How hard would it be?

[vebers]

I see the iphone and other smartphones with software to control remote devices such as itunes on a computer. How difficult would it be to control a TV or other appliance with the actual broadcast from the cell phone at in home distances. For instance I save TV in my contacts and give it a phone number 123. This will be rubbish to the cell towers, but is it still broadcast out of the phone to the tower and thus around the immediate area? and if so could I build a circut to replace the IR in my TV that would recognize the 123 designation and turn on my tv when I dialed that number from my phone? if so what would the electronics consist of and where could I educate myself on this tech.

Thanks

Vince

 

[blueroomelectronics]

In home distances? Do you mean from within the house?

If yes then you'd use the WiFi connection.

 

[vebers]

Yes I am talking about the distance of mabey a couple of rooms in a house, or mabey 20 or 30 feet outside. I have a product Idea that would be required to turn on only by remote at a short distance. I thought of developing a remote for this application but it would be handy to use something you are already carrying anyway. With this Idea it would be possible for a person to have more than one of the devices with different identifiers so I need away to turn only the device I am using on. ie turn one on and not the other. I am very good with the mechanical in this project but a little lost on the electronics. How would you use Wifi and how could you issue commands to one device at a time? very small is a plus.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Then WiFi if you're using an iPhone or iTouch. The WiFi to device part is tricky though. Most likely an embedded web server with some relays and I/O. Something like this perhaps.
i.TV 2.0 Coming Soon – Remote Control, TiVo Remote, New UI, Push Notifications | Apple iPhone School
**broken link removed**

 

[vebers]

okay I have done some homework and I have found both bluetooth and wifi relays. I thinks this is the direction you are sending me. Now most of the ones I found have more than one contact. Do you know where i could find a extremely small bluetooth or wifi relay that consumes minimal power. Oh and did I mention cheap. lol

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Why small? Is your house small?

 

[vebers]

no the mechanical device i am putting it on is not much larger than a quarter

 

[blueroomelectronics]

How will you power it?

 

[vebers]

hopefully watch battery

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Nope they'll need more power than that. What are you trying to control?

 

[vebers]

a buzzer of sorts

 

[vebers]

Electrically I will be needing power for the wifi or bluetooth relay and a buzzer.
It won't actually be used often, but needs to be working when needed. What kind of power am I looking at

 

[vebers]

basically from the electrical side I want to set off a buzzer for say 15 seconds with a cell phone, and if i have a hundred of these devices I want to be able to set them off independently.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

You said it was for a TV in message #1

 

[vebers]

The idea is simple and I think could be very profitable, I don't want to give it away trying to determine feasibility. I am being criptic but thats my reasons. please be assured that this device is harmless. I started off with the TV because I know that it uses IR to control a relay and I wanted to know if there was a low power way to use a cell phone to do the same thing. I loosened up and have probably said to much anyway. From the electrical side I need a very small electrical device that will close a single contact starting a buzzer that lasts for a timed interval for instance 15 seconds and shuts off. I need the batteries to last a good while and I need it small. A one small board solution would be wonderful. If 10 of these devices are in a room I need to be able to pick which one to turn on. Hope that explains what I am after as simple and plain as I feel I can make it and still keep the Idea to myself.

Thanks for your patients

Vince

 

[vebers]

If you reread message one I only used TV as an example to try to explain what I was after

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Sorry I can't help cryptic projects. You'll have to disclose your project to get help in the forums.
Sounds like a remote detonator so far.

 

[vebers]

Thats fair and I am an American so I applaud your skeptism on devices that could be used for ill purposes. However that is not my purpose Could I contact you off forum and mabey go further in depth on my project.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Neither Bluetooth, WiFi or GSM will run off a watch battery for any length of time. You'll need to size it up somewhat.