[sensibull]

Hello,

I'm an old hand at Xlobby, just beginning to read up on XBMC in order to install it in my brother's home theater. One key question I can't seem to find an answer to is whether or not XBMC is capable of controlling external audio gear such as a receiver via IR commands, and if so, what IR device do I need to implement this?

Here's the specifics of the scenario: XBMC running on a basement HTPC. Local control and playback of media is easy enough with line-of-sight IR remote, but I would also like XBMC to output music to the Zone 2 of a Yamaha receiver that is connected to back deck speakers and be able to control it with an ipad or itouch from the deck without going into the basement?

Doable? If so, please lend any advice you can...

Many thanks.

[bobo1on1]

There's the Lirc.Send() builtin as described here: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Lis..._Functions
It was added in r28982 so it requires an svn version of xbmc.

You can put an xml file in ~/.xbmc/userdata/keymaps that maps keypresses to lirc commands.
Mine looks like this:

Code:

<keymap>
  <global>
    <keyboard>
      <F10>XBMC.LIRC.Send(SEND_ONCE Onkyo_RC-453S  muting)</F10>
      <F11>XBMC.LIRC.Send(SEND_ONCE Onkyo_RC-453S2 voldown)</F11>
      <F12>XBMC.LIRC.Send(SEND_ONCE Onkyo_RC-453S2 volup)</F12>
      <F10 mod="ctrl">XBMC.LIRC.Send(SEND_ONCE Onkyo_RC-453S  muting)</F10>
      <F11 mod="ctrl">XBMC.LIRC.Send(SEND_ONCE Onkyo_RC-453S2 voldown)</F11>
      <F12 mod="ctrl">XBMC.LIRC.Send(SEND_ONCE Onkyo_RC-453S2 volup)</F12>
    </keyboard>
  </global>
</keymap>

This requires an lirc compatible IR transmitter, I'm using one connected to the soundcard, which is currently only available in the cvs version of lirc.

XBMC only supports lirc on linux, if you're using an IR transmitter with a different operating system you can use the System.Exec or RunScript builtins to tell some program to send an IR command.

[sensibull]

Thanks much for the reply. A little over my head :confused2: but I'll muddle through it...

FWIW, I'm asking about using Windows 7. Surely there must be some way to do this using a USB-UIRT?