[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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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>
<P>Troops: </P>
<P>After considering the options and some experimentation, here&#8217;s =
how=20
I&nbsp;configured my remote control setup. Thanks to those who offered=20
suggestions a few weeks ago when the effort started.&nbsp; It helped a=20
lot.&nbsp; A little background first.</P>
<P>All&nbsp;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&nbsp;S Video inputs, so I tied my PC&#8217;s ATI =
Rage Fury=20
adapter to an unused S Video input which can be selected via the A/V =
receiver&#8217;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.&nbsp; </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.&nbsp; The PC is a retired PII, 200 and it gets MP3&nbsp; and WAV =
files on=20
a&nbsp;&nbsp;Mb/s&nbsp; LAN from the big&nbsp;boy in my den that has a =
ton of=20
Gigs in it, and on which I&nbsp;am slowly putting my 45 year collection =
of disks=20
and tape in cleaned up WAV and MP3 form, depending on&nbsp;source=20
quality.&nbsp;&nbsp; </P>
<P>While I really like the Logitech RF keyboard, which I purchased based =
on=20
Slinkelist recommendation, I found that the range was&nbsp;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&#8217;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&nbsp;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.&nbsp; =
</P>
<P>I use an RF/IR relay (X-10, $30)&nbsp; to get my HiFi control from =
the living=20
room to the closet. This picks up the keyboard also and repeats the =
keybord&#8217;s IR=20
to the closet same as the HiFi control. So, the keyboard&#8217;s IR =
receiver picks up=20
it&#8217;s stuff just like the HiFi receiver, DVD, CD's, VCR etc. </P>
<P>For playing MP3's, the sound card&#8217;s output is tied to the =
receiver&#8217;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.&nbsp;&nbsp; I intend to install PCAnywhere to use =
via the=20
LAN so I&nbsp; can didle the system from the den instead of standing in =
the=20
closet, switching keyboards and all that.&nbsp;&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; =
This=20
entire arrangement is totally satisfactory, and I am not one to be =
easily=20
pleased.&nbsp;&nbsp;I have found Slinkelist to be very useful, therefore =
If any=20
of this helps anyone considering remote control then&nbsp; I'm glad to =
finally=20
contribute. </P>
<P>Cheers,</P>
<P>Stan </P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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