Registered: Jun 2001
Location:
Posts: 6

Is the Visor's IR really that weak?

I was trying OmniRemote without the IR Module and cant seem to get it to work. Am I doing something wrong, or is the onboard IR really weak?

thanks.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

I know this is really obvious, but are you pointing the top of your visor or the IR port (on the side) at whatever you're trying to control?

Also, I believe the port only has a five-foot range.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

It can transmit farther than five feet. I have used it at nearly twenty feet and it worked. It also depends on the IR receiver on the device your controlling too.

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-Vincent

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

After reading this post I decided to give this software a try. Too cool. Now I never have to remember all those darn channel numbers again!!

Cheers,

Ark.

BTW the Visor & VisorDlx have a range of 18' while the Platinum & Prism go 30' and 32'! The Edge goes 12'. These numbers are I'm sure approximate and I found them at the developer's website.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Elkins Park, Pa
Posts: 577

quote:

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Originally posted by Arker
BTW the Visor & VisorDlx have a range of 18' while the Platinum & Prism go 30' and 32'! The Edge goes 12'. . .

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Wow. That's amazing. 32 feet? I could use the Prism to beam with my neighbor a couple doors down ! (feet=32' inches=32")

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-Bernie

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.
-Dan Quayle

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

The book "How to Everything With Your Visor" of which I have a copy said "about five feet" and since it's been a reliable resource for anything I've wondered about up until now, I didn't bother to search for further corroboration.

My trust has been shattered. There shall have to be much smiting of evil to cleanse my spirit.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

hehe.. Beleive it or not that was not a typo. Those are measurments in feet.
Check it out here.

I really didn't make it up. How true it is I cannot vouch for however....

Likely for an effective beam, the distance is quite a bit less but apparently someone thinks they can detect traces of an IR signal that far away. Likely not strong enough for anything but traces nonetheless. My Omniremote works approx. 12-15 feet away.

Ark.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 99

quote:

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Originally posted by Vinny
It can transmit farther than five feet. I have used it at nearly twenty feet and it worked. It also depends on the IR receiver on the device your controlling too.

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Registered: Jun 2001
Location:
Posts: 6

Got it to work!

I'm so dumb! I finally tried pressing the Remote after tapping the screen, instead of the up/down buttons on the Visor. This app just paid for the price of the Visor. OmniRemoe rox.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: Got it to work!

Originally posted by blizzardo:
I'm so dumb! I finally tried pressing the Remote after tapping the screen, instead of the up/down buttons on the Visor. This app just paid for the price of the Visor. OmniRemoe rox.

FYI...you can map the buttons on the Visor to certain functions. When I had an OmniRemote (sold it with my VDx), I had the up/down buttons mapped to channel up/down and two of the other buttons mapped to volume up/down.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Hmm! I didn't realize you could do that. I really could use a sole Visor for that. We have too many remotes: 6.
Digital Cable
TV
Receiver
CD Player
VCR
DVD PLayer

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-Vincent

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 206

Ok, let's clear things up a little. When transfering data, the visor's effective range is at most 5' (that's feet and I've never been able to do it at that range, that's just what they say). The reason for this is data integrity. When transfering things like memos, appointments, contacts and such, you want 100% accuracy. With remote controls, that isn't necessary. The IR beam goes pretty far but isn't very accurate at great distances, but it doesn't have to be to control a stereo tv or anything else IR controlled. Hence the discrepancies with distances and opinions

- Burns

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

Exactly. When I try to fire off an IR macro to my TV via the Visor's IR I get bad commands when over the 10' (approx). It does things like double numbers etc. It never gives the wrong number but it will scramble the macro up a little. When in close range it is perfect.

I'm not sure it's worth getting the booster module in my case though. I'm a computer geek, not an AV geek. My TV is almost never on .

Ark.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 206

I guess I'm just a general geek then, I've got a tv and computer in the same room, both on and interacting with both, but usually only while games are loading or when jumping through the web (I hate the word browsing, I almost always know where I'm going and what I'm looking for)

- Burns

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

I used to have the computer and TV in the same room, but when I got my new desktop last year I decided to separate them. Now I'm considering getting a TV Tuner receiver to let me watch TV on the computer screen. I should have left well enough alone, I'd likely be happier. sigh

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 99

Has anyone out there actually tried the omniremote springboard. I am sitting here trying to talk myself out of it.

Registered: Jun 2001
Location: Mo-Town, WV
Posts: 22

Yes, actually. I own an OmniRemote Springboard module. I'm quite happy with it, but I find that I don't use it that often. The range is about as far as your better remotes (3 or 4 room distance) but I still find it just a tad short to use in the school cafeteria

Anyways, It's nice. It puts your manual and remote program on your desktop when inserted, but usually, the remote programs stays when the module is removed. I might have messed my up or something, I'm not quite sure what's up with that. It's not big, so I don't complain. I'm not too sure what you want to know about it. It does what it says it does.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

I'm real happy with my TV tuner card--very handy.

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-Vincent

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

Hey Vinny, whatcha got for a TV tuner card? (and after you reply I'll stop inadvertantly off-topicking so the mods don't get peeved).

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Originally posted by Yorick:
Hey Vinny, whatcha got for a TV tuner card?

You didn't ask me, but I've got an All-In-Wonder that I'm quite happy with. I sort of use it mainly for video editing, but as soon as my Terk Leapfrog arrives, I plan to check out the tuning capabilities. I say 'sort of' since I barely have time to use it. I've got a pretty good chunk of video that I've managed to digitize, but have never had time to edit.

(and after you reply I'll stop inadvertantly off-topicking so the mods don't get peeved).

Well, to sort of drag it back on topic, I have an IR Drive coming in as well, which I plan to test with the IR on my Edge to see if it's possible to control it by that method.