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I actually have a spare ipod touch laying around unused (bought an iphone). I can see having this paired with the touch rather than the phone.

I have a spare iPod Touch that's unused as well as a first gen iPhone that isn't used... This could come in handy as long as they make a cleaner app. Maybe incorporate multi-touch gestures to do things.

-Tony
 
I'd never want something like this plugged in either.

What would be nice though is the ability for the iPhone to be able to control TVs (built-in) whenever you feel like it. Go to the dentist or hospital and they have nothing but Oprah on the TV there? Easy. Pull out the iPhone and change it to watch wrestling instead! I'm sure everyone (the guys at least in there) won't mind.
 
There's no way I would leave something like that plugged into my phone. The time it would take to plug it in, then launch the app, compared to just reaching for a stand-alone remote would be more of an inconvenience for me.

For the people who don't mind leaving that plugged into their phone, it's pretty cool, I guess.

Agree. I have my iPhone in a dock when I listen to music from Spotify but every time I want to use the iPhone for another task I have to pull it out (the music stops), perform the task, start Spotify again and go to the previous playlist or tune and start manually. Not very practical. This remote is an interesting idea but not very practical.
 
Pass through port

How come no one is making a pass-through charging port on these devices?

That way as it killed the battery each day you could drop the whole thing on the charger without disconnecting the interface just to recharge it.
 
Cool idea, but somewhat impractical. Someone needs to create a central hub where you can control your TV, garage door, thermostat, lights, etc all from your iPhone via Wifi.

Yeah, that's an awesome idea. What if someone started a company like that, that created all of the necessary products? You could call it like, "IntelligentHome." No, wait, "Smarthome."

Maybe there could be a lot of little modules that you could use for home automation, like light switch replacements, outlet replacements, or little plug-in versions of these guys if you don't feel like mucking around in your home's electrical systems. They could all communicate over the power lines in your house. You could control garage doors, thermostats, lights, coffee machines, security systems, irrigation systems, and so on. You could get notifications that the hot water heater is leaking, that there is new mail in your mailbox, that there are rabbits in the garden, that the humidity in your house is too high. When you go on vacation, you could have lights turn on and off to simulate the activities of a resident who is still at home, or feed and water your pets, or cycle the water in some fixtures to ensure your pipes don't freeze.

And because of the extreme simplicity inherent to these devices' interfaces, perhaps you could create a powerline modem and applications that would be able to utilize your standardized powerline communication protocol to, how you say, "control your TV, garage door, thermostat, lights, etc."

In fact, you might even be able to put such an application on your Mac mini media center (let's call this application "Indigo" and your company "Perceptive Automation") and you might even find a helper app for your iPhone/iPod Touch called "Indigo Touch" (for example) that lets you control everything in your house from that device through slick standard interfaces and even gives you the ability to create your own interface (say, an interactive floorplan) to control those devices.
 
The app itself is completely free to download, though it’s the $188 base station that really makes the magic happen; your handheld talks to said dock via wifi, and if you’ve got an AV device, home automation system or pretty much anything that responds to IR signals, your iPhone can now control it.

The price is $130 more than this item. I'd buy this just to save that money.

Can it be programmed like the Harmony remote? That would be very useful it it can be. I have four to five remote for all my devices. It would make no point to have a app like that what would just replace one of my remotes.

I mean this is besides doing its regular functions that in.

-------
Logistic Labs
iPhone Application Development Course
http://logisticlabs.com/university
 
CommandFusion

Check out CommandFusion (www.commandfusion.com). They have an app that can control any device via Ethernet, and even parse feedback for info display on the screen. I use it with a Global Cache unit which does IR, Serial (for my plasma) and relay control, and they are pretty cheap. They also have a new WiFi to IR unit coming out, I think it should be available any time now.

The interface for CF iViewer is completely customisable too, if you have some Photoshop skills.

Bob
 
Yeah, that's an awesome idea. What if someone started a company like that, that created all of the necessary products? You could call it like, "IntelligentHome." No, wait, "Smarthome."

Maybe there could be a lot of little modules that you could use for home automation, like light switch replacements, outlet replacements, or little plug-in versions of these guys if you don't feel like mucking around in your home's electrical systems. They could all communicate over the power lines in your house. You could control garage doors, thermostats, lights, coffee machines, security systems, irrigation systems, and so on. You could get notifications that the hot water heater is leaking, that there is new mail in your mailbox, that there are rabbits in the garden, that the humidity in your house is too high. When you go on vacation, you could have lights turn on and off to simulate the activities of a resident who is still at home, or feed and water your pets, or cycle the water in some fixtures to ensure your pipes don't freeze.

And because of the extreme simplicity inherent to these devices' interfaces, perhaps you could create a powerline modem and applications that would be able to utilize your standardized powerline communication protocol to, how you say, "control your TV, garage door, thermostat, lights, etc."

In fact, you might even be able to put such an application on your Mac mini media center (let's call this application "Indigo" and your company "Perceptive Automation") and you might even find a helper app for your iPhone/iPod Touch called "Indigo Touch" (for example) that lets you control everything in your house from that device through slick standard interfaces and even gives you the ability to create your own interface (say, an interactive floorplan) to control those devices.

Sarcastic Much ?
 
I'll wait thanks

There's no way I would leave something like that plugged into my phone. The time it would take to plug it in, then launch the app, compared to just reaching for a stand-alone remote would be more of an inconvenience for me.

For the people who don't mind leaving that plugged into their phone, it's pretty cool, I guess.

Absolutely sir. It's of course very cool (albeit obviously inevitable) that this is now possible. I think I'll wait til the IR is built in to replace my remote with my iphone, precisely for that reason.

That said, I may actually be persuaded to get one of these despite the slight inconvenience if I might use it with my ps3...no chance of that I don't suppose?
 
The Logitech Harmony's look better

And are more practical. A remote you can leave on the coffee table vs having to take out my phone which has a quicker battery drain and attach a transmitter just to change the channel

Also a lot of Windows Mobile phones with built in IR (IE Samsung i730) have had the ability to double as remotes for awhile. Once in a while you'll get an idiot at a sportsbar who'll use his phone to change the channel during a game.
 
http://www.totalcontrolapp.com

or

http://totalcontrolapp.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=92

no dongle
wifi so no line of sight
full IR dbase
IR learner
IR blaster + emitters
no pc required
other functionality

totalcontrolremotepr.jpg
 
Can it be programmed like the Harmony remote? That would be very useful it it can be. I have four to five remote for all my devices. It would make no point to have a app like that what would just replace one of my remotes.

I mean this is besides doing its regular functions that in.
Assuming you're asking about the RedEye- yes, it can be programmed much like a Harmony remote: you can set up custom 'activities', totally customize the button layouts, and even make macros to assign to buttons. The folks at ThinkFlood were kind enough to send us at The Appcast two demo units to test out to report about it on our next show. It does have its disadvantages over a Harmony remote (which we'll of course be discussing on the podcast), but it also can do some things that at least the cheaper Harmony remotes can't.

I'm looking forward to getting to test out these new ones as well, but honestly what I'd still really like to see is for someone to design a nice, sleek case that incorporates an IR transmitter so you could a) use the iPhone/Touch right-side-up and pointing the end you'd expect to at the device you want to control and b) you wouldn't have to be taking it on and off or leaving a bulky box plugged in.

I also want one of them to be able to not only control the IR devices but also things that use Bluetooth like the PS3, but that's pretty pie-in-the sky (at least not without buying the Harmony adapter and figuring out how to program these to control it...).
 
This really should be a built in feature. I remember my old Hp ipac had a universal remote function built in. It was fully programmable and could learn from other remotes. this was all in my freshman year in collage (2004). i used to change the tv's in the commons from soaps and piss off all the soon to be stay at home moms glued to the tv. but they also used the IR port to transfer business cards, play games vs others. Technology has evolved past this to bluetooth and WiFi.

I'm surprised there isn't a Wifi solution already available so you can control it from you computer or iphone ect from home or away via internet. if the there was something out there that cost around $50 i'm sure that they would do alot of business.
 
Yeah, that's an awesome idea. What if someone started a company like that, that created all of the necessary products? You could call it like, "IntelligentHome." No, wait, "Smarthome."

Maybe there could be a lot of little modules that you could use for home automation, like light switch replacements, outlet replacements, or little plug-in versions of these guys if you don't feel like mucking around in your home's electrical systems. They could all communicate over the power lines in your house. You could control garage doors, thermostats, lights, coffee machines, security systems, irrigation systems, and so on. You could get notifications that the hot water heater is leaking, that there is new mail in your mailbox, that there are rabbits in the garden, that the humidity in your house is too high. When you go on vacation, you could have lights turn on and off to simulate the activities of a resident who is still at home, or feed and water your pets, or cycle the water in some fixtures to ensure your pipes don't freeze.

And because of the extreme simplicity inherent to these devices' interfaces, perhaps you could create a powerline modem and applications that would be able to utilize your standardized powerline communication protocol to, how you say, "control your TV, garage door, thermostat, lights, etc."

In fact, you might even be able to put such an application on your Mac mini media center (let's call this application "Indigo" and your company "Perceptive Automation") and you might even find a helper app for your iPhone/iPod Touch called "Indigo Touch" (for example) that lets you control everything in your house from that device through slick standard interfaces and even gives you the ability to create your own interface (say, an interactive floorplan) to control those devices.

You know, I used to work Tech support for them a long time ago (Smarthome)...I liked handling the Indigo questions because unlike everything else, at least Indigo worked. =P.

PS: I hate X10.
 
Sorry to bump, but am curious if anyone knows of the status of this thing. Perhaps it's my connection or browser, but I can't even pull up the company's website. Anyway, interested in this or any IR-type app/hardware for the iPhone if anyone has used anything successfully. I welcome any links to other threads if this is covered elsewhere. Thanks.
 
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