Translate IR cmd into macro with IR & RS232 cmds, with relay

[Friso]

I need to send an ASCII string to a TCP port (4999, a Global Caché ethernet<>RS232 module) as part of a macro (with IR commands) when my IRtrans (Wifi with DB and internal Universal code receiver) receives an IR code. The IR code uses 25 kHz as a carrier, but thanks to the Universal code receiver it can be seen and recognised.

For example, I receive:
main,activate

And then I want to send:
sony,pwron (IR)
humax,pwrtoggle (IR)
PWR (ASCII string that needs to go to 192.168.1.xx, TCP port 4999)

I want to do this without a PC running all the time. So will this work with just the IRdb? Do I need to use the translator? All the options in the IRdb options seem to be UDP, and there are several places where I can enter IP addresses. I'm confused and cannot find any manual anywhere to explain things. From the product description it says the module can act like a full IR-IP gateway, so I hope this can be done.

[IRTrans]

The IRTrans devices can only send UDP packages - not TCP on IR Receive.

IRTrans

[Friso]

Thanks for the quick but short reply.
Ok. There is a chance that UDP might work as well, when sent to the same port.

Could you then explain how to enter my macro (like the one in my example) into the DB (with the latest GUI client)? What values need to go where? I know how to learn commands, remotes etc. - but from one of your other responses on this forum, I learned that I do not need to use the translator function for this (just the DB would do it)?

Please, explain this a little more than in just one sentence. It is hard enough trying to figure this out without a manual.

[IRTrans]

If you want to send other IR Codes when an IR Code is received you will need the IRTrans Translator funcionality.

It does, however, not allow to send UDP - it is just IR Translation (one IR command into another one).
It is quite simple (Drag and Drop) to define a macro in the Translator dialog.

To send UDP when an IR code is received you will need the IRDB. It is possible to do that together with a translation. To do both you will need to reduce the size of the IRDB. All that is done in the IRDB dialog.

I would suggest you try out both things separatly first.

IRTrans

[Friso]

Okay, I did as you suggested and tested some things separately.
I also changed the setup so that the RS-232 control is now in the hands of my other irTrans (Wifi + IRDB and AUX RS232).

So I now have an irTrans in a closet that receives an IR signal with its universal learning receiver.
I managed to program the Translator in that irTrans to send out a number of other IR signals.
I set my IRDB to 64K and I now get succesful Translator + DB flashes. I'm assuming this is correct.
The IR commands are being broadcast successfully, as I can see them in the IrServer 'received IR commands' window on my laptop.

So far so good. The IR part is handled now.

But how do I get the other irTrans to send RS232 commands? I've learned remotes with several RS-232 commands by entering the commands directly in the GUIclient learning dialog with the RS232 option. I get .rem files that contain codes with the [RS232] qualifier. Just sending commands from these remotes with the Send option in the GUI client works fine. But if I add commands from these remotes in the Translator dialog, it doesn't work. The raw RS232 string gets sent over UDP and the other irTrans doesn't recognise it. So how to solve this?

Do I need to program a dummy IR command (from some old remote) and then add the actual RS232 command as an action in the DB?

[IRTrans]

Hi,
that is not possible via IRDB IR Receive. When you use the IRDB there is always an IR Command involved (Either received or sent; the sent command might also be RS232).

It should work that way:

1. IRTrans: Receives IR Command and transmits it over the network (UDP). In addition the Macro is sent
2. IRTrans: IR Translation used to react on the IR Command relayed over the network. This IR Translation then sends the RS232 code.

IRTrans

[Friso]

Nice of you to respond so quickly. I think we're getting somehere. I do realise that the starting point has to be an IR command.

So my current 50% working setup is:
I have the translation in the 1. irTrans. This irTrans receives IR command and translates, to a macro which sends out three other commands. I never even see the original command (it gets translated). The macro IR commands are relayed and picked up correctly on the 2. irTrans (with the RS232 port). Problem: the 2. irTrans does send out the IR commands correctly, but no commands from remotes that contain RS232 data. From the 'detected commands' window I see that RS232 commands get relayed as raw serial data.

What I find confusing that this doesn't work even if the RS232 command is in a learned remote in both DB's. For example: I have the command: 'pioneer-ir,poweron' in the macro which gets relayed fine, but the command 'pioneer-serial,dotbydot' does not get through even though the 'pioneer-serial' remote is in the DB's of both devices. I'm constantly thinking that it's just a setting somewhere...

So to be clear, are you now saying:
Let the 1. irTrans pick up the original command and relay it, then setup the 2. irTrans as a translator that *will* translate the relayed command and send out IR and RS-232 correctly (as the 2. irTrans has the RS-232 port attached)? I'll give it a try.

Please correct me if I'm wrong in my understanding.

[IRTrans]

Correct, that is the way it should work.

Relaying of RS232 is not supported because it does not really make sense.

IRTrans

[Friso]

Okay, now that I know that RS232 commands are not relayed by the Translator function on my irTrans WiFi, I can make it work.

I now have the following setup:
irTrans A receives main 'activate' command (nice big red pushbutton, wired to an IR car alarm remote, which has a 25kHz carrier
irTrans A translates this command to a macro, to switch on the tv with IR commands sent locally; last command of the macro is the original 'activate' again
irTrans A relays all macro commands over the IP network (broadcast), which are received by irTrans B
irTrans B has an AUX RS232 port and also has translation active; it translates the incoming 'activate' command to RS232 commands for an HDMI matrix

So the trick here is that IR commands get relayed with no problem while RS232 commands are not relayed and have to be executed locally. So you can use the translator function to send an IR command around the IP network that can then be translated at the receiving irTrans modules into RS232 commands for attached devices.

I am writing this down in detail like this on purpose, so that others will hopefully find this useful.

I appreciate your help Marcus - but as you can see, a good manual would have helped me enormously...
Even if it's just a thorough explanation of all the options on all the screens - I can then make the connections myself.

But I would also like to add this: irTrans is brilliant - my family can now push ONE button that will lift the TV out of a cabinet, switch it on and make all necessary picture settings, switch on the DVR and tune it to channel 1, switch on the AV receiver for sound and tell the HDMI matrix to switch to the right input. And what's especially nice: this all works without a PC running all the time and consuming power. I think if the website could explain the vision and the general overview of the system a bit more (and lose some of the old and confusing material) more people would realise the power.

[IRTrans]

Hi,
thank you for your explanation.

I do know that our documentation is not perfect.

However, there are so many ways to use the system that we would easily have a thick instruction manual that rather shocks users with simple scenarios.

Furthermore - complicated configurations as your config are rather seldom and mostly different again. Therefore it would be very difficult to explain all of them.
Therefore we prefer to help via Email or our Forum to set up such complicated installations.

IRTrans