but still want an Ocelot-like IR experience. The Ocelot could receive, learn and send IR as well as react to IR triggers (or pass these received triggers on to S for it to react to).

I cannot seem to be able to find an HS3-friendly replacement that has the same capabilities for IR. I've looked at the GC devices, but they do not appear to be able to do what I want. Any suggestions?

[CFGuy]

I used an Ocelot in HS2 as well. I have yet to do IR in HS3 but I have been researching what I want to get.

I am leaning towards the Global Cache devices.
http://store.homeseer.com/store/Infr...ntrol-C47.aspx
I like that it can be controlled via Ethernet and wifi.

[AgileHumor]

Ditto on GlobalCache. The 3 output emitter is pretty solid. I can actually control more than 3 TV's if different brands. I have only one at the central HS server over Cat5 and control 6 TV's.

I use these Cat5 to 3.5mm adapters to convert over Cat5 with no splicing needed:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D0E6R96

Note - you normally need a 3.5mm female to female adapter as most ir dongles are male.

[jon00]

I used an Ocelot in HS2 and moved to a Global Cache IP2IR for HS3. It has been 100% reliable using the HST plugin.

[jrfuda]

Thanks guys. I've got a rather robust xantach system that takes care of the distro part - I really only need one port (had an SECU-IR, but don't use it anymore), though zoning (if the GC device can transmit independently to each port) would be helpful. I'm mostly looking at the interface to HS with both reception and transmission abilities. From my quick review of the GC devices, they do not appear to have reception capabilities, or is there an addon that does the receiving.

With the Ocelot, I have IR triggers from my remote for various activities, for example, watching a DVD - the remote sends a trigger and the Ocelot turns things on, switches input, adjust volumes. At one point I even had current sensors on my non-discrete on/off devices so the ocelot would only toggle them on if they were off. All the logic resided in the ocelot unless I needed something the ocelot could not do (like zwave or speech), then I either had HS also watch for the trigger and act on it (or made the ocelot program toggle a register and HS act on that change), or just have it all reside in HS. Using HS and/or the ocelot react to a single IR trigger to execute multiple actions was nice, because I did not have to keep the remote aimed for the multiple seconds required for the IR sensor to see all the commands, just had to aim it for the instance the trigger command was sent. I typically used IR signals from equipment I knew I'd never own (like a McIntosh Amp) as triggers.

So any all-in-one IR box out there - send and receive?

[sparkman]

or is there an addon that does the receiving.

Hi John,

Yes, there is an add-on receiver: http://www.globalcache.com/files/doc...G1_distrib.pdf. The UltraJones GCIR plugin supports it.

Cheers
Al

[jrfuda]

Yes, there is an add-on receiver: http://www.globalcache.com/files/doc...G1_distrib.pdf. The UltraJones GCIR plugin supports it.

Thanks.

This document http://www.globalcache.com/files/doc...RE_distrib.pdf makes it look like I can use my existing Xantech receiver to get the IR into the IRE, then the IRE to the GC. Another $77 on top of the cost of the GC-100. Looks like the IP2IR, much less expensive, does not have anyway to receive IR, with or without an adapter, or am I missing something?

[sparkman]

Thanks.

This document http://www.globalcache.com/files/doc...RE_distrib.pdf makes it look like I can use my existing Xantech receiver to get the IR into the IRE, then the IRE to the GC. Another $77 on top of the cost of the GC-100. Looks like the IP2IR, much less expensive, does not have anyway to receive IR, with or without an adapter, or am I missing something?

That's my understanding as well on both those items. You can typically find the GC-100's on eBay for much less than list price.

Cheers
Al

[kenflorian]

Primer on infrared and HS3 Pro?

I've got a HomeTroller S6 Pro and yet I was just about to buy this http://www.simplecontrol.com/
because I don't have a handle on how IR control through HS3 (via an iPad) can work.

I know that a Global Cache WF2IR is part of the solution but beyond that I do not understand how I "teach" or "program" HS to translate a given input into the output for a given device. IOW, what is required to make this work?

Is there a primer somewhere on this?

Thanks,

Ken