iRed - in Brief
- Control your audio and video devices right from your Mac
- Replace your old infrared remote controls - iRed is capable of learning all their infrared codes
- Merge all your different remotes into your Mac
- Control your Mac with any infrared remote control
- Browse your iTunes music library - from the sofa
- Control your Keynote or PowerPoint presentation just with any remote control
How does it work?
Now, your Mac can send infrared signals to control your audio devices, your video recorder, or your TV set. You will only need a device to send the specific infrared signals, which the Mac is not capable of. The software iRed is developed for the infrared device IRTrans. IRTrans is connected via the USB and can be purchased at www.irtrans.com.
With IRTrans you are not only able to send but also to receive infrared signals. So with iRed your Mac becomes a powerful programmable remote control. Generally, IRTrans is working with all infrared codes from most vendors. Currently we only know that devices from Bang & Olufsen will need a special version of IRTrans, which is also available.
You might ask, what about the infrared ports of your computer? Unfortunately they are not compatible with the infrared protocol that is used by most consumer devices. Infrared ports built into some Macs are compliant with the IrDA protocol. IrDA is completely different from that one used in remote controls. Also, the infrared port of your Mac is optimized to operate with a high bandwidth on a short range - a typical remote control is designed for just the opposite. Thus, the IrDA port of your Mac does not work.
We have tested iRed and IRTrans with remote controls and devices of many manufacturers - including SONY, Denon, Technics, Philips - and we did not encounter any problem. But of course we cannot guarantee that some very special devices are compatible. Please see www.irtrans.com for detailed information.
iRed's Virtual Remotes vs. Your Usual One
The very simple example of a virtual remote control above shows very well, how you can replace your ordinary remotes with your Mac. You can just combine all important controls on one pane. If you still like to have all the detailed controls available - it's just a click away with another virtual remote control.
The iRed package already provides some virtual remotes ready to go. Of course you can also create your own. Adding buttons is just like painting - very easy and if you need help, the extensive manual will help you.
With iRed version 1.3 you may create VRCs with HTML as well! This gives you a lot of possibilities to overcome the somewhat limited designs of the iRed VRCs.
If you purchase an IRTrans module, you'll get the iRed license for free!
Please ask for the iRed version when ordering IRTrans.
|
 |
Last update: June 1, 2005 |