Using cheap universal remotes with PICAXE.

nick12ab

Senior Member
Test layout

The test layout uses a PICAXE-14M2 and is powered by a switching regulator. A normal 38KHz IR receiver is wired to pin C.0 as shown under the irin command in PICAXE Manual 2. Below is a picture of my breadboarded circuit.



Test code
Code:
#picaxe 14m2
#no_data
#terminal 4800
    do
        irin C.0,b0
        sertxd (#b0,cr,lf)
    loop
The remotes

Three different universal remotes all from the local 99p store.



Remote 1

The image below shows what numbers are received by the PICAXE when each button is pressed.



To set up for use with PICAXE, press the SET button then a mode button without releasing the SET button and the LED will light up, then enter 1 - 2 - 9 using the numbered buttons and the LED will go off. I recomment using the stray mode button since that button is not blue like the others and could easily be mistaken for a normal button and pressing it would cause the remote to stop working if one of the other modes were used instead. The code 129 is unsurprisingly listed under Sony in the little instruction booklet and whilst some of the other listed codes will also work with PICAXE not all of them allow use of all buttons.

Remote 2



To set up this remote, hold the SET button until the LED flashes - this 'unlocks' the TV setting. Then press the SET button repeatedly untl the PICAXE receives the power button number (21). Once the PICAXE receives this, leave the remote idle for 20 seconds and it will automatically lock the TV setting preventing an accidental press of the SET button from changing the TV setting which would cause the remote to stop working with the PICAXE.

Remote 3



Setup is the same as remote 1 except all of the mode buttons are in a sensible location without any randomly placed in the middle.[HR][/HR]Added: Take a look at the poor soldering in the second remote:



You may or may not be able to tell from the photo that most of the SMD resistors are upside-down and most of the SMD components have far too much solder on them.
[HR][/HR]Added: I found that Hippy had previously posted about the second remote and he got the same numbers as me.
 

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nick12ab

Senior Member
mrburnette;bt137 said:
In the U.S. I found that Dollar Tree has $1 Universal remotes that can be programmed into "Sony" mode. I have used these in several projects with excellent results...
If those remotes are different from the three I've shown then perhaps you could contribute your own image.
 

tki1i19

New Member
Hi nick12ab,

I am newer at PICAXE, i am interest with your remote project. I have try the irin and irout command. is work when i am use PICAXE as tranmiter (sending 0-21 byte data), but when i try to use remote TV is dosn't work. I dont have the universal remote, just try with my remote TV (Panasonic) :p
by the way have you try to use IR remote to control a robot, i want to make a remote to controlling the robots. One remote for one robot. Is any special command to make a ID? so one remote is not influence to the other? or have you a link at PICaxe forum about this? many thanks
 

nick12ab

Senior Member
tki1i19;bt228 said:
but when i try to use remote TV is dosn't work. I dont have the universal remote, just try with my remote TV (Panasonic) :p
That's why then. You need a Sony TV remote.
 

tki1i19

New Member
have you experience with some remote to playing together. I am still try to find a solution how to control one robot by one remote without any interference by another remote. So i can play, example soccer robot with my team using remote without any problem.
I am confuse why the irout have device ID function but irin command is NOT (is ONLY receive ID 1). do you have solution for that? Thanks
 
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