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Hate you Apple for getting rid of the IR port

I have an old non-unibody MBP and it came with a monitor adaptor, the IR remote, the IR port and something else too I think but I forget.

The wireless keyboard is the cheapest and most poorly-assembled product they make and they don't even include it anymore.

In the box: computer, plug
 
ayeying said:
There is a keynote remote under the Keynote app on iOS. Which is free for new devices now I think?
Click to expand...

Check the beginning of the first post:
Not to worry, there is the Keynote app for iphone which incorporates the old keynote remote app (discontinued).
Click to expand...
Unfortunately it didn't work out.

maflynn said:
So are you saying to have a USB cable with an IR sensor at one end - seems like an a doable solution though perhaps not as elegant that I would choose.

I still think a wireless mouse works well enough, because its easy enough to include and can be used for the general operation of the laptop. (I prefer a mouse over the trackpad so I always bring a mouse with me).
Click to expand...
Certainly doable. Here's one example:
IMG_1714.jpg

Perhaps not elegant, but small enough to carry with you :)

Edit: I don't think it makes a lot of sense to buy the IR board for $20-30, for that price there are easier solutions. But if you happen to have one lying around, like I had, it's a fun little project.

Edit2: This solution has one advantage though: being Apple hardware, it works on any Mac OS X version at least since 10.4 (maybe even older, haven't tried), without any extra effort. No driver or software installation required. And it will continue to work as long as any of the Macs originally containing these IR boards are supported by the current OS X release.
 
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laurihoefs said:
Certainly doable. Here's one example:
Image
Perhaps not elegant, but small enough to carry with you :)
Click to expand...

Wow - that one looks really clean compared to my creation...nice job! I guess someone could even do it with an old Apple keyboard/mouse cable (from a dead one of course) for that slightly-more-OEM-feel. :)

Also, it looks like the IR boards from a few other models do not have color-coded cables. These pinouts should work: http://www.applefritter.com/node/23056#comment-55048

It seems you can do that with the iSight/FaceTime cameras from various Macs, too: http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/7889/Pinout+of+the+iMac's+built+in+iSight (any Mac mini or Mac Pro owners want to get in on the ability to do FaceTime without any third-party products?)
 
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ecschwarz said:
Wow - that one looks really clean compared to my creation...nice job! I guess someone could even do it with an old Apple keyboard/mouse cable (from a dead one of course) for that slightly-more-OEM-feel. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks! A bit of shrink wrap does wonders ;)

I have some old Apple USB cables somewhere, but I decided to save them for later. You just gave me an idea how to use one of them, and the extra G5 iSight camera I also have around: I really could use a handheld camera for inspecting solder joints, and peeking inside enclosures, etc, so I'll have to see if the iSight cam with some extra optics would be good enough for the job.
 
maflynn said:
Wow, long rant, I have to say I've never used it the IR port, but I can understand why people who rely on it, would be upset.

When did apple remove the IR port from the MBP line? My 2012 rMBP doesn't have it.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure my 2010 has it. I was wondering why they weren't offering a remote on the new MBPs I was looking at.

Good thing for me that I never used the remote (Though I bought it and had one for my 2007 MB as well though I didn't realize it would work on my 2010).

But that sux for OP though it sounds on the good side that there is a simple solution through an add on dongle.
 
tigress666 said:
I'm pretty sure my 2010 has it. I was wondering why they weren't offering a remote on the new MBPs I was looking at.

Good thing for me that I never used the remote (Though I bought it and had one for my 2007 MB as well though I didn't realize it would work on my 2010).
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly, they got rid of the actual ports with the 2010+ MacBook Airs and the Retina MacBook Pros. I want to say the iMacs had them up to the 2012 (when they made the thin ones). I think at this point, the only Macs to still have them are the Mac mini and the 13" MacBook Pro (non-unibody).

I think it was around 2007/2008 when Apple stopped including remotes with their computers.
 
I'm surprised they haven't updated their remote to be bluetooth. That said there are still about a dozen of other USB solutions for replacing the old Apple IR remote starting at ~$13.
 
priitv8 said:
It disappeared with the thin Retina models. Actually, the Airs never had it either.
But then again, the main reason to have one - Frontrow - was gone long before the IR port.
Click to expand...

my macbook air has it, and I still use it! It is the 2008 first generation.
I use it for my presentations almost every other day.
 
azentropy said:
I'm surprised they haven't updated their remote to be bluetooth. That said there are still about a dozen of other USB solutions for replacing the old Apple IR remote starting at ~$13.
Click to expand...
In my opinion this type of thing is becoming more commonplace with Apple products. Anyone who has ever used their Macbook Pro to give presentation using the Apple remote knows how superior that solution it so anything else.

"It simply works".

Unfortunately my late-2011 MBP is casters-up (overheating GPU issue) and I'm having to rely on other notebooks/tablets for presentation.... painfully reminding me of what I miss.

I'm currently using a Surface 2 (attaching a projector or large HDTV as a 2nd monitor), PowerPoint, and Targus presentation remote w/USB receiver. Extremely compact and functional but not the same.
 
sevimli said:
my macbook air has it, and I still use it! It is the 2008 first generation.
I use it for my presentations almost every other day.
Click to expand...

Yeah - when they redesigned them in 2010, the IR receiver was removed...so was the little flip-down port door (and maybe that was when the whole line went SSD, too?)
 
ecschwarz said:
Another option is what I did in the days when I wanted an IR receiver on a G4 Mac mini - the internal IR receivers are actually USB, so if you get one, you can splice a USB cable on it and it will work with the built-in system resources, even on a machine that didn't originally come with one. The non-unibody MacBook Pros seem to have this separate from other components (as opposed to later ones that combined the IR receiver, sleep indicator, and hard drive cable). These run for about $20-$30 on eBay, a bit more on Mac "parts" sites: it's Apple P/N 922-8039.

You'd just need an old USB cable you can cut up, and can just match the colors - I originally just twisted the cables and kept them from touching to test it initially (I think I also used a hub in case anything went wrong, it wouldn't be connected directly to my computer). Once I made sure it worked, I taped it up and actually put it in the shell of a Magic Mouse case. You could wrap the whole thing in electrical tape or something else that's a bit cleaner and more compact. Since mine sat on top of my Mac mini when it was relegated to my home theater set up, I sort of just got it working and left it.

Here's a picture of the setup - I pulled the tape back and re-twisted it (I really need to solder these)...I actually dug it up and connected it to my MacBook Pro - System Information saw both, so I attached a screenshot of that, too.
Click to expand...
Necro'ing this thread to say ecschwarz's method works flawlessly, very cool!

Have it working on my '13 Air and '10 cMP on Yosemite. However, I tested it on my roommate's rMBP '13 on El Cap and it was recognized by System Report, but didn't seem to recognize input.
 

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ecschwarz said:
Another option is what I did in the days when I wanted an IR receiver on a G4 Mac mini - the internal IR receivers are actually USB, so if you get one, you can splice a USB cable on it and it will work with the built-in system resources, even on a machine that didn't originally come with one. The non-unibody MacBook Pros seem to have this separate from other components (as opposed to later ones that combined the IR receiver, sleep indicator, and hard drive cable). These run for about $20-$30 on eBay, a bit more on Mac "parts" sites: it's Apple P/N 922-8039.

You'd just need an old USB cable you can cut up, and can just match the colors - I originally just twisted the cables and kept them from touching to test it initially (I think I also used a hub in case anything went wrong, it wouldn't be connected directly to my computer). Once I made sure it worked, I taped it up and actually put it in the shell of a Magic Mouse case. You could wrap the whole thing in electrical tape or something else that's a bit cleaner and more compact. Since mine sat on top of my Mac mini when it was relegated to my home theater set up, I sort of just got it working and left it.

Here's a picture of the setup - I pulled the tape back and re-twisted it (I really need to solder these)...I actually dug it up and connected it to my MacBook Pro - System Information saw both, so I attached a screenshot of that, too.
Click to expand...


Awesome, thanks for the tip ! - I've just ordered one for ~10€ in Germany (7 years later though .. man does time fly)
 
maflynn said:
Wow, long rant, I have to say I've never used it the IR port, but I can understand why people who rely on it, would be upset.

When did apple remove the IR port from the MBP line? My 2012 rMBP doesn't have it.
Click to expand...

It is a long rant, but I can fully relate: I had along with all the other issues, the same rude awakening. Not only did I use the remote(s), originally included free with our laptops, for work, but also at home for adjusting volume etc. Believe it or not, a 2005 17" is still providing most of our entertainment solutions.

As for when, well, at home and work, until we purchased the terrible experience that is the maxed out late 2016 MBP 15" we were using 2009's, 2010's and perhaps 2011's. OF course all upgraded with SSD and memory....

And yes, we have tried the BT, but for some reason the connectivity is terrible. Having said that, the BT will connect to headphones and NOT release or share with other devices, even those that can have multiple devices connected.

However, it is what it is . ..
 
i just tested out the Keynote app on iOS with the built-in remote and found that it works perfectly fine over bluetooth. the remote function on iPhone has a nice built-in "laser pointer" as well as providing haptic feedback every time you go forward with a slide...


and holy crap. i just realized this thread is over 3 years old. nvm.
 
I've made a quick video on how to wire up / make an adapter from one of the old originally built-in IR receivers; hope it helps :)

 
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LOL to this thread. It's 2017. A lot more people would find the Superdrive or USB 3.1 port useful too, but you can't cry about Apple looking forward just because you're looking back.

There's newer alternatives to solve your problem OP.
 
SB-MBP said:
LOL to this thread. It's 2017. A lot more people would find the Superdrive or USB 3.1 port useful too, but you can't cry about Apple looking forward just because you're looking back.

There's newer alternatives to solve your problem OP.
Click to expand...

I blame you for what's wrong with apple nowadays :)
 
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Such a simple thing and so very useful for giving presentations, controlling music playback from across the room and so much more. Which means, of course Apple had to get rid of it.
 
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I think what your looking for is a wireless presenter remote, maybe called ultimate presenter. It’s what people use at big conferences, I’ve run the multimedia at a few, I think even Apple use them at their keynotes also. Some have laser pointers also. It’s been a long time since Apple bundled the Apple remote with their laptops and iMacs.
 
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How could I do the same with an iMac IR receiver? I mean all the wires are black...

015D3E65-C7ED-45D6-B6E2-8FEBA84EB745.jpeg
 
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