[slinkelist] CDJ remote control
Stan Kurzet
skurzet@uswest.net
Wed, 5 Jan 2000 19:36:41 -0800
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Troops:=20
After considering the options and some experimentation, here's how I =
configured my remote control setup. Thanks to those who offered =
suggestions a few weeks ago when the effort started. It helped a lot. =
A little background first.
All hardware, PC, HiFi and video components are out of sight in a =
closet. Video is via a LCD projector which illuminates the screen =
through a port in the closet/living room wall. There is also a glass TV =
when the big screen is not used.=20
My A/V receiver has S Video inputs, so I tied my PC's ATI Rage Fury =
adapter to an unused S Video input which can be selected via the A/V =
receiver's remote. More on that later.=20
The ATI video output is also fed to a 2.4 Ghz relay (WaveCom RF Link) =
which sends the video to the glass tube via its line input. The object =
was to fully control the CDJ software without going into the closet. The =
WaveCom was the most expensive component ($89) and could be avoided if =
there is a way to get cable from the ATI to the TV and the cable type =
and length compatible with signal quality. =20
The PC gets its power from the switched output on the A/V receiver and =
boots up Win98 super fast as CDJ and sound card utilities are the only =
installed aps. The PC is a retired PII, 200 and it gets MP3 and WAV =
files on a Mb/s LAN from the big boy in my den that has a ton of Gigs =
in it, and on which I am slowly putting my 45 year collection of disks =
and tape in cleaned up WAV and MP3 form, depending on source quality. =20
While I really like the Logitech RF keyboard, which I purchased based on =
Slinkelist recommendation, I found that the range was unusable through =
the closet wall from my couch potato location. The other problem with =
the Logitech is that it uses a mouse that really needs a pad to work on, =
so it's not all that useful away from a flat surface. Using CDJ without =
a mouse is, in my opinion more difficult than is acceptable. The =
Logitech has been promoted to the everyday desk-top machine where it =
works just fine.
The keyboard/mouse problem was solved with a $59 gizmo made by Silitek, =
a Chinese operation whose name was obviously chosen by non English =
speaking people. Anyhow, the thing is called an Airboard and is sold =
under the brand name of "Express Pro Remote". I got mine at CompUSA. =
This is an IR keyboard with a built in pointing stick which, with its =
buttons is superbly ergonomically arranged for flaked out on the couch =
operation. The thing works very reliably up to 25 feet away from its IR =
receiver and can be pointed anywhere up to 45 degrees in any direction =
away from the receiver. Also, this keyboard is smaller than the =
Logitech, but has normal keyboard size QWERTY spacing. =20
I use an RF/IR relay (X-10, $30) to get my HiFi control from the living =
room to the closet. This picks up the keyboard also and repeats the =
keybord's IR to the closet same as the HiFi control. So, the keyboard's =
IR receiver picks up it's stuff just like the HiFi receiver, DVD, CD's, =
VCR etc.=20
For playing MP3's, the sound card's output is tied to the receiver's =
audio inputs associated with the video channel used for the ATI S Video =
output. Some negative comments re Soundblaster on Slinkelist =
notwithstanding, I use the Soundblaster Live card for my hard drive =
resident MP3 and WAV files and find it quite satisfactory. I intend to =
install PCAnywhere to use via the LAN so I can didle the system from =
the den instead of standing in the closet, switching keyboards and all =
that. I salivate at the thought of training CDJ and Slinke to run the =
HiFi hardware and TV's but it looks like a really steep learning curve =
that can chew up endless hours like mad.
The remote mouse control and keyboard operation is rock stable. This =
entire arrangement is totally satisfactory, and I am not one to be =
easily pleased. I have found Slinkelist to be very useful, therefore If =
any of this helps anyone considering remote control then I'm glad to =
finally contribute.=20
Cheers,
Stan=20
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<DIV>
<P>Troops: </P>
<P>After considering the options and some experimentation, here’s =
how=20
I configured my remote control setup. Thanks to those who offered=20
suggestions a few weeks ago when the effort started. It helped a=20
lot. A little background first.</P>
<P>All hardware, PC, HiFi and video components are out of sight in =
a=20
closet. Video is via a LCD projector which illuminates the screen =
through a port=20
in the closet/living room wall. There is also a glass TV when the big =
screen is=20
not used. </P>
<P>My A/V receiver has S Video inputs, so I tied my PC’s ATI =
Rage Fury=20
adapter to an unused S Video input which can be selected via the A/V =
receiver’s=20
remote. More on that later. </P>
<P>The ATI video output is also fed to a 2.4 Ghz relay (WaveCom RF Link) =
which=20
sends the video to the glass tube via its line input. The object was to =
fully=20
control the CDJ software without going into the closet. The WaveCom was =
the most=20
expensive component ($89) and could be avoided if there is a way to get =
cable=20
from the ATI to the TV and the cable type and length compatible with =
signal=20
quality. </P>
<P>The PC gets its power from the switched output on the A/V receiver =
and boots=20
up Win98 super fast as CDJ and sound card utilities are the only =
installed=20
aps. The PC is a retired PII, 200 and it gets MP3 and WAV =
files on=20
a Mb/s LAN from the big boy in my den that has a =
ton of=20
Gigs in it, and on which I am slowly putting my 45 year collection =
of disks=20
and tape in cleaned up WAV and MP3 form, depending on source=20
quality. </P>
<P>While I really like the Logitech RF keyboard, which I purchased based =
on=20
Slinkelist recommendation, I found that the range was unusable =
through the=20
closet wall from my couch potato location. The other problem with the =
Logitech=20
is that it uses a mouse that really needs a pad to work on, so =
it’s not all that=20
useful away from a flat surface. Using CDJ without a mouse is, in my =
opinion=20
more difficult than is acceptable. The Logitech has been promoted to the =
everyday desk-top machine where it works just fine.</P>
<P>The keyboard/mouse problem was solved with a $59 gizmo made by =
Silitek, a=20
Chinese operation whose name was obviously chosen by non English =
speaking=20
people. Anyhow, the thing is called an Airboard and is sold under the =
brand name=20
of "Express Pro Remote". I got mine at CompUSA. This is an IR keyboard =
with a=20
built in pointing stick which, with its buttons is superbly =
ergonomically=20
arranged for flaked out on the couch operation. The thing works very =
reliably up=20
to 25 feet away from its IR receiver and can be pointed anywhere up =
to 45=20
degrees in any direction away from the receiver. Also, this keyboard is =
smaller=20
than the Logitech, but has normal keyboard size QWERTY spacing. =
</P>
<P>I use an RF/IR relay (X-10, $30) to get my HiFi control from =
the living=20
room to the closet. This picks up the keyboard also and repeats the =
keybord’s IR=20
to the closet same as the HiFi control. So, the keyboard’s IR =
receiver picks up=20
it’s stuff just like the HiFi receiver, DVD, CD's, VCR etc. </P>
<P>For playing MP3's, the sound card’s output is tied to the =
receiver’s audio=20
inputs associated with the video channel used for the ATI S Video =
output. Some=20
negative comments re Soundblaster on Slinkelist notwithstanding, I use =
the=20
Soundblaster Live card for my hard drive resident MP3 and WAV files and =
find it=20
quite satisfactory. I intend to install PCAnywhere to use =
via the=20
LAN so I can didle the system from the den instead of standing in =
the=20
closet, switching keyboards and all that. I salivate at the =
thought=20
of training CDJ and Slinke to run the HiFi hardware and TV's but it =
looks like a=20
really steep learning curve that can chew up endless hours like mad.</P>
<P>The remote mouse control and keyboard operation is rock stable. =
This=20
entire arrangement is totally satisfactory, and I am not one to be =
easily=20
pleased. I have found Slinkelist to be very useful, therefore =
If any=20
of this helps anyone considering remote control then I'm glad to =
finally=20
contribute. </P>
<P>Cheers,</P>
<P>Stan </P></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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