More remote functionality from CTouch

[Will]

Remote controlling your CTouch may seem pretty limited, given that you have only an eight button remote supplied with your panel.

You can significantly expand the remote functionality by using a third party IR remote that uses NEC protocol (LG's remotes are a good example). You can test to see if a third party remote is compatible by doing the following on a programmed CTouch

1. Go to the 'Tools' menu
2. Select 'Diagnostics'
3. Select 'Unit Data'

The third last line shows the manufacturer code of the last IR command the unit recognised.
The second last line shows the data code of the last IR command the unit recognised.

Press the <All Off> button on your supplied clipsal remote. You should see the IR Data Code change to 225.

Now press a button on your, third party remote control. If the unit recognises the IR command, it will promptly display both the manufacturer and data code of the button that you pressed. Record both of these numbers and any other button codes that you wish to use.

In CTouch

1. Double click on any component to open the 'Component Properties' dialog box.
2. Select the 'Remote Control' tab.
3. Enter the manufacturer code in the 'Manufacturer Code' box
4. Enter the IR Data Code that you recorded earlier in the 'Key Code' box.

As long as your component is available on the CTouch screen, it may be activated by using your assigned button on the third party remote.

An idea for more advanced installations!

You can hide extremely small components around the edge of your CTouch (where they can't be selected with fingers) and use them to relay IR commands via a NIRT to a centralised AV control point. These components can be made invisible by changing their colour to match your CTouch background colour. Imagine how powerul this is when coupled with a multifunction IR remote control or something like a Pronto

[coppo]

one thing most people forget about is the "TIME OUT" page.

a common method i use is to load invisible IR components onto the nominated "TIMEOUT" page.

Then i create an invisible rectangle with no "action properties" ie inert.
The rectangle goes on the top to obscure inadvertant pressing of the invisible IR components.

To top it off, PUN fully intended, i put a button on the very top of all of it to page link to your normal menu page.

this way when your project goes to the "time out" page you can still have some IR controls that would normally only work when its particular page is displayed...

[Darren]

With the new version of the C-Touch software and firmware, you will be able to put all of the remote control buttons on a theme page, and then they are accessable whichever page is displayed.

[Will]

Coppo,

My experience has been that you can't completely obscure any buttons you wish to access either by pressing or remote control.

Thanks for the heads up Darren. So far I had been copying complete sets of IR controlled objects onto every page that required IR controls. An annoying process (particularly if there's a mistake) and inefficient use of memory.

[Darren]

The beta release of the V2.5 C-Touch Configuration software containing support for themes is available for download from :

http://www.cbusforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2306#post2306

[leeandj]

Can I get the Manufacturer Code and Key Codes using the colour c-touch? The method described in the first entry of this post only seems to work with the b&w c-touch???

Thanks,
Lee.

[Darren]

You can see the IR remote control codes using the Utilities form on the colour C-Touch.