Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with infrared

Infrared cruft: Useful or useless?

caution live frogs — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:37:33 -0800

Came across a Microsoft eHome infrared transceiver (USB) in a pile of cruft my mother-in-law picked up at a garage sale. No accessories, just the transceiver. It works, but what can I do with it? (Or is it junk?) Computers I have laying around that could have the transceiver plugged in:
Ubuntu server (slow but reliable)
MacBook Pro
Mac Mini (G4)
Windows box

Things I have laying around that have IR receivers:
Mobile phones (all Nokia, all S3)
The usual home entertainment things (TV, DVD, TiVo, stereo receiver)
Canon Rebel XTi
HP Laserjet printer

If it's possibly useful for something, I'd like to muck with it rather than just throw it out. If it's junk though, I can dispose of it. I won't be heartbroken if the thing can't be used for anything; in the end the box of cruft was worth the $2 my mother-in-law paid for it, as it also contained a WRT54G router (rev. 2, now running Tomato) and matching network hub. Score!

Can I get my PC to use this Mac-based USB device?

kjackelen05 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:58:43 -0800

Help me set up this USB infrared receiver for my PC. The machine doesn't recognize it when I plug it in. I bought the device after reading in a forum that it can work with Windows to receive remote control commands. I figured this would be perfect for my Harmony One remote, since this computer sits in the living room and uses my HDTV as a display. I realize the device is targeted toward the Mac, but I was hopeful that configuring it for the PC would be a simple task.

I was wrong. The first time I connected the device to my computer, it said that it was installed and ready for use. It did not respond to the commands from my remote, and it was not listed in the device manager anywhere. As a result, I have no idea how to try to configure it. Every time I've connected the device since the first time, the machine has not responded to it in any way. No sound indicating a device has been connected, no system tray icon saying it's being installed, no entry in the device manager, nothing.

If anyone has an idea of how to get this working with my machine, your help is greatly appreciated. If I can't get it working, I'll order something designed for Windows, which isn't the end of the world, but I'd obviously like to use what I've already got if possible. Thanks!

Relevant information: My PC is a Dell Inspiron 531s desktop machine running Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit.

Relevant links:
Aforementioned forum thread where I learned about this device
Article on the subject that might be more helpful to you than it was to me

Where do I find transparent coatings that show up in near-infrared photography?

kscottz — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:46:38 -0800

I need a non-toxic coating that is transparent under visible light but appears much darker/lighter in near-infrared photography. My dear chemist, physicists, and material scientists, I am working on a project where I want to coat uniform surfaces with a substance that appears transparent or semitransparent in normal human vision but shows up really well under near-infrared photography. My infrared camera is a USB web cam with the IR filter replaced with some flavor of IR-Pass filter. I should be able to make my own paint if you can point me in the direction of a pigment that will have the desired results. Bonus points for substances that are non-toxic.

I do computer vision work and I want to detect image features on substances that would otherwise look fairly featureless (like a wall, or a tabletop).

Wake me up, before I go go.

Kupo? — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:40:01 -0800

I would like my TV and cable box to turn on automatically in the morning, so I'm looking for an alarm clock that sends infrared signals (I think). Any recommendations? I've messed around with WaWa on my PDA for a bit, but my new TV (LN46A650) is really big and the cable box (Uverse) and tv receivers aren't close enough together for its weak IR. The only thing I've been able to find is this but I read the manual and it doesn't look like it accepts multiple IR settings (which at the bare minimum I need it to be able to do 2). WaWa gives you the ability to basically write a script to send IR signals at programmed intervals to increase volume, change channels, or whatever your remote supports. This would be nice, but not necessary.

My TV has an "auto on" feature but it will only let me pick cable/antenna sources and the cable box is neither (HDMI). Also even if this did work it would mean I would have to leave the cable box on all the time which would be undesirable.

How do I use my apple remote through parallels?

camdan — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:50:00 -0800

how can i use my apple remote in parallels? i'm trying to use my apple infrared remote to control windows xp programs through parallels. I want to control netflix instant, specifically, but it seems that as long as osx is running the windows machine doesn't recognize the remote. i've tried running eventghost but as i said, if windows doesn't even recognize the device, then how can i utilize it?

Shed some (infrared) light on my mac

ChrisR — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:08:55 -0800

Other than the apple remote, what universal remote controls can be used with a Mac Mini (Intel) and, ideally, XBMC for the mac? I'd like this not to require the current XBMC hack (nifty though it is) that maps multiple presses to the functions of the remote.

Mac infrared remote weirdness

snarfois — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 03:25:49 -0800

My problem with my Apple remote is just getting weirder Previously: Apple remote malfunctioning, How do I escalate my AppleCare problem?

After 5 weeks at the repair shop, who tells me they were unable to recreate the problem, I've brought the Mac Mini back home. Within a day, after being on for a couple of hours, the problem came back. I moved the Mini at least 30cm away from any other objects for several days, but the problem kept reoccuring.

Then yesterday, I found a simply bizarre "solution": I cover up the IR receiver (the black square at the end of the DVD slot.) When I do this, the problem instantly disappears and the remote functions as normal. What baffles me is that it functions at all. How sensitive are IR receivers? To put it to the test, I tried wrapping the Mini completely in a thick blanket, and only after about 8 layers of wrapping does the remote stop working. I can hold a thick hardcover book right in front of the Mini, and the remote immediately behind it, and it still works. And any of these tricks cure the remote repeating problem. Right now, I'm using the Mini with a tiny strip of paper covering the IR receiver.

Besides a possible diagnosis, what I'd like to know is whether I should pursue the matter further with Apple. This is obviously not how a new computer is supposed to act, and as unobtrusive as the little strip of paper is, it's still not the designer minimalist look Apple (and I) intended. And if I'm going to pursue this further, where should I take it?

How do I escalate my AppleCare problem?

snarfois — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:19:22 -0800

I'm disappointed with the service I'm getting from an Apple authorised repair centre. Where do I go from here? A month ago on AskMeFi I described a problem with my Mac Mini, 6 months old and still under warranty and AppleCare. As mumkin recommended on that thread, I took the Mac in for repair, especially as it was defeating the computer's main purpose of being a media centre.

I dropped the Mac off 3 weeks ago, with a video I took demonstrating the problem in action (using 2 different remotes and a clean install), and links to websites where 3 other Mac users describe the same problem (without reaching a resolution.)

The people at the repair shop keep telling me they are unable to recreate the problem. I admit it could be difficult: it usually only showed up after the Mac's been on for hours, and not every time. They say that until they can recreate it, they can't fix it. They are unmoved by the thought of me moaning about them, Mac servicing and Macs in general on the web.

Isn't it perhaps time for giving me some benefit of the doubt? It should be clear I'm not imagining the problem, nor doing without my media centre for laughs. If they can't find the problem, they can swap the machine for a new one. I'm just worried that this will drag on for weeks and weeks, I may never get it fixed, and my brand new Mac media centre will end up being a big waste of money. Or am I being unfair?

Need some help designing and building LED light strips for an interactive table

warhol — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 20:31:08 -0800

Need some help designing and building LED light strips for an interactive table -- help me select 880nm IR LEDs, understand the circuitry, and figure out how to deal with power. As part of the table we need to build a couple of LED light strips making use of high output 880nm IR LEDs (yes, it's an FTIR table). One strip is 4' long, the other is 3' long and the LEDs are probably going to be 1" on center. Ideally, I'd like to power the strip from regular wall current.

So, the questions:

- Are there LED strips that I can readily adapt to this task?

- I love / hate digikey. For a novice, there's too much information. Can you help me find what I mean when I say "high output 880nm IR LED"? (I'm just thinking little bulb shaped guy with the 2 leads sticking out the bottom...)

- What do I need to do resistor-wise? The LEDs are going to be in series... Should I just be doing 1 stronger resistor at the end of the series or little ones in-between?

- How do I deal with the power? Is there a power brick that'll get me down into the range that I need or is will it end up being something custom?

OS X Home Security

bloodniece — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:27:27 -0800

Recently my bike and some other trivial stuff has been stolen off my porch. My bike was locked. :( I want to bait this thief with another bike (my broken one) and see who this jerk is. I have a mac and want to use a wireless webcam. Infrared is key since I believe he strikes at night. Is there an app for OS X and a compatible webcam for this situation? Ideally, it would not capture footage unless their is activity. -thanks

infrared camera detect rodents

nancoix — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 12:20:00 -0800

Has anyone tried an infrared camera to detect rodents? I'm trying to figure out where flying squirrels are entering my cabin roof or walls. Please don't tell me about traps, poisons, electronics, strobe lights, etc. I'm interested only in use of infrared for detection purposes. Location is northern Wisconsin and house is sided with half-logs and has a shake roof. Roof peak is 25 ft. high.

Using laptop IR to control TV

punishinglemur — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 13:47:01 -0800

How can I use the IR port on my Windows XP laptop to control my television?

Can I use my laptop as a remote control?

borkencode — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 21:25:25 -0800

My IBM T42 has an infrared port on the front, and I've tried finding software that will allow me to control my tv with it. Does anything exist that will let me do this?

Palm V, OS 3.3 -- HotSync is ALWAYS Infrared, Regardless of Setting

tommasz — Mon, 04 Oct 2004 07:53:47 -0800

I have a Palm V running OS 3.3. It works fine except for one annoying problem that I cannot for the life of me solve or find out anything about: the HotSync cradle button always invokes HotSync by Infrared, no matter what the setting. Has anyone heard of this before, and if so, is there any fixing it? [mi] I've posted this question in a number of Palm forums and the usual response is "have you installed the latest Palm Desktop?" Trust me, not only have I done so, but it doesn't make any difference. It doesn't matter what desktop software I use (Windows, Mac or Linux, I've used them all), it's related to the hardware itself, you don't even have to have the cradle attached to the desktop machine. I have the sync set to Direct Serial and it works if you tap the screen button (which always does what the HotSync setting says).

Someone once mentioned that it could be related to an interaction with an application I've installed, but no one could offer possible culprits. It's not the end of the world, but it sure does make HotSync annoying (I can't seem to break out of the habit of just hitting the button, waiting for the Ir sync to time out, and then hitting the screen button).

Infrared with Canon Powershot?

luriete — Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:58:54 -0800

I have a Canon Powershot s50 digital camera which I dearly love. Is it possible to take infrared shots with it? I had a infrared filter for my old nikon fm slr, which, when used with infrared film, worked very well. I assume there must be some way to mount the same kind of filter on the digital camera, but will the sensor pick up the resultant filtered infrared image?