[Xaapyks]

Hi,

I've been doing some research lately as I am planning on building a little HTPC box.

But before even thinking of the CPU configurations and software I'm trying to figure out the hardware facilities, and most precisely IR power switch.
Bear in mind that I've never had any IR-enabled PCs so this is something brand new for me.

I've read the "Your Very First HTPC? But Where do You Start? " and the "How to Power ON/OFF your HTPC using a Remote?" threads but I have still some interrogations.

From what I've seen, most people try to get their PCs to wake up from S5, so I guess standby up to S3 is not worth it for when the box is left unused. So I'll focus on getting S5 wake-up working for my next box.
=> Is it kind of a dead-end, and should I stick to S3 stand by to have easy wake up?

So let's continue on S5 wake-up
It seems like there are 3 main connectors for IR on motherboards, tell me if I'm wrong:

• universal way aka USB
  
• Asrock way with CIR
  
• Intel and Intel/Inteset connectors
  

All of them seem to do the same thing, and none of them can wake up a PC from S5 by itself...
So it looks like the most convenient way to achieve this sort of hack is to have a 5v powered board that is connected to the PWR switch of the ATX mainboard connector and will simulate a power button press when it gets the recorded key press. Am I right?

So, this could do it, and this setup is not so bad. But I have a question about power off now.
Whenever I press the power button of the controller, it will trigger a "PWR button" press, so I'll have to configure my reaction to ACPI events to power off cleanly.

But the question is : Do these IR controller support long presses ? I mean if something is stuck, does a long press on the remote trigger a force shutdown of my PC? (I don't want to manually press the power button )

Also, I wonder how these modules are programmed:
What I thought would be buying http://shop.inteset.com/Products/5-ir-re...oards.aspx or http://www.shop.perfecthometheater.com/I...egoryId=-1 and getting a controller separately. On these models, there does not seem to be a programmation button so I guess all controllers have the same signal for the power button? Is that how it works?
And Then I should be able to use the rest of the controller by the very IR module through its CIR or USB bus, right?

Last considerations : I'm planning on using a Linux distro on this box!

Thanks for reading me and I hope I didn't ask too much
Regards.

[Xaapyks]

Hi,

After more research it looks like I was wrong about CRI on Asrock mobos.
It looks like we can boot just from CIR on them so it might be enough for power on.
Power off in emergency cases will still be a problem I guess.

[PobjoySpecial]

...

[Xaapyks]

Thanks for your answer,

CIR does seem like the best solution indeed.
I guess I'll use xbmc or whatever software to suspend or shutdown then.

When you say inteset receivers use the R6 MCE protocol, you mean IR keycodes are hardcoded ? so it is hardcoded to the "shutdown" command of MCE remotes ?
I'd have thought that was the CIR mother boar controller that would interpret this code.

[SniperZoz]

I'm not sure on this info. but .... I was under the impression that with the USB IR headers (like for example the wesena/streacom ones) connected to the mobo's power pins you could power on/off the PC ... obviously this would need USB power enabled from BIOS ... not sure what state that would end up being thou' S4/5?

In any-case I think it would be the same state for WOL ... which I would need anyway!