Anyone use their Pocket PC as an EMPEG remote??

Hey all -
Just got the new Dell Axim X5 Pocket PC (will arrive soon) and was wondering if it can be used as your EMPEG remote? I know there is a program for the Windows CE to act as a remote for your A/V components.

Wes

The Dell Axim doesn't seem to offer CIR (Consumer InfraRed?). Only IrDA. The new HP iPAQ also dropped this feature (I think).

Luckily, the empeg has an IrDA port. I think you would have to write some software to make use of it though. Excuse me if I'm talking out my ass.

Luckily, the empeg has an IrDA port. I think you would have to write some software to make use of it though.

Yeah, but you need to have IrDA support in your kernel (and probably IrCOMM or whatever protocol you want to use on top of that). It's not quite as simple as compiling the kernel modules either because there isn't loadable module support in hijack (not sure about the stock kernel).

If you do find a way to do it, I'd love to hear about it... I really wanna have IrDA too.

link.

I can easily compile a kernel with IrDA support if you guys want. I have it already, but I was working on getting the audio overlay patch in before I posted it...

I've done it at home over 802.11b & empegvnc on my ipaq 3670. The empeg was hooked to my wired LAN. It was definitely workable, albeit there was a lag & the ipaq battery precluded all-day use.

-Zeke

Philips has a software ('ProntoLite') for PalmOS which should turn a Palm into quite a flexible remote control.
It's $19.95, but you can download it for evaluation - because they don't know if it works for you...
For me it doesn't - don't have a Palm .

I use a program called OmniRemote. It worked right out of the box. Of course this is Palm OS but it should have a PC equivalent.

Just search for pocket pc remote and you'll find one. I downloaded a version a few months back. It works.

I've used OmniRemote and it had all the features I was looking for... pretty slick.

The problem I found is that my Palm (IIIx) like most doesn't have a strong enough IR transmitter to work farther than an arm's length away (kinda defeates the purpose of a remote). Some of the newer ones do have better IR range (like 20 feet or so), but it's often hard to tell before you buy. IIRC, Sony started listing which of their Clie models are universal remote capable. I think those also come with software that Sony wrote to use that. I don't have one so I can't say if it's any good or not.

My m500 will work from at least twenty feet...maybe more but I don't want to be that far from my empeg.

I used to use Omniremote all the time. Even bought one of their IR modules cuz I only had an ancient palm (Palm Pilot Personal) with no IR built in. It worked pretty well, I think it did 20+ feet or so.

I remember reading about that. I felt gypped when I found out that some newer ones had long IR range and the older ones' add-on has long range, but not the III series, nor could I get an add-on IR.

I thought about this but came to the conclusion that using a 500$ pocketpc to use with the empeg seems less efficient than using the 12$ multifunction remote with which I can dim the lights, turn on the stereo, turn off the tv and vcr And control the empeg (thanks to hijack). <whew>

I always had a problem with run on sentences.

The new HP iPAQ also dropped this feature (I think).

The new iPaq 1910 does contain IrDA, but dosen't contail CIR, correct. The 54xx line does however still has both IrDA and CIR.

As a slight aside, I have found that you can wash your original empeg remote (yes, in the machine) and it will still work - provided you get a new battery.

Just a little FYI.

Previous experience confirms this

Yeah, and after it comes out of the wash, the IR signals are cleaner.