Rotary volume encoder to infrared advice needed please.

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Do you own a breadboard such as this one: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/breadboards/2104542/
and solid insulated wire that can be used with it as jumpers?

There is no question that there is going to be unknowns.

 

[Imagewerx]

Yes I do have a breadboard similar to that with lots of jumpers.Still waiting for my IRmimic to arrive,then I can get a move on with the rest of it.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

I'm going to start posting parts, but don't order anything yet:

Call this 2x7 Header socket (Even though it isn't)

SIP Header: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/sil-sockets/6811320/

I can't find dual versions (DIP headers) at RS, but two should go side by side. They accept round and it looks like square pins too. You should be able to cut them to fit and place them side by side.

Square and round pins should be findable. I did not realize that the SIL socket above also accepted the square pins.

The suggestion is to mount the 2x7 connector UPSIDE down on a real pad per hole 0.1" x 0.1" protoboard for the final product and plug the IRMIMIC into it. It won't help much for breadboarding though.

RS's website is driving me up the wall. Annoying.

Maybe, I should quit and try Farnell? I think I'll do much better over there. In the US Newark Electronics and Farnell are somewhat the same and they seem to be transitioning to Element14.

===

Now where I want to go from here is a way to connect the 2x20 header to the breadboard, What I would do in my neck of the woods is to get a 2x14 connector and crimp pins to a ribbon cable or use an IDC (inter Digitated Contacts) connector (can be crimped with a vise). and then attach to pins like from an DB25 connector (Same as an IBM PC printer port) for the breadboard end and put pieces of heat shrink on it. I think the RS232 pins would fit into a breadboard socket. Digikey would even crimp the ribbon cable for me.

Back to the procurement board. Enough for today.

==

When wiring stuff like this http://www.tauntek.com/IRMimic-MCU-with-switches-schematic.pdf

RESISTORS - 10K

with resistors, you can go single resistors, a DIP resistors, or SIP resistors.
SIP resistors are space saving and come in two versions:

a) One where one end is common, so it's like 11 pins for 10 resistors.
b) Every two pins is a resistor.

See the technical data sheet here: http://uk.farnell.com/bourns/4610x-102-103lf/resistor-network-10k/dp/9357270 for an example. Note the 101 and 102 styles.

or
c) individual resistors
http://uk.farnell.com/te-connectivity-neohm/cbt25j10k/resistor-carbon-10k-0-25w-5-axial/dp/1265079

You could breadboard one way and wire the other or vice versa or make them both the same.

Anyway, the plan will be to solderless breadboard something before committing.

There are at least 2 or three issues to sort out:

1) Is 1 mS enough to trigger the IRMIMIC?
2) Will the transmit time have to be shortened?
3) Will the record time have to be controlled?

I'm actually thinking of a temporary modification to the remote control. I hope you can access the contacts of the Vol UP and VOL Down easily? i.e. solder wires that don't affect the remote when put back together when the wires are removed. We can to spring-loaded contacts too. No soldering,

I have a couple of these: **broken link removed** but not hooked up, unfortunately. I think they allow the direct text input of a Pronto encoded IR code meaning, I think, could encode one EXACT sequence of IR commands.

Breadboard to 2x17 Header

These http://uk.farnell.com/molex/90119-2110/contact-socket-22-24awg-crimp/dp/9733272 can work with a piece of heat shrink. If you fold over the crimp and solder, you get individual wires you can connect to the header.

If your soldering/breadboarding solid wire would work easily. Stranded takes more work.

 

[Imagewerx]

Just to let you know I haven't forgotten about this.The IRmimic has been stuck at the Post Office for the last week or so and I was only able to go and pay the custom duty and pick it up today.It'll be a few days yet before I get time to put it together and have a play with it.
Just a thought I've had about this.Can I not just use a change over relay (with a transistor to drive it of course) if the decoder goes +ve when I turn it clockwise and -ve when I turn anticlockwise,this will send the pulses to the relevant pins on the IRmimic depending on which way I turn it?

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

I've been really busy too.

Remember, that there are lots of unknowns and all I managed to do was to suggest a way to be able to attach the PCB to a bigger PCB so it could "plug in" rather than be wired in. So, I suggested a connector that could be mounted upside down.

As for parts, I think would be useful would be 1) Hex open collector inverters 2) Dual monostable multivibrators and 3) Some resistors and capacitors, 4) a FET optocoupler, 5) A ULN2003 Who knows what if any would be used.

Direction is probably a direct plug-in.

I can't remember if the pulse output of your encoder has to be inverted or needs to be driven with an open drain device. We don;t know if the pulse needs to be "stretched" for the IRMIMIC to respond.

The other issue is to try to record the shortest IR code possible.
A possibility:

Design a circuit using the keypad mode, and a FET OPTOCOUPLER temporarily connected across the remote. Allow the pulse width to be set from like 30 to 300 mS. So, when you push a button, the REMOTE key is electronically held down for a set time. We can make that time visible on a scope. Then try to find the smallest time that can be recorded that will reliably work. BUT, maybe just one short manual press of the remote is enough.

Keypad an computer mode are different.

 

[Imagewerx]

Still haven't got round to building this yet.One evening this week and we'll know if it's going to be hit or miss.