Open Question
Trying to build a Universal remote with a twist?
Trying to build a Universal remote with a twist...?
Ok all, hello :)
Basically I am going to a fancy dress party soon, and there is going to be quite a few Infrared TV's in action there. It's a nerdy mates sorta gathering, so I am going as The Doctor (Doctor Who)
Anyway, my plan was to buy one of the old Eccleston/Tennant era Sonic Screwdriver toys for £11 or so, and mod it to act as a universal remote. I was thinking maybe the bottom button on the toy could cycle therough the modes, one press at a time, so on/off, volume up, volume down, mute, channel up, channel down (that's all I really need!) and the top button could activate the device, so press and hold to turn volume up if the device is set to the volume up mode for example,
I am hoping I can wire this sorta stuff in, stick the IR LED in the cap at the top, where the blue light is, whilst maintaining the light and sound effects that the toy comes with.
Now my 1st Hurdle, is that I don't know how to build a universal remote, and it's not a case of buying one and stripping it. I can't find any design where the chipboard would fit inside the toy, and I'm trying to keep it as authentic looking as possible (don't want a chipset mounted on the outside)
From what I can make out, I need a microcontroller chip that stores the 'codes', an IR LED (I was thinking this one: http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Optoelectronics/Infrared-Devices/5mm-Infrared-source-and-sensor/72945/kw/58-0320?source=googleps&utm_source=googleps as it's blue, like the Sonic Screwdriver), and I think I need an 8.0MHz ceramic resonator, although I'm not really too savvy on what htis component does, and if ceramic or 8.0MHz is correct.
I'm guessing I will need some resistors or capcitors or something, Not too savvy with the circuit building area of things.
But once I have all the components I need, How do I put them together?
If you could shed any light at all on how to build such a device from scratch, and how to program it to work with most TV's like in shop windows, pubs, etc, that would be great, as like I said, no idea on what sort of TV's there will be.
Thanks in advance :)
Asked by Deadpool time:2011-04-24 13:26:17
answers (4)
You obviously have no clue, so I suggest you try to find another way to entertain yourself in the party.
Get a universal remote and hide it in one hand.
With one hand, pretend you use the toy as remote, while you actually do everything with the other hand. Send some spies to give you the TV models, so you can program your universal control.
You obviously have no clue, so I suggest you try to find another way to entertain yourself in the party.
Get a universal remote and hide it in one hand.
With one hand, pretend you use the toy as remote, while you actually do everything with the other hand. Send some spies to give you the TV models, so you can program your universal control.
This is too complicated for a first project, from scratch
Look in Poundland or other value shops and get a universal remote keyring or similar and cannibalise the parts.
Most of these universal controllers require that you chose a code to suit the make of TV, so it is unlikely that a range of different makes could easily be controlled by any one device without resetting the controller.
Also some time ago these shops had a toy (orange) pistol that had a tv remote built in, similar to link
This is too complicated for a first project, from scratch
Look in Poundland or other value shops and get a universal remote keyring or similar and cannibalise the parts.
Most of these universal controllers require that you chose a code to suit the make of TV, so it is unlikely that a range of different makes could easily be controlled by any one device without resetting the controller.
Also some time ago these shops had a toy (orange) pistol that had a tv remote built in, similar to link