Any thoughts on adding IR support?

[guest13549]

Well, since the app is nearing perfection, more feature requests has to surface, right? 

[garrettwp]

What type of ir support are you looking for?

- Garrett

[guest13549]

For example, being able to send new temp setting into heatpump/airconditioners through something like Global Cache iTach.
It strikes while writing this, that maybe something like this might already be working, using vera plugins?

[garrettwp]

It would be much easier to add support via a plugin in vera than it would be for me to try and integrate IR control into my app. As there are many devices for IR control, it would require me to support different hardware types and require a lot of work. It would also make it extremely difficult for me to support any of the IR devices as I do not own any.

- Garrett

[RichardTSchaefer]

Controlling the details of IR devices is not really practical for Vera.  Most Vera controller apps like AutHomation  and HalServer ... can control IR devices indirectly via what has been defined in the Vera configuration. SQ Remote ios app does have both IR and Vera remote control access in one ... but since I am an android user ... I can't speak to the details ...

I have been working on a generic IR control app for my Android.
The intention is to drive any of a number of internet connect devices ... which may also be connected to Vera. I.e. iTach, USB-UIRT (Connected to Vera, and maybe a PC), SQ Remote.

My strategy is that Vera would do basic configuration attached to scenes ...
i.e. Turn on/off devices ... Configure Sources ... Default Sound levels ... Lower projection screen ...
 
The IR Remote App will provide full functional control of ALL of the IR devices and ALL of their commands.

I have a slightly different approach to configuring the IR controller than others. Configuration is done via a Java program ... so should run on PC/Mac/Linux ... generates a config file for the associated android app ... various screen size ... phones to tablets ....
Configuration includes importing image files (background for action) with active regions.
Images can be moved, rotated, resized ... all snapped to a grid size ... and active regions defined.
Then associating commands to the active regions.

It supports multiple pages ... multiple images per page ... multiple active regions for image ... multiple device commands per active region.  Allowed actions are:
Touch Down
Touch Up
Press (Down and Up in same active region)
Long Press
Motion (Left, Right, Up, Down, Clockwise, Counter Clockwise)

Besides IR commands, actions can also be used to change the displayed page.
Supports the use and creation of multiple skins to stylize the pages.

Only step left to do is to attach device drivers ... (Run from Java Config Program and Android App)

I will start with iTach ... because that's what I have. If others are interested send a personal message to me. I can start a new thread. I have a request into  USB-UIRT to get there API documentation ... and will hold back on SQ Remote ... because they keep saying they have an android App coming ... and I would need more work to interface to their internal IR device library.

[JamesM]

Garret,

I have been thinking in depth about IR control and wanted to throw an idea out there.

Instead of supporting a vendors hardware, what about creating a tab or icon that pops up a generic page with play/pause/skip/source/etc.. with each button able to be assigned a scene from vera?