IRDA extenders?

[Tim Fuell <form@xxxxxxx>]

Hi all

First posting but been lurking a while and thought it about time I 
introduced myself. I did plan to make the meet on Friday but work got the
better of me - shame as it sounded a great night.

Currently planning the redecoration of the living room with cable routing
etc. My main problem at the moment is how to control my Pace / Telewest
digital box Di4000 without having the whole box on view all the time. As I
am sure most are aware the box uses IRDA instead of the usual infra-red
system to accept commands from controls, so will not work with normal 
learning remotes, pyramid tranmitters, etc. I am sure IRDA extenders must
be available out there somewhere so at least I could hide the thing away
even if I have to use a second remote just for the cable box. For all my
looking however, I can't seem to find them. Of course that doesn't solve
the problem of changing channels on the cable box from another room, so if
anyone else has solutions I'd love to hear them - on the rear of the box it
does have an IR input for "hideaway" applications, Dual USB
ports, an RS232 
sockeet, plus Ethernet 10/100 Base T socket but both PACE and Telewest tell
me that none of these have been enabled and no hardware ever made for them.
Not sure if I beleive them about being enabled so possibly an option to
control via a PC connection to one of these sockets.

By the way, I work as a journalist - writing about sport and the internet
mainly - but I also write the odd technology article including a monthly
column for US-based www.connectedhomemag.com email newsletter about the
latest news from this side of the Atlantic. I am always open to suggestions
and tips for this piece so feel free to drop me a line.
Any help much appreciated

Regards

Tim Fuell

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

ADVERTISEMENT

Height:	4 5 6 7  ft 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 in
Weight:
Sex:	F M

For more information: http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx 
Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx 
Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx 
List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.