Re: Ability to drive multiple IR transmitters independantly from PC

["JS" <onlinejds@xxxxxxx>]

Here's two more approaches to add to the equation... 1) Use 3 JDS IRXP2
Infrared Xpanders.  Each has 4 individually addressable IR outputs
(3.5mm jacks).  You'll need 3 serial ports on your pc (or 3
USB-to-serial adapters).  2) Use 1 JDS IRXP2 Infrared Xpander and wire
the 4 outputs to a 74HC154 4-to-16 line decoder chip.  The output of
the 74HC154 can provide up to 15 outputs.

Alexis wrote:
> Hey guys,
>
> I've got a situation where there's a number of identical displays in the
> same area, and need to be able to switch them on and off individually
> from a PC.
>
> Currently there are 10 identical displays, which accept commands from a
> remote control to switch on and off (discrete commands for each action).
> I want something that I can connect up to a PC and will allow me to
> switch on and off each display individually.
>
> Obviously this means that there has to be ten IR transmitters, each
> placed next to the sensor of the relevant display, and each of which can
> be driven independantly (i.e. sending the same signal to all 10 will
> result in all ten displays switching on/off - not the desired
> functionality).
>
> Whats more, the solution needs to be expandable to deal with up to
> twenty such identical displays, all of which need to be individually
> controlled.
>
> I had considered using single USB IR transmitters, plugged into a USB
> hub and then into the PC, but I doubt a single PC would be able to drive
> 20 such devices concurrently, not least of all because it would run out
> of COM ports. So I'm looking for something which is designed to allow
> control of multiple transmitters independantly.
>
> Is there anything like this on the market? Ideally I'd like it to have
> an API so that I can interface into it from my own code, but that's not
> an essential requirement.
>
> Any help appreciated!