VisorCentral.com - long extension cord for cradle

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VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- How To / Troubleshooting (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=2)
-- long extension cord for cradle (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=22646)

Posted by rnunnink on 04-05-2002 07:21 PM:

long extension cord for cradle

Currently I keep my computer in the basement. I starting the process of putting together one of those smart homes where the computer eventually becomes like the hot water heater in the basement. I would love to have my visor cradle in the kitchen. Is there a way to hook a wire to extend the lenght of my cradle. Would this slow down the hotsync too much. I need to go about 25 ft from my computer. Or is there a better way to do hotsyncing wireless. No treo in my future yet have to get my use out of my Neo and wif'es deluxe. I would consider buying a wireless springboard attachement. Any ideas ?

Thanks

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Posted by thorin on 04-05-2002 08:08 PM:

so you're looking for a usb extension cord? ... i dunno... the USB spec specifies a max cable length of 15ft. it's extremely high data rate may cause errors with cables longer than that.

the only wireless hotsync options are with bluetooth or 802.11( http://www.visorcentral.com/content...-142-28-all.htm ). probably bluetooth ( http://www.visorcentral.com/content...-372-28-all.htm ) wouldn't have the range though. maybe if you got a usb bluetooth adapter, you could run it up 15 ft through the floor, and youu could probably cover an entire living room or something. unfortunately, the xircom wireless ethernet card, is very big and expensive.

another solution is to buy the ethernet cradle. 10baset ethernet cables are good up to like 100ft, and are quite fast. unfortunately, it's bloody expensive as well. http://www.visorcentral.com/content...heet-32-17-.htm

still another solution : build a small computer for your livingroom or kitchen. basically just a client for your basement server. then run the cradle off of that. you could also make it your dvd player or something(i assum you dont want to have to run downstairs to your server everytime you want ot put in a dvd.)

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Posted by Tonewiz2k on 04-05-2002 08:34 PM:

Get a small USB hub that has power to it from it's own source. I have a four port hub on my desk that has it's own power, so signal loss will not be a problem. Given the theoretical limit of 15 feet for a USB cable... this would give you 30 feet. And if you put the hub in the floor or in a wall, you could branch off usb cords 15 feet in any direction. You can sync your Visors and still have room for 3 more components within 15 feet of the hub. And if you were going to incorporate bluetooth into your house (I recommend it... imagine you walk in the door with your cell phone, the computer picks you up, and turns your TV to face you with your favorite news channel on: not yet, but I can see it soon) My point is, with the hub, you would have 30 feet of bluetooth range from where you place the hub (again, in a wall or under the floor) instead of 30 feet from where the computer is in the basement.

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Posted by Toby on 04-05-2002 08:34 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by thorin
[...] another solution is to buy the ethernet cradle. 10baset ethernet cables are good up to like 100ft, and are quite fast. [...]

If it's really a 10BaseT cradle, the specs would allow for up to 100 _meters_ (~328 feet).

Posted by thorin on 04-05-2002 08:37 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tonewiz2k
I recommend it... imagine you walk in the door with your cell phone, the computer picks you up, and turns your TV to face you with your favorite news channel on: not yet, but I can see it soon.

yeah.. and your cellphone battery dies whilste you're watching the news, your computer thinks you've left the house, turns off all the lights and sets the alarm!

lol. but i would love to hook my house up for wireless. too poor though. i've personally been thinking gheto wireless: 50 bucks buys me a serial to IRDA adapter, run it on a long extension cord(i don't know if theres a spec for length of rs232 cable, but my dad said something like 20 feet) from my linucks server to the couch.. one by the bed maybe...

quote:
Originally posted by Toby
If it's really a 10BaseT cradle, the specs would allow for up to 100 _meters_ (~328 feet).

oops. my bad.

Posted by Tonewiz2k on 04-05-2002 08:40 PM:

quote:
yeah.. and your cellphone battery dies whilste you're watching the news, your computer thinks you've left the house, turns off all the lights and sets the alarm!

A monotone voice echos through the house... "Where did you go Dave, I'm lonely Dave."

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Posted by thorin on 04-05-2002 08:42 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tonewiz2k

A monotone voice echos through the house... "Where did you go Dave, I'm lonely Dave."

oh man, i wish i could find a big pack of 2001 sounds for my computer. i dont think he says enough stuff in the movie though. someone should pay the actor who did the voice to make up a good alert sound pack and sell it.

Posted by Tonewiz2k on 04-05-2002 08:46 PM:

quote:
50 bucks buys me a serial to IRDA adapter

Have you seen this one? I have e-mailed the company to ask for a price, I could not find it on the website.... Looks really cool. You can hook it directly to a cable modem or external dailup modem. Works with all sorts of IR devices.

http://www.compex.com.sg/cgi-bin/e-...7131@1006327054

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Posted by PDAENVY on 04-05-2002 08:46 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tonewiz2k
Get a small USB hub that has power to it from it's own source. ... And if you put the hub in the floor or in a wall...

If you do this, be very careful about ventilation. I suspect hubs have vents that should be facing up and unobstructed. You're probably not at a fire risk, but nailing your hub inside a wall or floor is a sure way to give it a premature death due to heat.

quote:
Originally posted by thorin
i don't know if theres a spec for length of rs232 cable, but my dad said something like 20 feet

According to this:

quote:
The cable length is not specified in the standard; acceptable operation is experienced with cables that are less than 25 feet in length.

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Posted by Toby on 04-05-2002 09:24 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by PDAENVY
[...] According to this:
The cable length is not specified in the standard; acceptable operation is experienced with cables that are less than 25 feet in length.

"Uh, excuse me, Mr. President. That's not entirely accurate." - Albert Nimzicki

While this is good as a general rule of thumb for most cables, serial runs can easily go longer than that (we've got a 75' run in one of our conference rooms for a whiteboard). The key is in the cable. With some good low capacitance cable, you can have RS-232 runs up to ~500ft.

Posted by thorin on 04-05-2002 10:22 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tonewiz2k

Have you seen this one? I have e-mailed the company to ask for a price, I could not find it on the website.... Looks really cool. You can hook it directly to a cable modem or external dailup modem. Works with all sorts of IR devices.

http://www.compex.com.sg/cgi-bin/e-...7131@1006327054

80 bucks.

http://www.shopblt.com/cgi-bin/shop...l&order_id=!ORDERID!

Posted by rnunnink on 04-06-2002 09:29 PM:

You guys are great answers and bad jokes at the same time. OK so the USB idea is a bust and wireless (bluetooth or ethernet) is expensive. Someone mention serial cable length. I still have an old serial cradle. Can I add a long extension cord to that? I also wanted to hook the computer to my big screen tv via an s card. Is there also a distance limit on this. I may have to stick the computer in a closet up stair.

__________________
Facts all come with points of view
Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
- David Byrne

Posted by BudPritchard on 04-07-2002 01:17 AM:

Phone Line

Phone line network is also a solution if you don't want to lay out cable.

I used Netgear's USB adapter on my son's laptop ($45) and a PCI card ($28) in my box that is connected to cable modem.

Speed at 10 mbps. Internet access at the laptop is no different than on my box.

Good place for networking info is: http://www.practicallynetworked.com

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