Subject: Re: (Pre-) Announce SHARK IR / Home Control
To: None <mfoster@mail.com>
From: David Feustel <feustel@ix.netcom.com>
List: port-arm32
Date: 01/08/1999 07:19:33
The recent Shark postings have aroused my interest.
What is a 'Shark'?
Thanks.
"Mark J. Foster" wrote:
>
> Hello!
>
> I've been working on a new device driver for the SHARK for Home Control
> applications, and thought I'd gauge the interest level in this work.
> Specifically, I'm creating a fairly large device driver which actually
> supports six devices on the SHARK, each of which is intended for home
> control applications. As such, all of the devices (with the exception
> of the RS-232 port) record and playback "edge" transitions, which
> enables them to be used regardless of the communications protocol
> required by the equipment).
>
> Three general device classes are supported:
>
> Consumer IR: Full support for consumer IR input and output
> Serial RS-232: For connecting to X-10 devices, etc.
> Bitstreams: For general purpose serial I/O, such as
> connecting your SHARK to your stereo or
> TV's proprietary control connection.
> Example: Sony's S-Link.
>
> In total, six devices are created:
>
> av0: Transmit and Receive on Serial Port Data lines
> av1: Transmit on RTS, Receive on CTS on Serial Port
> av2: Transmit on DTR, Receive on DSR on Serial Port
> av3: Transmit and Receive using hardware IR Controller
> av4: Transmit on RTS, Receive on CTS (Internal Port)
> av5: Transmit on DTR, Receive on DSR (Internal Port)
>
> While the driver definitely isn't done yet, virtually of the code has
> been written, and the code is heavily documented. Perhaps most
> impressive, consumer IR now appears to be working quite well - for the
> first time this morning, I was able to control my VCR with my SHARK!
>
> Even better, I've created this code so that it is compatible with the
> LIRC (Linux InfraRed Control) driver, which enables it to work directly
> with this applications suite for general purpose control. While I'm
> still in the process of testing these apps, one thing works very well,
> indeed: consumer IR can not only be recorded and played back, the system
> can recognize specific buttons (well and quickly!), to allow you to
> control your SHARK or home! Down the line, I'll be testing the other
> capabilities of this suite, such as being able to define buttons for use
> as a remote mouse under X, the ability for remote control buttons to
> execute arbitrary system commands, etc!
>
> Some of once thought that SHARKs would run the world... well, maybe now
> they can at least run your home theater system...
>
> Any interest?
>
> Thanks!
> Mark J. Foster
>
> P.S. This is definitely not ready for release yet. Most significant of
> all is that, like many of us, I'm still running the original April
> release of the NetBSD code, so the code will need to be merged into the
> upcoming full EGCS+linked libs+??? snapshot. That, plus miscellaneous
> bug fixes, IOCTLs for changing the UART and/or IR formats, etc, etc,
> etc.
--
David Feustel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
219-483-1857
http://www.d-feustel.com