Multi-room IR Receiver

[PIBM]

I have an HK AVR645 and I would like to use it`s multiroom feature. I know they sell an HE-1000 which is just an IR receiver that you hook up to be able to use the multiroom features, but 1. it looks ugly, 2 it cost a lot and 3 I would just love to make mine.

I already made an USB IR receiver for my computer and have the knowledge required to build that kind of things, it`s just that I can`t seem to find any information about the way the data is sent. Is the HE-1000 simply an IR led hooked up to a cable ? Is it decoded and sent via a specific protocol ? Anyone has some information on this ?

Thank you a lot
PIBM

 

[MDS]

If it's just an IR repeater, you don't need to know the data format or protocol. It just repeats what it was sent. The only purpose for such a thing for multi-room would be to have a way to control the receiver from the remote zone.

If you want to look up remote control protocols, I'd bet that the receiver uses NEC1 or NEC2 protocol as that is the most popular because NEC makes the majority of IR transmitters and receivers. The remote commands themselves are just numbers but the protocol first sends a 'magic' number that means 'get ready', followed by a device code (manufacturer), sub-device code (type of equipment - like dvd player), and then the number that corresponds to the function.

 

[PIBM]

The reason the title is 'multi-room' is because I want to use it with different parameters as the main room. It requires the use of the external IR entry on my receiver, and using the second remote control I will be able to start/stop, change channel entry, change the volume, only for the second room ie independently from the main room.

If I use an IR repeater, the signal would enter the main room channel, thus changing hte main room parameters. So, I would just like to make a device compatible with the HE-1000 output

 

[adk highlander]

If I use an IR repeater, the signal would enter the main room channel, thus changing hte main room parameters. So, I would just like to make a device compatible with the HE-1000 output

This should not be the case. All of the multizone receivers I have had (Denon, Pioneer, Onkyo) have different codes for the second and third zones. I have not owned an HK but I would be suprised if theirs was that different. Does the remote have keys for Zone 2 or a shift key that change from main to zone?

 

[PIBM]

No, I don't see such a button on either of the remote control that came with the receiver. From the documentation I only see that we need to get an IR receiver for the other room which has to be plugged in (and they refer to the HE-1000).

I've been using both remote control from the main room and they both activate solely the main set, and I need to use the OSD to change the multiroom settings.

Any more ideas ?
Thank you again