# Building my own touchscreen universal remote.



## Candoo (Mar 19, 2009)

I am in the process of putting together an idea . that involves useing a HTPC and some software to create my own homegrown universal remote.
the hardware side is the easy part let me tell you.

on the other hand the software side has been a bit more tricky. sense i'v been a Linux guru sense 1995 i don't offen touch a windows based machine. so i'm working through what software might allow me to use a MCE remote setup IR in and IR out too control my entire system.

I also intended to catalogue all my media both in hard copy and on hard disk i have 3TB full of music and such. and allow this computer to control the catalogue and playback of all this media. including my Sony 400 disc dvd changer.

any suggestions or ideas would be greatly apprecate. thank you for reading my thread.


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## Strype (Feb 17, 2009)

If this is an evolving project for a more long term venture:

Think RF, Zwave, Zigbee or even Bluetooth (short range but no real market competitors yet) for remote to base station communications ..... then convert to IR and RS232 for source control.

2-way coms will have to be on horizon very soon.

Where will you be getting clean verified working IR code sets?
do you already know IR frequency standards? Hex coding stadards?

Overall. control systems work better when coding lives on base station and remote fires trigger commands.




If this is a one off remote for your own use:

have fun .... just design for your own very specific needs.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Wit the new iphone/ipod touch software opening up bluetooth protocols (at least that's my understanding), I'm hoping the touch will be the next great custom remote platform. At least for those looking for such a thing (physical buttons are still a joy).


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## hddummy (Mar 9, 2007)

Okay...you've sparked my interest. What kind of hardware did you have in mind?


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## Candoo (Mar 19, 2009)

my apologies for taking so long on the reply...I get to tinkering in my HT and sweaking and get lost for a day or more sometimes.

well I already have a HTPC and a spare LCD around. I will probibly use the HTPC and the LCD together to run some remote software
in the worst case i might have to actually write some software but that should't be to big of an issue.

the htpc has IR in/out and placing a usb based touchscreen overlay on the LCD monitor should od fine for larger buttons i intend ot use on the screen.

I intend to take a wooden table and cut a hold in the center and place the touchscreen flat within it in.

i'll use IR/extenders where needed. the htpc is great for this purpose. just useing the Mediacenter parts of it too control other equipment won't be hard.

as far as raw codes i do have a pretty good understanding of thoes. during the time i wrote software for satellite recievers i learned a good bit about their IR systems and communicaitons between remotes and recievers. things like protocol and their hex values and subdevices and such. I also took a deep interest in JP1 at one time. hehe I'v spent my fair share of time messing in Remote Master. any of you who have done custom remotes usieng JP1 know what remove master is. hehe.

thanks for replying in my thread.


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