JP1 Remotes

Is it possible to get the source code for IR.EXE? If so, where is it?

The parallel port on my ancient laptop failed, so I got a USB to Parallel Converter. Only to find it does not work.. I'm not sure why. The printer works with it. The cable I'm using is Tommy Tyler's "micro perf" circuit, which is powered by the remote.

Anyway, I have a USB Experimenters kit that I should be able to use if I can get IR's source code.

TIA
Jim

IR.exe doesn't work with USB-to-Parallel converters because it uses "bit banging" to transmit the data, so the source code won't help.

What you need is a USB-JP1 cable. I purchased one of these, and I must say its much more reliable than my Parallel-JP1 cable. I fiddle with the batteries on each and every JP1 remote that I have, to get them to work with the Parallel-JP1 cable, but the USB cable works all the time.

Thanks. I live in Australia and am in the process of verifying postage for a USB-JP1 cable from DIY-Gadget.

Without knowing the details of the protocol used to communicate with the interface (are they available?), giving 'bit banging' as a reason does not really tell me much.

With respect to my experimenter's board, I'm not thinking in terms of USB to Parallel. The board has 2 input lines and allows explicit independent control of 8 lines out.

If you could understand the IR.exe source code and you could recompile after minor changes, it sounds like your USB experimenter's board would give you plenty of control to make a new kind of JP1 interface.

IIRC the development system used to compile IR.exe is "Delphi". The language is Pascal (with certain Delphi specific extras).

I expect that would be harder and take longer than getting a JP1 USB cable.

I can send you a USB cable if you like. If I send it using Priority Mail International, the postage would be $11. It would cost less to send it via First Class Mail but I would need to weigh the envelope to get the exact rate, but it should be about $5 or $6.

Here's some more info on "bit banging":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit-banging
http://www.ganssle.com/articles/auart.htm
http://www.dwhoffman.com/bit_banging/bbi2c_preview.pdf

Pascal would not be much of a problem (I've been banging my head against the Silicon Wall for the past 30 years), but I don't have Delphi.

Rob, sounds good. How much is the USB cable, and how do I arrange payment?

CollieJim wrote:Rob, sounds good. How much is the USB cable, and how do I arrange payment?

Click on the "Rob's Remotes For Sale" link in my sig for more info.

Hey Jim,
Postage will be just $3 US.

You would need Delphi to work on the IR code. I did some work on it a couple of years ago.

IIRC there weren't any special third party components used in IR.exe. It was all standard Delphi.

Thanks. For a once-off project it appears a bit cheaper to get the USB cable...