I just got 4 of these devices for automating my electronics around the house. To my surprise, there is no manual included with any of my devices and I can't find a manual online. How do these work? What is the difference between an IR Emitter and an IR Blaster? In the config page, it gives the me the Configuration Options of IR OUT, Sensor In, and Sensor Notify, what are the differences? On port 3, I get the added option of IR Blaster.
Where do I begin?
Hi Gln,
There are many resources that I will link for you to read through. Located at the downloads link below, there are the iTach quickstarts (which should have come with your hardware), the iTach API for a detailed understanding of the command structure and how the units communicate, testing utilities which will help you get set up properly, and our config utilities which are located below the software header on that page. Below that, I have linked the FAQ page, which details some of the frequently asked questions that arise during setup and development with our hardware. To command your installed units, you will need some control software. Below the FAQ link, I have linked a few Apple product apps that will easily control your iTach units. Let me know if you need any information on PC software, or if you have any problems getting your installation up and running.
http://www.globalcache.com/downloads/
http://globalcache.zendesk.com/forums/24597-faqs
~Josh Sherman
Global Caché Support
Wow, the iLearn program is unbelievably difficult to get working properly. I have to stand on one leg, while touching my nose with my left pinky to get it to register my button presses. Then when it does register my button presses, it doesn't work. Basically when the software registers the button press, I theory I should be able to press Send IR and it sends it out to my device. Well that never happens as my IR Reciever has a red led that lights anytime it recieves any IR signal AND the led above the port that the IR emitter plugs into doesn't light. As a work around, I used the GC-Scan program and that worked and sent the code to my IR Reciever, but I guess the code is bad as it doesn't do anything. I tried cutting and pasting that code into iRule and when I use the iRule GUI, my IR Reciever detects the an IR signal but does nothing.
What am I doing wrong? This really should not be this difficult. I am trying to learn the buttons for my Microsoft MCE R6 remote. And of course the remote works just fine with XBMC on my Win7 box, so I know the remote and IR reciever are working. I just can't get the IP2IR to "learn" the correct codes.
Almost forgot. Just about everytime it detects a button press, the last 4 digits are different. Meaning it appears to detect a different press almost every time. I never had this much problems with the learning capabilities on my Harmony. It just worked.
Oh, is the GC-IRL IR Learner better than the learner built into the IP2IR?
The problem you are running into is the IR learner hole size. Since your unit was shipped, the size of the hole wherein the learner is located has been widened, which has solved the IR learner problem that some users have faced. If you are having problems learning your IR codes, just remove the black face plate covering the power and network connector so that you can directly access the IR learner. This will expedite your IR learning process, and should remove the problem you are having with the altered coding (which is happening because your line of sight is not perfect based on hole size). We apologize for the frustration on this.
In regards to the GC-IRL: the GC-IRL will easily learn almost any IR remote code, except in the case of the (mostly comcast) 8 pulse IR format. These pulses are much shorter than standard IR command pulses and are therefore not registered by the GC-IRL as valid codes.
What can happen if an emitter is used on port 3 of an IP2IR that is configured as blaster?
What can happen if a blaster is plugged into an emitter port?
Are the terms emitter and blaster industry standards?
What are the specs on the blaster and the emitter?
Do you measure the input current only, or is there some measurement for the output also?
The blaster setting for our iTach line of products fires the same IR command but with double the amperage. This boosts signal strength and allows for long distance transmission through the blaster. When an emitter is used with a port configured as a blaster, the emitter will flash brighter and send for a longer distance, but not as far as a blaster. When a blaster is used with a standard emitter port, the blaster will fire the command but with less power and therefore less transmission distance. The terms emitter and blaster are industry standards, but depending upon where you are, emitters can be called flashers or other terms. Our emitter is a standard blinking IR LED on a monojack connection, while the blaster is a standard non-blinking IR LED on a monojack connection. Our connectors use 3.3v to send the IR transmissions through the emitters, and there is no measurement for the input, as we have no direct IR input function on iTach units.
Thank you Josh,
I take it that there is no risk of component damage with mixing and matching the emitter and blaster devices and settings.
I'm confused about your statement on input. I am looking for amperage values that drive the emitter or blaster. I was speaking from the point of view of the emitter and blaster, not the iTach unit. What really confuses me thought is that the IP2IR does have a sensor that works with iLearn to capture IR output from a remote, so I am don't understand your statement at all.
You are correct, there is no risk of damaging emitters or blasters if configured incorrectly. Our IR is fired at .25A for an emitter and .5A for the blaster. Our learning diode is set up only to be used at short distances and has been optimized for IR learning purposes rather than long distance IR capture, and can therefore only be used for learning purposed rather than IR input in a control environment.