X-10 AV switcher

I think you are reading more into the Global Cache description than it can do. AFAIK it cannot translate codes.

You can use an Ocelot as a translator.

Here's >I've been looking at the Global Cache units

Hi Bobby

How about this device

Sima made the SVS-4, a 4-way a/v (and s-video) switch that can be controlled via IR. I used one for years. Got it for around $100 from a local big box electronics store. Just saw one with a buy-it-now of $39 on fleabay.

I see a couple of them on Ebay. If I can get one cheap, I'll see if I can hack it with a universal module or some other way of signaling that I can do from the current remote. Thanks for the site cite.

-- Bobby G.

It looks like a great device - except that it's OUT OF STOCK! I hope he's got plans to make more. Oops. Turns out the founder, Peter Crowcraft passed away. Not sure what that means, although the site says the business will continue. And so will my search. Thanks for the pointer, Frank. I sent them an email; we'll see what they say.

-- Bobby G.

I think you're right. I saw listings for "converters" but it's just for cabling.

To get the Ocelot to learn codes reliably, I followed Guy Lavoie's admonition to use one second long button presses. While that seemed to work in *most* cases, the time lag it induced was not within acceptable limits.

What I would want is something that can recognize an IR command and spit out another one as fast as the IR232 can convert Sony IR to serial text messages. What I will likely do is get an RS232 enabled AV switcher and use one of the unused remote devices to send codes to the IR232 to command both the security MUX and the AV switcher.

The insidious problem in this approach may be that I don't think that either the SAT or CABLE device memories have any number codes I can enter that will produce SONY IR output codes, the only kind that the IR232 seems to be able to read. I suppose I'll have to try a "code search" to see if wither CAT or CABLE can produce IR signals I can use or to loo

"Can't find the server at

-- Bobby G.

Don't know why it wasn't working this AM but it looks like just what I want:

-- Bobby G.

No problem here with FireFox or IE7. It looks like what you want but I could not find prices anywhere on the site.

Ordering is here:

It's $235.50 at the current exchange rate.

If you want to make a cheap switcher for yourself, you can make one from a $6.50 LED "chaser" kit and some treasistors/resistors. Below is a setup similar to the chaser I made for internet video switching. The below link shows the setup. The bottom link is where you can see switching audio and video between three video feeds using the transistors controlled via the parallel port.

Interesting items. I'm looking for COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) and while it uses a COTS base (the Allelectronics "chaser" module) I want to switch stereo audio as well as video, so that's going to get messy fast. There seem to be a fair number of IR controllable units out there, as well as more expensive RS232 units. What I really want is a switch that can use ANY IR remote to activate it.

I'm am considering pulling my drape controller off the wall to see if it's obvious what they are doing to be able to learn an IR code from any remote. I was really impressed by that because they appeared to have understood the SAF of one less remote hanging around. Unfortunately, I've been known to wreck perfectly stable systems for "analytical" reasons and those incidents have very low SAF.

A drape controller and a sequential switcher can both be operated with a single pulse. When either receives a control pulse the drapes are either open or closed, and the switch moves on to the next input. Ironically, the company that makes them appears to be out of business because so far, the cheapest solution to the IR learning part of my problem would have been to buy another drape controller and cannibalize its IR learning controller.

The schematics were helpful (and also wonderfully drawn freehand!). They may have explained why one video switch unit I have introduced some serious ground loop problems. There's a lot to consider when tying five different pieces of consumer electronics together.

It seems the rather pricey IRTRANS that Dave pointed out is what I need to put the biggest part of my problem to bed, and that's extending the useful life of the X-10 learning remotes and presenting the user with a consistent user interface. Almost all of the AV world can be dealt with by a much smaller subset of keys than are found on most factory remotes.

Since my wife and I are both tactile-oriented users of remotes, I'm willing to spend serious $ to maintain nearly ten years of fingertip training. I think one of the most important reasons *I* like them is that almost everything I need to do is in the same area of the remote. I've got a few factory remotes where you have to finger them like Jimmy Hendrix playing "Axis" just to perform common functions. Sheesh.

There it is. More than you ever wanted to know about why I want an IR AV switcher that can learn MY remotes codes instead of my remote learning ITS codes. There has to be some ceiling fan controller or some other device that has a similar learning controller that I can hack. If I can reliably generate a remote switching pulse I can probably figure out how to hack a commercial AV switcher to use those control pulses to switch it.

-- Bobby G.

Bobby, if you buy the IRTRANS, please review it here. It would be very helpful for people confined to bed or a wheelchair, allowing control of many different systems using a single remote.

Not sure if I will buy the IRTRANS. Last night I realized that one of the X-10 VCR commanders can take an RF X-10 command and convert it into any IR command that the unit can learn. $10 from Ebay. That means I can use the X-10 remote to send a command to a switchbox like the one from Sima Bill Kearney pointed out, as long as it uses an IR modulation scheme that the UX21A can learn. It's a quick fix and the more I read, the more I like the IRTRANS but not the price - about $200 (not $240)since US residents don't pay the German VAT. I will probably save that until I hit the next brick wall that requires a major reprogramming of remotes.

The most attractive feature of the IRTRANS is exactly what you've noted. One remote can command a host of disparate equipment and all of the "programming" or "learning" is done once, at the IRTRANS, and not at each remote. That would give me a very simple way of insulating the end user from changes to the AV equipment stack. Even more important, the IRTRANS can "teach" things, in a manner of speaking, to non-learning remotes as long as they are working through a whole house IR setup like the Powermid repeaters or a hardwired setup like Xantech. Not having to reprogram all of the remotes scattered through the house might indeed be worth $200. We'll see. Thanks for the suggestions!

-- Bobby G.

The AVS-8X8 arrived and it's *exactly* what I wanted. Switching can be done via IR, X-10 or RS-232. Comes with its own IR remote and is designed so that a PalmPad can do the switching. To connect input 1 to output 7 you just press 1 ON, 7 OFF and you're done. An unexpected benefit is each output has trimmer pots so that all the audio can be precisely balanced. Finally, I can compensate for my Sony DVD jukebox that always suffered from weaker audio output than my other AV components. I love it when something not only gets the basic job done, but adds a side-benefit as well!

The unit has gold plated RCA connectors, comes with a power supply and remote and also has screw down-type wire inputs and outputs for connection to hardwired IR systems. It was a little pricey, but since it's hand-made, I don't mind. It arrived very quickly, was well packed and the builder was very responsive to all my questions. I plugged it into a TW523 and then set a TM751 and a PalmPad to housecode "H" and I was on my way. It also responds to commands from PLC-only devices like MaxiControllers.

Looks like it's supported by a number of HA software vendors, as well, but I can't comment on that since I'm just using it manually. The IR control is designed to operate just like the PalmPad, an excellent example of good human factors engineering by presenting a consistent user interface. Also works quite nicely from the X-10 UR24 8-in-1 remote, though that does take two extra button presses. I'd love to figure out how to just get it to step through the inputs in serial order when I press a channel up or down button.

I haven't popped the cover to see whether it's assembled as well as the gold standard of human-soldered HA gear, Jeff's XTB's, but the AVS-8x8 looks very professional on the outside and it's getting the job done and sometimes, that's all that matters.

Nice catch, Frank. Thanks, mate!

-- Bobby G.

Hi Bobby

Glad to hear Rays kit is doing its job for you .....I bought one of his speaker switchers for my Daughter but havent gotten round to installing it as yet.....

Frank