Lack of Consumer IR on x50?

[bursaar]

I live at home with a teenage sister, so one of the functions I'm most looking forward to having on my x50 adv (when it arrives) is the universal remote, so that nobody will be able to monopolise the TV or stereo again :)

After I ordered my Axim I read a few of the reviews in more detail and discovered that a few of them seemed to conflict on the type of IR in the x50adv...some said it DID have Consumer strength IR and some said it only had normal IR, but that it worked anyway.

Now, a friend of mine with an x5 said that he has just normal IR on his Axim, but that to use it as a remote he has to be VERY close to the TV.

Anybody here with an x50 use theirs as a remote ever? Does it work? and how well?

[Adrian Knack]

I have never tryed it but the if you read the X50v manual (not the website which says it is "consumer IR") it says Standard IR v1.2, 115kbps (which is the same as Fast IR). So I doubt you will get consurmer IR range out of it... although I could be wrong.

Cheers

[psyche]

I've gotton about 10-12 feet with it max...which is probably all you'll get. The x50v is NOT consumer IR, but it is a speeded up version of normal IR.

[dmokeler]

I have NoviRemote on my Axim X50 and it works great. I have been able to change channels up to about 25 feet, could be more never tried it 25 feet in my house is one side of my house to another almost. The only trick is you need to be pointing it pretty much right at the tv.

Dave

[Quboid]

I use TV Remote Controller 5.5 (www.pdawin.com), it works well in my home but I've never tried it at ranges beyond maybe 10 feet.

[bursaar]

Oh ok, great thanks :) as soon as it arrives i'll give it a go and post my findings

[Quboid]

I meant to say - one thing I found is that you have to be very accurate with the PDA and point it right at the TV (or whatever). With a TV remote, I can point it pretty much anywhere and it will work, but the PDA must be right at it. Close up, I have to align it with the IR receiver on the TV, not just any part. This isn't a big problem and there is a bit of leeway, but it's something you should be aware of.

One nice thing about TVRC (I don't know about NoviRemote or any others) is that it will work with any device. Although it has a very limited list of built in devices, you can add a device and set it to "learn" from the remote control. I had to do that - I set it to learn, tapped the "on/off" button in TVRC to select it and then pointed my TV remote at the PDA and pressed the TV on/off button. The PDA picked up the signal and assigned it to the on/off button. Very handy!

[AdamaDBrown]

The X50 and X50v DO have consumer IR. The Dell docs state it, and I've tested it.

[redhatnick]

My results with my x50v have been less than stellar. My now retired Palm Tungsten T3 with NoviiRemote doubled as a much better remote than my x50v does. However, I will note, the "range" of x50v seems to vary considerably from TV to TV. Some TVs seem to work without much aiming, while others don't seem to work at all, or not very practical. I'm using Griffin's Total Remote.

[Hiatus]

how could anyone tell it's consumer IR or not? the range should depend on the PDA and the devices you are controlling too? I am just wondering

The X50 and X50v DO have consumer IR. The Dell docs state it, and I've tested it.

I just don't think it does. I am pretty sure it has a standard IR port. Even in Chris's review here on aximsite, he says it is standard.
You can take a look for your self here

[New2Dell]

Dell's website states:Standard v1.2 (115 kbps) Infrared Port.
Whatever, if you use the software below the range works just as good as the ipaq 2200! It does not even need to be pointed right at the tv....

This program is way so much better than the remotes mentioned above. But it does come with a heavy price tag, but well worth it compared to the headaches with other software.

http://wincesoft.de/

[dmokeler]

Dell's website states:Standard v1.2 (115 kbps) Infrared Port.
Whatever, if you use the software below the range works just as good as the ipaq 2200! It does not even need to be pointed right at the tv....

This program is way so much better than the remotes mentioned above. But it does come with a heavy price tag, but well worth it compared to the headaches with other software.

http://wincesoft.de/

I've never had any problems with NoviRemote. Easy to setup and learn different remotes, can change items on screen to match your own remote very easily. Worth the money imho.

Dave

i bought a cf ir extender card for my x50v from
http://www.ultramote.com/
but to be honest I have never had a need to use it, the range of the built in ir is more than enough.

R

[MrKlaatu]

The only trick is you need to be pointing it pretty much right at the tv.

you have to be very accurate with the PDA and point it right at the TV (or whatever).

It does not even need to be pointed right at the tv.

Something to consider:

This is not always a PDA/Remote problem.

In the 'Remote Control World', this is called Tunneling. It is the result of the Media Device Manufacterer's setting the Ir Receiver too "deep" inside the device, shrouded from wide angles by the device itself.

Hence you must point the Remote more-or-less directly at the front of the device in order for the Ir Broadcast Signal to actually be received by the Ir Receiver.

I have an Ir Device Switch whose receiver is a full inch and a half inside the housing. So I cut a "funnel" out of the housing around the receiver and can now point my X5 Dedicated Remote w/pdaWIN TV remote controller 5.5 +CFIr Extender, 180° away from the switch, bouncing the Ir Signal off the walls, and it now works flawlwssly.


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Oooogly as sin, but it's in a smoked glass cabinet.....so who cares?......it works!! :approve:

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