X10 Community Forum

💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: dbemowsk on July 10, 2010, 11:41:59 PM

Title: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: dbemowsk on July 10, 2010, 11:41:59 PM
I am wondering if anyone has any technical information/schematics/etc... on the DIRDC Infra-Red Transmitter.  This device which uses the european X10 RF frequency will not work in the US.  I am wondering if this uses a daughter card RF receiver similar to the ones in the TM751 such that it may be possible to swap a TM751 daughter card into this unit and make it useable for US based X10 equipment.  I have several TM751s in the old parts box that are collecting dust and if I can use them to mod something  else and get use out of them, that would be nice.

Ultimately it would be nice if someone would manufacture a device like this for US X10 equipment.  The IRLinc was one that was similar for US based X10, but that is a discontinued device and is extremely hard to find.
Title: Re: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: HA Dave on July 11, 2010, 10:52:18 PM
....daughter card RF receiver similar to the ones in the TM751 such that it may be possible to swap a TM751 daughter card into this unit and make it useable for US based X10 equipment.

AWESOME IDEA!!!!
Title: Re: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: dbemowsk on July 11, 2010, 11:12:30 PM
I saw what this thing could do and I wanted one.  The ability to have my X10 system perform 16 IR on/off (32 total) commands that can be learned from any of my remotes, how cool is that.  I could get one for my living room upstairs, and one for my bar/home theater room in the basement.  It would be TRUE universal remote control.
Title: Re: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: Charles Sullivan on July 12, 2010, 03:23:08 PM

One _major_ problem in trying to automate appliances by emulating a remote with an IR transmitter is that very few (if any) have true Power_On and Power_Off controls, only a Power_On/Off toggle.  So unless you have some sort of feedback (either visual or via external circuitry), you can never be positive about the On/Off state of the appliance.

(One possible external circuit might be a current transformer in the appliance's line cord which is connected to an X10 Powerflash module.)
Title: Re: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: pconroy on July 12, 2010, 05:28:53 PM
I saw what this thing could do and I wanted one.  The ability to have my X10 system perform 16 IR on/off (32 total) commands that can be learned from any of my remotes, how cool is that.  I could get one for my living room upstairs, and one for my bar/home theater room in the basement.  It would be TRUE universal remote control.

I grabbed a Harmony some time ago and didn't play around with it that much - but isn't what you described perzactly what the Harmony does?
Title: Re: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: dbemowsk on July 12, 2010, 05:48:49 PM

I grabbed a Harmony some time ago and didn't play around with it that much - but isn't what you described perzactly what the Harmony does?

What I am looking to do is have a device that is like the IR Commander that has IR transmitters that attach to the front of my equipment so that I can run my AV equipment using AHP or any other X10 controller.  This way I can do things like set up macros to ready my home theater with one button press.  I do realize that the harmony will learn another remotes commands, but I cannot send an X10 RF signal and have it turn on my TV or cable box. 
Title: Re: DIRDC X10 Infra-Red Transmitter
Post by: HA Dave on July 12, 2010, 07:52:02 PM
I use the IR543 (http://www.smarthome.com/4040/Infrared-X10-Command-Console-IR-543/p.aspx) and a Harmony remote in my Home Theater (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/ht/ht). It allows me to have a one button [play movie] that does everything... lights included.