[MediaPi]

This is inspired by noggins desire to emulate a keyboard during boot, something Flirc can't do. So in essence, this should be more powerful than flirc. I'm hoping to get some clever minds together to discuss how to make this a reality

I found this very interesting video using a teensy


seems simple enough and the size is really small! also coudn't believe the steps, just solder 3 parts into place.

this got me thinking, I have no experience in this field and of microcontrollers (these are microcontrollers I learned)

anyway I found this on ebay
Mini USB Nano V3.0 ATmega328P CH340G 5V 16M Micro-controller board For Arduino
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-USB-Nano-...19ff5182cc

cost £1.79

Since were just wanting to control an IR reciever I'm sure this little gadget should work instead of the one the guy is using in the youtbe clip (we won't need to many stuff). Otherwise its about £12 if you look around for the teensy.

does anyone have any experience with arduinos and care to shed some light on this project?
I'm hoping this could be cheap enough and easy enough so any kodi user can set one up for themselves. In uk flirc isn't cheap

[MediaPi]

reading some more I found out some information about the cheap microcontroller

here
http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/teens...53-30.html
near the end they discuss the ATmega328P and its not good.

so for now, we know the teensy arduino works and shall stick to getting this to work, unless someone smart enough comes along and helps us out.

the teensy used in the video is referred to as teensy 2 but my search results are returning tennsy lc
https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/teensyLC.html

more research needed

[MediaPi]

noggin I found this
https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_libs_IRremote.html

seems like its using teensy lc, once you have a finalised product the cost would be close to a flirc, so unless your knowledgable with microcontrollers, flirc is probably better for the masses. still It would be nice if the community can get something working for cheap

[Ned Scott]

Nice! I will have to try this.

[noggin]

I've got a couple of Teensy 3.1s - and they are great, however I'm not sure how good the HID libraries are for the Teensy.

However - as I linked to in the HP thread - Nico Hood's library looks possibly slightly better : https://github.com/NicoHood/HID - so an Arduino Micro, based on the 32u4 all in one solution (rather than the combo of the 16u2 and 328 that the Uno uses) may be a good test bed. The 16u2 and 328 will work I suspect, but you need to reflash the 16u2 which is a bit of a faff IMO. For first attempts it looks like the Micro may be the best solution - as it is just a case of loading the HID library into your sketch and uploading as normal AIUI. (The 16u2 is used as a USB to Serial converter to feed to the 328 on the dual micro controller Arduinos like the Uno and the Mega, so you need to reflash the 16u2 as well as provide code for the 328 to get these types to work, whereas the 32u4 does both USB and and the main micro controller stuff on one micro controller, and was designed with Keyboard and Mouse HID support in the core Arduino libraries, though I think Nico has improved on these) In theory this should be the nicest platform to decode on - so an Arduino Micro (not Nano) should be a good fit

Alternatively this : http://nathan.chantrell.net/20121014/tin...e-control/ project may be a low cost solution, particularly as it is very similar to the £2 Digispark clones (and others talk of using Digisparks) The linked page uses an Arduino to flash the ATTtiny85, whereas I think the DigiSpark lets you flash over USB. However you need to be careful when flashing over USB AND then running USB HID code that you don't lock yourself out from reflashing I guess :-)

There are lots of IR receive libraries for the Arduino IDE, so I'm less worried about the IR side than a rock solid keyboard HID emulation, which means the USB HID stuff needs to be rock solid.

I've played around with Arduinos and Teensys quite a lot over the last few years. I built an OLED display which works with LCDProc emulating a Matrix Orbital display using an Arduino Nano, a GPS logger, and used a Teensy to drive a large LED matrix (though I switched that project to a Raspberry Pi)

Suspect the reality is that a Teensy, a 32u4 based device like a Micro, or an ATtiny85 would all be suitable fits. I've got a Micro on order - but may play with the Teensy 3.1 I've got with breadboard break-outs if the TSOP (integrated IR receiver with filters built in) arrives first.

[MediaPi]

I didn't realise these little hardware were so cheap and can do so much.
please keep us updated noggin, this sounds fun and cool
as for the board, will something like this do?
Mini Leonardo Pro Micro ATmega32U4 5V/16MHz Module For Arduino Best Quality

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Mini-Leon...46884.html

I had a look at http://nathan.chantrell, but had no clue where to source the parts, he mention parts can cost as low as £4?

also came acros this guide to set one up (from same guy as in video)
http://www.instructables.com/id/USB-IR-R.../?ALLSTEPS


Ned good luck with the project.

[MediaPi]

came across a redy made solution by adafruit. looks VERY sexy

http://www.adafruit.com/products/1560

the firmware is opensource and located in github
https://github.com/adafruit/IRKey

its using the same processor as the cheap solution you linked noggin. For those that havent the tools this may be the way to go. heres a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl...H8cI#t=801
found a ukseller charging £12.98 (vat inclusive, dellivery cost?)but out of stock
https://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/adafrui...board.html

you get a crappy remote that is of no use, wonder if you can buy without a remote. seems ideal for your needs noggin, after all costs involved it would come close to the price of this but won't look as nice or compact, what do you think?

pimori used to sell them
https://twitter.com/pimoroni/status/394769606935461888
seems like they don't anymore

[MediaPi]

it uses a TSOP75438 IR receiver (https://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/adafrui...board.html)

heres a datasheet for it
http://www.adafruit.com/datasheets/tsop752.pdf

it has Two lenses for high sensitivity and wide receiving angle.

this might even be a flirc competitor (as long as you can reprogramme it) would be wesome to get this for £10 without the remote

[doug]

Those aren't programmable to work with any remote. It says quite clearly on the adafruit site. Something like the USB IR Toy is programmable, however.

[MediaPi]

thats a shame, thanks doug

[MediaPi]

Atmel ATtiny85-20PU Microcontroller
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5PCS-New-ATTIN...2a515f11e4
£4.15 (5pcs)

8 pin DIP socket
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EW-20-x-8-pin-...43dd74a0e3
£0.99 (20pcs)

100nF ceramic capacitor
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Excellent-Nice...25a82929ce
£0.99 (100pcs)

2K2 resistor
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-pcs-Carbon-...258ee1e38c
£0.99 (10pcs)

68R resistors
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-x-1-2W-Watt...4d318ec466
£0.99 (20pcs)

3.6V Zener diodes
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zener-Diode-BZ...256f83f60f
£0.99 (10 pcs)

Through hole male USB A connector
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-Type-A-4...33948070d1
£0.99 (10pcs)

Stripboard
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SS-Set-5pcs-Pr...33a3895018
£0.99 (5pcs)

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I tried to see how much the parts will cost to replicate nathan's DIY project, how does one source the parts from UK? will they be cheaper here?

buying like this, you could make a few and sell some to work as a replacement flirc, could do this project without costing you anything

[MediaPi]

...Alternatively this : http://nathan.chantrell.net/20121014/tin...e-control/ project may be a low cost solution, particularly as it is very similar to the £2 Digispark clones (and others talk of using Digisparks).

something like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Digispark-...4aea6873e4

so you just add IR reciever (where?) and then do the coding, wow I would love to try to see if I can manage this. I love cheap stuff lol

found this
https://digistump.com/wiki/digispark/tutorials/ir
some retailer selling the kit
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/DI...-/28-17751

[noggin]

it uses a TSOP75438 IR receiver (https://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/adafrui...board.html)

heres a datasheet for it
http://www.adafruit.com/datasheets/tsop752.pdf

it has Two lenses for high sensitivity and wide receiving angle.

this might even be a flirc competitor (as long as you can reprogramme it) would be wesome to get this for £10 without the remote

Those aren't programmable to work with any remote. It says quite clearly on the adafruit site. Something like the USB IR Toy is programmable, however.

Yep - had seen that. Wonder if you could use the firmware from Nathan's ATtiny85 design with it to use other remotes. Had wondered if the TSOP was an oddball one - but 38kHz is the right band for many IR remotes. Definitely worth a look. Possibly the firmware is trickier to edit. There aren't many tech details (unusual for Adafruit) and it is out of stock with no return to stock ETA?

[noggin]

...Alternatively this : http://nathan.chantrell.net/20121014/tin...e-control/ project may be a low cost solution, particularly as it is very similar to the £2 Digispark clones (and others talk of using Digisparks).

something like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Digispark-...4aea6873e4

so you just add IR reciever (where?) and then do the coding, wow I would love to try to see if I can manage this. I love cheap stuff lol

found this
https://digistump.com/wiki/digispark/tutorials/ir
some retailer selling the kit
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/DI...-/28-17751

You will connect the TSOP to a digital in pin, and re-write the Nathan Cantrell code to reflect the change of pins for the TSOP, and possibly the change of pins for the USB port. However I'm not clear how the loader works on the Digispark, as I think it includes one, whereas the solution Nathan uses doesn't use a code loader already in the ATtiny, and instead loads the code via the hardware brute force of effectively 'flashing' it with an Arduino to wiggle the right pins.

More investigation required.

Anyway - looks like a fun thing to try so I've got a few ATtiny 85s as well as an Arduino Micro on order. Have most of the other components already - though need to work out the best way of getting a USB connection into an ATtiny85, and sourcing the Zener diodes.

To answer your other question - I usually source components from eBay, occasionally Amazon, some stuff from RS Farnell, very occasionally (if I need it on the day) Maplin (pricy but if you need it, you need it) and for some stuff places like Pimoroni (who I love for stocking Adafruit items, and who are great to deal with in customer service terms)

eBay can be great value if you can afford to wait - and don't mind if stuff never arrives. Great for back burner bargains.

To be honest, if you've not used Arduino stuff before, I'd probably buy a starter pack with an Uno or similar and some components and a breadboard, and get used to the code development environment. I've done a few things with LCD/OLED displays, GPS receivers, switches, WiFi modules etc. which have all taught me a lot.

[noggin]

Well the TSOPs and Arduino Micro arrived.

Grabbed the IR codes for my RC6 remotes using Ken Shirriff's library and that works. Nico Hood's HID+Serial stuff works on the Arduino Micro like a charm. So far have got Arduino "typing" IR hex codes as they are received into Notepad on my Mac.

Next step is to work out the nicest way of coding IR->Keyboard mapping, and cope with repeats vs long holds to avoid double bouncing etc.

But as proof of concept it is working.