Best way to trigger Ra 2 scenes via IR?

[joshg]

What's the best way to simulate a button-press on a wall-mounted Keypad in a Ra2 system when a particular IR code is sent? Presumably i need a small box that takes the IR signal from a sensor, and it can send out a command on the home network via TCP/IP to tell the system to do what's coded in a particular keypad button. Anyone know of something like this?

Thanks for any advice,

--josh

[joshg]

As a followup, I've discovered the Global Cache GC100 device that does IP-to-IR, but the docs make mention of the IR ports being able to act as a sensor as well as an output. Anyone tried making this device to IR-to-IP rather than IP-to-IR?

Thanks in advance,

[FlyingDiver]

As a followup, I've discovered the Global Cache GC100 device that does IP-to-IR, but the docs make mention of the IR ports being able to act as a sensor as well as an output. Anyone tried making this device to IR-to-IP rather than IP-to-IR?

Thanks in advance,

Even if you could do that, you'd still need something on the network to convert from the HTTP interface of the GC100 to the telnet based interface of the RRA2 system.

I think the cheapest way to do this would be using an rPi and a little custom code. Probably running something like http://openelec.tv as that has the IR decoding functionality already installed. $35 for the rPi, about $10 for the IR sensor, plus box and power supply.

[joshg]

Thanks... good advice. Was hoping there was a more refined product out there for something like this so, but you're right that a rPi box could do it with some pretty simple code. Appreciate it.

If others know of something designed well to do this, so that they maybe have a built-in web interface to receive and decode IR and then ask for a command to put out on TCP/IP, please let me know!

[Swancoat]

Thanks... good advice. Was hoping there was a more refined product out there for something like this so, but you're right that a rPi box could do it with some pretty simple code. Appreciate it.

If others know of something designed well to do this, so that they maybe have a built-in web interface to receive and decode IR and then ask for a command to put out on TCP/IP, please let me know!

I'm looking around for a better solution for this too... So far I think the 'best' (though not cheapest) is probably to just get a keypad with IR window on it and put it in one of those tabletop boxes like they use for Insteon keypads.

[joshg]

I assume you mean RRD?W5BRLIR. Yes, could easily put one of these in the equipment rack out of sight with an LED blinker stuck to the front... But i haven't used these before. How do they actually handle IR? Where does it go and how does it get processed? How do you program what to do with a given IR hex code being received?

thanks

[Swancoat]

I assume you mean RRD?W5BRLIR. Yes, could easily put one of these in the equipment rack out of sight with an LED blinker stuck to the front... But i haven't used these before. How do they actually handle IR? Where does it go and how does it get processed? How do you program what to do with a given IR hex code being received?

thanks

Mine's going to go in the rack too! So, here's what I know about keypads and IR...

All keypads have IR. The model number you quoted has a window on the front (and any keypad can have the buttons swapped out to include the IR window) and regardless of if there's an IR sensor on the front or not, there is also an IR sensor in the BACK of all keypads. However this is SeeTouch keypads ONLY. This does NOT apply to Hybrid keypads. No Hybrid keypads have IR.

At this point, there is a set of Lutron codes, with each code corresponding to a button on the keypad. Send the code and it's like you pressed the button. They are published in some pdf I found somewhere on Lutron's site. Or you can buy their IR remote and learn to yours. OR, they seem to be available in most databases (Global Cache, Harmony, etc...).

[Swancoat]

I assume you mean RRD?W5BRLIR. Yes, could easily put one of these in the equipment rack out of sight with an LED blinker stuck to the front... But i haven't used these before. How do they actually handle IR? Where does it go and how does it get processed? How do you program what to do with a given IR hex code being received?

thanks

Mine's going to go in the rack too! So, here's what I know about keypads and IR...

All keypads have IR. The model number you quoted has a window on the front (and any keypad can have the buttons swapped out to include the IR window) and regardless of if there's an IR sensor on the front or not, there is also an IR sensor in the BACK of all keypads. However this is SeeTouch keypads ONLY. This does NOT apply to Hybrid keypads. No Hybrid keypads have IR.

At this point, there is a set of Lutron codes, with each code corresponding to a button on the keypad. Send the code and it's like you pressed the button. They are published in some pdf I found somewhere on Lutron's site. Or you can buy their IR remote and learn to yours. OR, they seem to be available in most databases (Global Cache, Harmony, etc...).

[joshg]

Ah yes, thank you Swancoat! I had completely forgotten about the rear IR port on all standard RRD keypads! That will make this much easier.

AND, i found the very helpful document you were referring to. Has the IR hex codes, the button layouts that correspond to the IR codes, and good examples.
Located here: http://www.lutron.com/TECHNICALDOCUM...B_20100518.PDF

THANKS again for the helpful info/reminders.