IR-compatible Macs: Universal Remote?

[Gil]

I've been working on a little side-project, setting up a Power Mac as a DVR box for one of our TV setups. I have the Apple TV/Video system installed and working, as well as the TV outputs that are found on some 5500/6500 machines. The problem lies in the remote. The one that shipped with the TV/Video system has no numerical keys, and only offers a few functions. Does anyone know if you can hack a universal remote to work with an IR-capable Mac? I did a little playing around with some of the remotes I had, and the volume/channel controls on all of the remotes work with the Mac with no programming whatsoever. Other buttons do random things, like open the selected disk on the desktop, or close the currently open window. Has anyone experimented with this and figured out how to program certain functions on either the Mac or a remote?

 

[Mac128]

Is there any kind of code that can be plugged into the remote to make it work with the Mac, or to program certain functions?

Not likely. Apple almost exclusively used the Sony IR codes for their video hardware. Unfortunately if the hardware does not have the functionality built-into the firmware, like random channel access, it cannot be added. Your best bet is to get a universal remote and go through all of the SONY combinations to see if any of them yield additional functionality over the OEM Apple remotes.

Just to be clear, I'm not an expert with respect to how the hardware works. It is possible that the video software interprets the signals from the IR interface and implements the remotes codes, which means you could theoretically modify the video software to implement a code it does not presently utilize.

 

[LCGuy]

Any remote control that transmits Sony codes will work with a vintage IR capable Mac. However, you'll only be able to use the buttons on said remote control that are the same as those on the remote that you already have. So Power, TV/Mac, Channel up/down, Volume up/down, and Audio CD controls. I looked into this a few years ago to see if there's any way you can map remote control buttons to other functions, but IIRC their functions are hardcoded into the system.

 

[Gil]

Interesting, thank you both for the information. I was reading through some of the documentation on Apple's site, and it stated that if the Video Extension was NOT installed, then only the Power button on the remote would have functionality. Therefore, the Video Extension must do most, if not all of the work.

 

[Scott Baret]

A warning--WATCH OUT if you've got a Sony TV!!!

Before I got rid of the Power Mac 5200 I had tried to use as a server (poor choice if you're on an AppleTalk network) I had it about 20 feet away from a Sony TV. When I turned on the TV with the remote the Mac came to life as well.

Be careful about placement of Sony TVs and other equipment near Apple equipment with the sensor. Your TV (or other AV equipment) may vary, but it just may interfere as well.

 

[LCGuy]

Oh man, yeah, I've got an old issue of Australian MacWorld cicra 2000 somewhere, with a question in the Q&A section by someone who had that exact problem, only with a 5500.

 

[Gil]

A warning--WATCH OUT if you've got a Sony TV!!!
Before I got rid of the Power Mac 5200 I had tried to use as a server (poor choice if you're on an AppleTalk network) I had it about 20 feet away from a Sony TV. When I turned on the TV with the remote the Mac came to life as well.

Be careful about placement of Sony TVs and other equipment near Apple equipment with the sensor. Your TV (or other AV equipment) may vary, but it just may interfere as well.

Oh yeah! Unfortunately most of the TV's in the house are Sony. A couple times, I had a Mac 20 feet a way, on the opposite side of the room, roar to life when I turned on the TV. And the volume controls are active, too.

 

[Mac128]

Be careful about placement of Sony TVs and other equipment near Apple equipment with the sensor. Your TV (or other AV equipment) may vary, but it just may interfere as well.

Assuming you actually use the Mac's remote video abilities. Most I have known during that era rarely if ever used the IR remote as more than a novelty. A piece of tape of the sensor solved the problem quite nicely.

Apple was definitely ahead of its time. Today's Mac IR port has a myriad of uses, the most important of which being the iTunes feature, which is not only practical but useful. In the mid-90's few were watching TV on their Macs. One could do it, but didn't know anyone who actually did it, much less used the remote to control functions. I suppose one could control the system volume with the CD-ROM once opened and playing, however, in those days computers were mostly not thought of that way. Besides, a loud fan blowing constantly kind of spoils the mood.

Sounds like the video extension could be modified to allow random channel access, which is good news. Wonder why Apple never developed it? Probably for the reasons mentioned above. Still I would be curious to know if a third party driver compatible with Apple's video system might have made use of random channel access.

 

[Bunsen]

you'll only be able to use the buttons / that are the same as those on the remote that you already have. / I looked into / if there's any way you can map remote control buttons to other functions, but IIRC their functions are hardcoded into the system.

and

if the hardware does not have the functionality built-into the firmware / it cannot be added

yeah but

playing around with some of the remotes I had / Other buttons do random things' date=' like [i']open the selected disk on the desktop, or close the currently open window.[/i]

which is weird, so :?: :?:
Another thought: track down an IR ADB remote keyboard and a copy of QuicKeys.

 

[Mac128]

if the hardware does not have the functionality built-into the firmware / it cannot be added

yeah but

playing around with some of the remotes I had / Other buttons do random things' date=' like [i']open the selected disk on the desktop, or close the currently open window.[/i]

which is weird

Actually this does not surprise me. Apple typically envisioned functionality in development that never made it to the release stage. My guess would be that this is the situation here. In the rush to market, rather than strip the software of the code which might have created other bugs, it was simply rendered moot by limiting the signals available on the hardware remote.

I can see some benefit to closing the currently open window if you are working on something with the TV on and get up to take a break and decide to watch the TV from the couch. If there are corresponding navigation signals as well, one could launch documents or applications from across the room by opening the selected disk. Again, some of these commands may not have ever been fully implemented or created problems in development and were ultimately dropped from the final release and never considered important enough to revisit.

 

[Gil]

Just to keep you guys updated, I'll be doing more research with this in the next couple of days.

--TV/Input on a standard remote launches or quits Apple Video Player.--

I'm curious to know if these functions differ throughout the different Sony codes.

 

[LCGuy]

For a few years I used a Sony stereo remote on my LC630. The buttons for the CD player controlled audio CDs in the Mac, the "CD" button launched and quit Apple Video Player, and the volume controls, well, adjusted the volume.

The Tape, Tuner, Photo, and Program +/- buttons did nothing but make a click sound.