Griffin Mobile's Total Remote v1.01 reviewed

[Andy Whiteford]

Pocket PCs are versatile little devices with many possible uses. Something that has been explored by a few software developers is the ability to use your device as a universal remote control for controlling a plethora of electrical appliances in the home. With its easy-to-hold size, customizable screen and Infrared port, it does make sense to explore this option. However the one issue with this is the IR port itself. A standard Pocket PC uses a different type of IR port from your household remotes and the software has to manipulate this port to create a usable signal. The trade-off is the resulting signal is of poorer quality than the proper remote control and thus, doesn’t have the same sort of range. It’s still a worthwhile thing to pursue because otherwise, the Pocket PC is well suited to being an all in one solution allowing you to operate several appliances with one device. Hardware vendors are taking note of this and Pocket PCs with consumer grade IR ports have started to appear, which allows a signal of comparative quality to the original remote control. So what if you don’t have one of these newer devices but still want the extended coverage? Are you up a creek without the proverbial paddle? Not as far as Griffin Mobile is concerned!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-1.jpg" /> <br /><br /><!> <br /><i>Total Remote is Griffin Mobile’s way of introducing enhanced consumer grade IR to the Pocket PC masses. I say enhanced because Total Remote uses a small plugin IR port that uses your device’s headphone jack to generate a signal. Because the headphone socket can typically deliver more power than a normal IR port, the signal that is interpreted and beamed out by the plugin module is stronger than most remote controls and has much higher coverage. While a normal remote control can normally deliver a signal that is stronger than a standard Pocket PC for this use, Total Remote can surpass both of these - well in theory anyway.</i> <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-2.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 1: Contents of the box include the IR module, a CD ROM with the software and a quick start guide</i> <br /><br /><span><b>So what is the hardware element?</b></span> <br />The plugin module is a small, grey, plastic housing with two Infrared ‘bulbs’ on the top end but safely recessed out of harm's way. This sits on top of a standard 3.5mm audio plug. There certainly doesn’t seem to be much to it but it’s clever in what it does. Infrared remote controls operate at a higher frequency than the standard audio range. Total Remote takes half the frequency required which is within the audio range produced by the audio port on the device and doubles this into the required Infrared frequency required to operate the electrical appliances you wish to control. The benefit of this method is clear: the power output of the audio port allows this signal to be transferred over a greater distance than a normal remote control. The downside is that not all Pocket PCs supply the full audio range and or the frequency required by Total Remote to successfully generate the Infrared signals. This means that Dell Axim and Casio E200 owners will not be able to use the Total Remote hardware. These two devices have an audio port that sounds full to the ear but in truth does not generate the full audio frequency range of other Pocket PCs. Ultimately they sound the same to the ear but do not produce the full audio spectrum upon which Total Remote relies.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-3.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 2: The module in place</i><br /><br /><span><b>A virtual remote</b></span> <br />Of course having this hardware in place is useless without the correct software to use it. The application side of Total Remote is well thought out and simple to use. The screen is laid out like a control panel for the type of device you are controlling, for example, a jog dial panel for VCR, and Tapping on the relevant button actions that command. In the lower right of the screen is a small green shift icon that flicks between different screens for the current remote you are using so you can have two or three screens of controls for each device. This approach gives a more comprehensive coverage of commands while remaining clear and well laid out on the device screen. The main controls are on the first page with lesser used commands on a later page, meaning use of this shift function is not excessive. At the top of the screen is the name of the appliance you are currently controlling and two green arrows allowing you to select between your chosen devices.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-4.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 3: The standard view with tool bars</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-5.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 4: Full screen gives you the entire layout</i><br /><br /><span><b>Configuration</b></span> <br />Setting up the application to work with your appliances is straightforward with a list of over 300 devices preloaded. You just check the box next to the device you want and it’s added to your list. If you can’t find the exact model, trying another by the same manufacturer often gives the desired result. Should this fail, you can copy an existing device profile and modify it or create one from scratch. This allows you to select the type of device, assign a skin and then add remote actions using the learn function and the original remote control. This procedure is simple and only a couple of taps are required to learn each action. There is also a built in rotate screen option that allows you to use your Pocket PC upside down when receiving commands from the original remote control, making the learning process even easier. Macros are also supported so you can assign a string of remote commands to a single button and then activate these at the tap of the stylus. The macro function supports timed pauses as well so you can control how long between each virtual key press.<br /><br />There are a choice of six skins when setting up a new device so no matter which device you are programming for, you will find a suitable solution be it Audio System, DVD, CD, Tuner, TV or VCR.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-6.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 5: Devices can be selected from the menu or green arrows</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-7.jpg" /> <br /><i>Figure 6: Where to go to record those important new commands</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-8.gif" /> <br /><i>Figure 7: Confirmation that you have successfully captured a remote command</i><br /><br />As well as tapping on screen, you can assign common commands to hardware buttons and control the basics of a device without lifting the stylus. This is especially handy when you use the turn off screen toggle to conserve battery life. Sensibly, there is an option to use the IrDA port instead of the Total Remote IR device which may seem like it defeats the purpose of this product. What it does mean is you can still use this application as a remote control even when you don’t have the plugin module handy or, heaven forbid, you lose it. It will be back to reduced Pocket PC coverage but is still adequate for a small living room.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/andyw-feb03-totalremote-9.gif" /> <br /><i>Figure 8: You have a choice between built-in IR or the hardware module</i><br /><br />Griffin has recorded working distances of over 100 feet using Total Remote and while I am not in a position to confirm this claim, the unit did work flawlessly for me across the full distance of my living room which is over 20 feet in length. I take this as a good sign as some of the original remotes on good batteries had intermittent success from this range. I did find that you had to ensure you pointed Total Remote directly at the device you wish to control as the width of signal was not as wide as most of my orignal remotes. It’s also good to note that while there is no export option, any newly created remote profiles are stored under their name in the device profile folder and can be backed up manually prior to a hard reset.<br /><br /><span><b>Gotchas</b></span><br />The skins included with Total Remote are not customizable in the application and while the selection they offer is good, there will be times when you are looking for that extra button to program. Griffin says that user skins are easy to create, however the link on their site to the documentation was unavailable during this evaluation period. I would hope this will be available soon. Some preconfigured devices load up with a blank skin and no controls. This can be worked around by assigning the correct skin from the edit menu and then this preconfigured device will be available for use.<br /><br /><span><b>Where to buy</b></span><br />Total Remote can be purchased from Griffin Mobile’s <a href="http://www.griffintechnology.com/griffinmobile/">Web site</a> for $29.99.<br /><br /><span><b>Specifications</b></span><br />Total remote requires a Pocket PC running either a StrongArm or XScale processor with a 3.5mm audio jack and 1.05Mb of storage space. The hardware is not compatible with the Dell Axim or Casio E200.<br /><br /><span><b>Conclusion</b></span><br />If you like the idea of using your Pocket PC to replace your existing remote controls and distance becomes a factor in the success of operation, you will find Total Remote exactly what you have been looking for. The hardware offers a greater range than your standard remote control and is much improved over the inbuilt IR port on your device. The software that accompanies the product is of good design and works well. However power users will want to ensure they can create their own custom skins to satisfy their controlling needs.

[Dan2003]

Thanks !

.... This means that Dell Axim and Casio E200 owners will not be able to use the Total Remote hardware. These two devices have an audio port that sounds full to the ear but in truth does not generate the full audio frequency range of other Pocket PCs. Ultimately they sound the same to the ear but do not produce the full audio spectrum upon which Total Remote relies....

So, I suppose the new iPAQ h1910 (without CIR port, CF slot, SDIO slot) is compatible with Total Remote.
The h1910 is not on the current list of Total Remote compatible PPC.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/griffinmobile/totalremote/techspecs.html

[ChrisW]

OK Griffin, how do I get the upgrade to 1.01? The downloadable demo is still 1.0.

[Andy Whiteford]

I would contact Griffin to confirm if it is but I imagine it will be with a headphone socket adapter since other Ipaqs are compatible.
I think they just need to update their list. They state that Dell Axim and Casio E200 are NOT compatible but all other Pocket PCs with a compatible processor and a high fidelity headphone jack should work.

[Andy Whiteford]

Contact their support for the upgrade. It fixes an issue with slow start up when installed to a storage card and not everyone needs it.

[mashtim]

I won one of these during the New Year's Blowout, and have been meaning to write up a review. I guess Andy beat me to it! I just wanted to point one thing out: as much as I love this unit, and I do, be forewarned that the add-on unit is VERY easy to misplace. Other than that, this DEFINITELY gets a thumbs-up from me!

[Jonathan1]

Andy how sturdy is that module? I ask because I'm somewhat jealous of the newer iPaq series that has this feature built in. Do you think its sturdy enough to leave in the PPC all the time?

PS- Speaking of misplacing it. Does the company sell just the module just in case you lose the previous one?

[chrisloker]

I love the hardware - wish they would have teamed up with a developer like PDAwin. PDAwin really has it right on the sofware side - especially with the ability to import Philips Pronto remote configuration files (thus the very broad support available for that).

[GoldKey]

Anyone try this on a 3100 series Ipaq? I could not get a definite answer from Griffin on whether this would work on a B/W screen. If so, it would be the perfect use for my old Ipaq.

[Andy Whiteford]

The hardware module is indeed pretty sturdy and the IR bulbs are safely recessed so I guess you could leave it in all the time, there's nothing really to stop that other than the fact that it does protrude from the top of the PDA. If you have a spare Pocket PC lying around, it's a great use for it.

[dean_shan]

This seems like a great product for the e740 since the IR port is on the side.

[vincentsiaw]

Compare to iPAQ 3900 series consumer grade IR port, which one is more powerful? and howabout the software, which one is easier to use, The nevo or this one?

[Andy Whiteford]

I don't have access to an Ipaq wth consumer grade IR so I can't make any true distinction between the two. The Griffin module is supposed to outperform standard Infrared remotes for appliances by a factor of up to three. If consumer grade for Ipaq means as good as a standard remote then theoretically, Total Remote should be able to outperform it. I have no experience with the Nevo software.

[Pony99CA]

Gotchas
The skins included with Total Remote are not customizable in the application and while the selection they offer is good, there will be times when you are looking for that extra button to program. Griffin says that user skins are easy to create, however the link on their site to the documentation was unavailable during this evaluation period. I would hope this will be available soon. Some preconfigured devices load up with a blank skin and no controls. This can be worked around by assigning the correct skin from the edit menu and then this preconfigured device will be available for use.

I won one of these on New Year's Day, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, I can't. There are several reasons why.

First, the skins, while attractive, aren't very functional. You mentioned "looking for that extra button to program", but it's really much worse than that. For example, the VCR skin has no buttons to enter a channel number or enter Programming mode. The CD skin has no buttons to enter a track number. The Audio System skin appears to have an Aux page, but really doesn't.

If you want to see all of the skins, you can browse the Total Remote manual (http://www.griffintechnology.com/downloads/pdf/total_remote/Total_Remote_user_manual.pdf) and go to the last two pages.

That leads to my second point, which you alluded to. Creating skins is ridiculously difficult. There aren't really any instructions to do it. I actually edited the VCR skin to add a Program button and add a new page with tuner buttons (using the TV skin to get that). The skin displays nicely, but the buttons don't work properly. For example, I press the "2" button on my new tuner page and the "8" button gets pressed, too. Some number buttons don't get pressed at all when I tap them.

Finally, one thing you didn't mention is that using the IR dongle prevents the audio on your Pocket PC from working. This seems obvious now that I think about it, but it took me by surprise and should definitely be mentioned. This may not be possible with current hardware, but there needs to be a method to have both speaker and headphone output at the same time (although you would only want remote codes routed to the headphone jack; without the dongle in, you can actually hear some of them on the speaker).

My workaround is to have the dongle partially insserted in the headphone jack when I'm not using the remote, which allows the speaker to work. When I want to use the remote, I just push the dongle all the way in. Given the previous problems, though, I don't use the remote at all.

This device has a lot of promise, but unless the skins are made much more flexible and Griffin provides information on customizing them, I can't really recommend this product.

Steve

[Andy Whiteford]

The points you make here are all valid. The skins issue really depends on your use. While there are no numbers on the VCR for example, you can still flip channels using the up and down buttons. This still allows this functionality but as I stated a power user, or rather someone that looks to make the most from the software will find the skins lacking.
I never attempted to create a skin purely because while this functionality does exists, I could not find the documenation due to a dead link on their site. I can't comment on whether it's an easy process or not or whether the issues you encountered where due to not having complete documentation. This is an area Griffin should address but with the correct documents, it may well be quite simple to create custom skins. I cannot comment either way on the ease of creation.

Your comment that the dongle prevents audio on your Pocket PC is not strictly true although I know what you pointing too. The dongle simply uses an audio signal, it doesn't prevent it however because it uses the headphone jack, like any other plug that fills this socket, the external speaker is turned off.

Overall, the hardware side of this product is excellent but the software does display shortcomings that are common with a first generation release of a product. While not bad, there are things that could be improved on and hopefully will do with subsequent releases.

[hulksmash]

I won one of these on New Year's Day, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, I can't. There are several reasons why.

If you still have it and don't want it, and got it free, send it to me so I can try it out and post a review of it. Or trade me for something. I'd really like to try this unit out since I have a couple extra pocketpcs laying around, one of them being a hp 568. :arrow: :lol:

[GoldKey]

I won one of these on New Year's Day, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, I can't. There are several reasons why.

If you still have it and don't want it, and got it free, send it to me so I can try it out and post a review of it. Or trade me for something. I'd really like to try this unit out since I have a couple extra pocketpcs laying around, one of them being a hp 568. :arrow: :lol:

I already PM'd him yesterday asking the same thing! :D

[Pony99CA]

I won one of these on New Year's Day, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, I can't. There are several reasons why.
If you still have it and don't want it, and got it free, send it to me so I can try it out and post a review of it. Or trade me for something. I'd really like to try this unit out since I have a couple extra pocketpcs laying around, one of them being a hp 568. :arrow: :lol:
I already PM'd him yesterday asking the same thing! :D
:rofl: Wow, talk about unintended consequences. I'm a pack rat, so I don't plan on selling it. I'm hoping Griffin will upgrade the software (especially the skins) and that I'll be more inclined to use it in the future. As I said, I really do want to like this. :-)

If I ever get a 5450 (or another Pocket PC with Nevo included), I'll certainly consider selling it then. :-)

Steve

[Don Stratton]

I am more than a little surprised that there is SUCH an uproar over the skins that ship with TR. To my mind they are a very acceptable starting point; my wife will never need anything more whereas I would want to make my own custom skins that implement exactly the functionality I need. We cannot be all things to all people with the default skins. None of them can entirely replace the rather massive Harman/Kardon remote my home stereo came with, but I can make my own if it is really a big problem for me.

I understand that not all users are Photoshop gods who can just fire this stuff off. To that end I have been talking very informally with Cinemar about their program "Mainlobby" (which is a wonderously impressive "skin creator" that others have used with Total Remote quite successfully) about perhaps implementing some more specific TR support. We are also making a VERY simplistic skin creator (thrown together in VB) that will work with "clipart"-style buttons, although again you are limited to either the buttons we give you with the skin creator or you can create your own "clipart" in Photoshop for placement in our skin creator.

The dead link to the skin documentation will CERTAINLY slow the user down, so I expect that to be fixed by the end of the day. Sorry about that!

[Pony99CA]

I am more than a little surprised that there is SUCH an uproar over the skins that ship with TR. To my mind they are a very acceptable starting point; my wife will never need anything more whereas I would want to make my own custom skins that implement exactly the functionality I need. We cannot be all things to all people with the default skins. None of them can entirely replace the rather massive Harman/Kardon remote my home stereo came with, but I can make my own if it is really a big problem for me.

I understand that you can't have every possible button, but come on. Not having tuner buttons for a VCR is a fairly major oversight. You have number buttons on the TV remote, so putting a page of number buttons on the VCR remote couldn't have been that hard.

Also, as I mentioned, the Audio System skin shows an Aux page which you can't get to. If you're going to show the Aux tab, why not have a page for it? You could have used the third page of the TV remote (generic F-buttons) for that. In fact, why not have a generic page like that for every skin, so that users could map buttons unique to their devices without having to create skins?

As a suggestion about those tabs, tapping them causes them to light up, but nothing happens. It would be nice if that would actually switch you to the appropriate page (instead of having to hit the Shift button).

Finally, the "Desk A" button on the Audio System Tape page is dead. Tapping it doesn't indicate that it was pressed. (And what is a "Desk"? Tape machines are usually called "decks".)


I understand that not all users are Photoshop gods who can just fire this stuff off. To that end I have been talking very informally with Cinemar about their program "Mainlobby" (which is a wonderously impressive "skin creator" that others have used with Total Remote quite successfully) about perhaps implementing some more specific TR support. We are also making a VERY simplistic skin creator (thrown together in VB) that will work with "clipart"-style buttons, although again you are limited to either the buttons we give you with the skin creator or you can create your own "clipart" in Photoshop for placement in our skin creator.

Producing a skin creator would be great. :-)

I'm no Photoshop expert, but I spent a while throwing a skin together. As I said above, it didn't work as I expected. I saw that there are three images for each skin page -- a button-up page, a button-down page and a mask with colors that shows where the buttons go.

As I mentioned previously, I copied the tuner page from the TV remote to the VCR remote, but that didn't work. I can only assume that those specific colors have some importance, but it wasn't stated anywhere that I found.

I was very frustrated that, after spending a significant amount of time trying add something I thought should be there in the first place, I couldn't get the skin to work properly. :-( I'll be glad to send you the PNG file if you wish so you can see what I mean.


The dead link to the skin documentation will CERTAINLY slow the user down, so I expect that to be fixed by the end of the day. Sorry about that!

When it's working, would you please post the link here to let us know?

Also, as you mentioned other people have created skins, providing links to those would be useful.

Remember, this is supposed to be constructive criticism. I really do want to like this program, and these minor improvements I've suggested would improve the program immensely (and hopefully lead to more sales for you :-)).

Steve

[JF in Detroit]

I own the TR. It works great, very good distance, and easy to understand. For me it added value to my iPAQ 38XX.

I agree, the skins are the weak link in this package. Very uninspiring--not colorful, and definitely not enough button layouts to pick from.

Having a remote in my iPAQ which functions throughout my house is sweet. I like it, but would like it better with improved skinning. :way to go:

[Andy Whiteford]

Hi Don,


Great to have you offering feedback on this. Let me know when the link to the documentation has been corrected and I will amend the review to reflect this.

If anyone has any wishes or questions for Total Remote, now is your chance.

[GoldKey]

Hi Don,
If anyone has any wishes or questions for Total Remote, now is your chance.

I posted one early on in the discussion about functionality with the 3100 series Ipaq.

[Andy Whiteford]

Anyone try this on a 3100 series Ipaq? I could not get a definite answer from Griffin on whether this would work on a B/W screen. If so, it would be the perfect use for my old Ipaq.


Don, any confirmation on compatibility with the 3100 series?

[Don Stratton]

Pony99CA wrote:
I understand that you can't have every possible button, but come on. Not having tuner buttons for a VCR is a fairly major oversight. You have number buttons on the TV remote, so putting a page of number buttons on the VCR remote couldn't have been that hard.


You are right, it was a silly oversight considering we could have put the tuner controls on the second page. I will work on fixing that, likely by splicing part of the TV or Tuner skin in the VCR skin.

Pony99CA wrote:
Also, as I mentioned, the Audio System skin shows an Aux page which you can't get to. If you're going to show the Aux tab, why not have a page for it? You could have used the third page of the TV remote (generic F-buttons) for that. In fact, why not have a generic page like that for every skin, so that users could map buttons unique to their devices without having to create skins?

As a suggestion about those tabs, tapping them causes them to light up, but nothing happens. It would be nice if that would actually switch you to the appropriate page (instead of having to hit the Shift button).


This error with the Audio System skin and the "DESK A" button is quite annoying, because I know exactly what is wrong. A very long time ago we had a version of this skin that had an invalid mask color, so it failed to operate. I just verified that this same invalid mask color is currently shipping with Total Remote, even though we fixed this many weeks ago. It would appear sometime between two internal revisions the wrong skin was added back in to the mix. I will fix the mask color and we will post it to our forthcoming skin are on the Griffin web site. Perhaps I can also change the wording to the more common "Deck x".

As for the AUX button not having a page, I didn't see that it required one. On most stereo systems the AUX input offers no additional controls, it is JUST a generic line-level input. The "tabs" are fully functional buttons, which means that when you tap "AUX" I assumed you would have mapped the command to switch your stereo into AUX mode.

This brings me to an interesting point. I never conceived of the need for a method of jumping around to different pages and devices until way too late in the game, and now I fully understand why it is so important for high-end remote control. I have come up with a decent workaround with the current version of Total Remote using macros. I have macros assigned to the tabs to allow fairly random hopping. I'll explain:

On the first page of the Audio System skin (the "Tape" page) I create a macro for the CD tab so that when I click on it I am taken to the CD page. I do the same for the Tuner tab (take me to the Tuner page). I then repeat this for each page, jumping back to each other page. In this way I can jump straight to a given page from any other page just by clicking on the tabs. Flaw in my logic: I would have to use another button to actually switch my stereo to the corresponding input. As there is no conveniently positioned button on ANY of the pages this becomes quite a dilemna. The truly smooth solution under this version of Total Remote is to have a "Switch to XXX input" button on each page, so this will require a "rewrite" of the skin.

Don't nobody start up with me. I know it is less than elegant. Believe me, we have unimaginably ambitious plans for TR v2.0 and the issue of being able to reference other pages/devices/etc. will be addressed in the most extensible way imaginable. I missed this in this version of the TR code, but I am not an idiot so it WILL appear in the massively rewritten v2.0.

Goldkey wrote:
Anyone try this on a 3100 series Ipaq? I could not get a definite answer from Griffin on whether this would work on a B/W screen. If so, it would be the perfect use for my old Ipaq.

There is no way I will ever be able to confirm this, as I do not have a 3100 series. Given as they are basically 3600 series with a grayscale screen I cannot see why it wouldn't work. Heck, we joked around here once that if we could find a warehouse with 3000 old iPaq 3100s laying around for dirt cheap we'd buy them ourselves and sell them as Total Remote bundles :). Download the demo, and if it run and IrDA works fine then I would fully expect our transmitter module to work. If it doesn't and you buy it direct from us I will give you (Goldkey) a full credit.

[Don Stratton]

Hey guys, this may sound silly but where are you finding this reputed "dead link" to the skin documentation? I can't find it to fix it! :oops:

[GoldKey]

Goldkey wrote:
Anyone try this on a 3100 series Ipaq? I could not get a definite answer from Griffin on whether this would work on a B/W screen. If so, it would be the perfect use for my old Ipaq.

There is no way I will ever be able to confirm this, as I do not have a 3100 series. Given as they are basically 3600 series with a grayscale screen I cannot see why it wouldn't work. Heck, we joked around here once that if we could find a warehouse with 3000 old iPaq 3100s laying around for dirt cheap we'd buy them ourselves and sell them as Total Remote bundles :). Download the demo, and if it run and IrDA works fine then I would fully expect our transmitter module to work. If it doesn't and you buy it direct from us I will give you (Goldkey) a full credit.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I did download the software a few days ago and it seems to work fine. I would probably customize a skin for higher contrast. When I get the whole package together, I will let you know how it works so you can add it to your list of supported devices.

My trial copy has expired. I followed the direction on the screen of my PDA when I went to order, but I was not given a serial number with which to re-enable it. Will this be e-mailed, or do I only get it when the physical package arrives?

Your plans for version 2 sound ambitious. Do you know if this will be a free upgrade for previous purchasers?

Finally, one suggestion on your ordering process. I could not find the shipping charges anywhere on your site and only could get it AFTER submitting my CC number. It would be nice to have a FAQ with that information and perhaps some other, less expensive shipping options.

[Pony99CA]

Also, as I mentioned, the Audio System skin shows an Aux page which you can't get to. If you're going to show the Aux tab, why not have a page for it? You could have used the third page of the TV remote (generic F-buttons) for that. In fact, why not have a generic page like that for every skin, so that users could map buttons unique to their devices without having to create skins?

As a suggestion about those tabs, tapping them causes them to light up, but nothing happens. It would be nice if that would actually switch you to the appropriate page (instead of having to hit the Shift button).

As for the AUX button not having a page, I didn't see that it required one. On most stereo systems the AUX input offers no additional controls, it is JUST a generic line-level input.

I guess I viewed the Audio System skin as a way to integrate your entire audio system into one skin. I'd map the Tape page to my cassette player's remote, the CD to my CD player's remote, the Tuner page to my receiver's remote and the Aux page (if there was one :-)) to another device. It would be similar to a Home Theater skin, which would combine the TV, VCR and DVD skins into a paged system.

If it's only intended for all-in-one audio systems (boom boxes or "executive" stereo systems), then you're probably right that Aux doesn't need a separate page. However, as there is no Tape or Cassette skin, I'd have to use the Audio System skin, use the CD skin or create my own skin to control a stand-alone tape deck.


The "tabs" are fully functional buttons, which means that when you tap "AUX" I assumed you would have mapped the command to switch your stereo into AUX mode.

I didn't even think of mapping the tabs to buttons to switch inputs on my receiever. That's a cool idea, though.

However, I'd suggest making them look more like buttons and less like tabs. In Windows systems, I'm used to seeing tabs switch pages on a dialog (like a settings notebook), not perform actual functions. The fact that hitting the Switch button also causes the tab come to the front reinforced that impression.

Steve

[Andy Whiteford]

Don,


The dead link is on the faq page...


http://www.griffintechnology.com/griffinmobile/totalremote/tr_faq.html

About 3rd of the way down

I want to make my own skin; how do I position the buttons?
The interface is one giant "skin" and can be created in any decent image editor like Photoshop. There is almost no limitation to size, shape, color or placement. See the detailed documentation for creating skin files here: http://www.griffinmobile.com/totalremote/skins

[Don Stratton]

Thanks Andy for letting me know about the dead link. I created that link months ago when working on the documentation, and I guess I never bothered letting the web guys in on the secret :) It should be cross-linked shortly.

Goldkey wrote:
My trial copy has expired. I followed the direction on the screen of my PDA when I went to order, but I was not given a serial number with which to re-enable it. Will this be e-mailed, or do I only get it when the physical package arrives?

At the moment all serial numbers are going out on a one-to-one basis, and this is only possible with physical packaging. We are working on a system whereby we can E-mail the customer a registration key before we ship out the physical goods, but this will doubtless take us some time as we have never had this need before and do not know quite how to tie it in to our systems. On a related note, sorry you couldn't find the shipping charges more clearly. Also sorry you felt they were too high. We have found that the only method of shipping that works (tracking, insurance, accountability, recoverability) is FedEx, and that isn't cheap. Shipping rates for Griffin will always be higher than Buy.com or Amazon because they ship a hell of a lot more than we do, so they get better rates. We are extremely hesistant to ship via USPS as it is difficult for us to track and insure the packages, and they have a far higher incident of loss than any carrier (except maybe Airborne Express...)

As far as any information regarding costs of v2.0, I have no way of knowing at the moment what the company will do when it is released. I believe this will have a lot to do with how similar it is to the current TR v1.x and how much it has evolved. I believe it will have nearly no core similarity at all, and as such should be judged as a "new" product, but only the suit dweebs can say for sure when they finally get to release it.

Pony99CA wrote:
I guess I viewed the Audio System skin as a way to integrate your entire audio system into one skin. I'd map the Tape page to my cassette player's remote, the CD to my CD player's remote, the Tuner page to my receiver's remote and the Aux page (if there was one ) to another device. It would be similar to a Home Theater skin, which would combine the TV, VCR and DVD skins into a paged system.

This points out the need for one "all-inclusive" skin that can have the base functionality of every major device you interact with. The problem is, who decides what devices those are? Me? I have a remote for infrared control of my HTPC, while you may have a satellite-connected DirecTiVo. You're friend may have neither, and not use a VCR either. I have a VCR, but not a DVD recorder, and your friend thinks the VCR skin is inadequately decriptive of his DVD recorder to use effectively. This is why skins are configurable. I provided the 6 most basic functionalities possible in TR, which can be used in absolutely any situation with at least PARTIAL success. Anything else is either up to the user to create to fill their own special demands, or the public demands of Griffin to fill a need common to MANY users.

Such as fixing the Audio System skin so "DESK 1" works. ;)

Pony99CA wrote:
I didn't even think of mapping the tabs to buttons to switch inputs on my receiever. That's a cool idea, though.

However, I'd suggest making them look more like buttons and less like tabs. In Windows systems, I'm used to seeing tabs switch pages on a dialog (like a settings notebook), not perform actual functions. The fact that hitting the Switch button also causes the tab come to the front reinforced that impression.

Very good point. The tabs can be quite confusing, especially once you learn they are buttons like anything else, albeit repeating on multiple pages. We should avoid the confusion of thinking they are a tabbed interface... although if you follow my "bouncing macro" trick it suddenly DOES become a fully-functional tabbed interface. :)

[GoldKey]

As far as any information regarding costs of v2.0, I have no way of knowing at the moment what the company will do when it is released. I believe this will have a lot to do with how similar it is to the current TR v1.x and how much it has evolved. I believe it will have nearly no core similarity at all, and as such should be judged as a "new" product, but only the suit dweebs can say for sure when they finally get to release it.


Gotcha, thanks for all the info. Hopefully, it uses the same hardware component and even if there is a cost for version 2, current owners have an option to pay for just the software since they already have purchased the hardware.

[mzimand]

I have a Motorola Cablebox that is the main reason I bought the Griffin Total Remote. Does anybody been able to set up the remote for a cablebox?

Thanks :(

[GoldKey]

I have a Motorola Cablebox that is the main reason I bought the Griffin Total Remote. Does anybody been able to set up the remote for a cablebox?

Thanks :(

I have a Motorola Box also. I did not specifically test for every device I had before ordering, only to make sure it worked on the 3100 series Ipaq. However, even if the codes are not built in for that model, you should be able to set it in learning mode and teach it the commands. Granted this might take a while if you want to program every button, but it should not be too bad.

[mzimand]

I thought the same thing you did, but it did not work. I tried everything, I even called customer service and they said they are having problems with cable boxes. BUt I do not know why it cant learn the remote. You have any ideas.' I had not problem learning my RCA DVD/VCR. And tyhe only reason I bought this thing was to get rid of the cable box remote. Anybody have any ideas

[GoldKey]

Don, you have a private message regarding my order.

[Pony99CA]

I thought the same thing you did, but it did not work. I tried everything, I even called customer service and they said they are having problems with cable boxes. BUt I do not know why it cant learn the remote. You have any ideas.' I had not problem learning my RCA DVD/VCR. And tyhe only reason I bought this thing was to get rid of the cable box remote. Anybody have any ideas
I was able to learn my Motorola digital cable box with mixed results. Most keys that I tested worked, but some number keys were intermittent, and "4" never worked.

Steve

[GoldKey]

Well, I got my remote and am having some problems on the 3150. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1. I am sometimes getting a screen that says "No Device". I went through the on-line documentation and found this:

"I see a screen that says “No device”.
This usually means the path to the device files is incorrectly set. Go to Tools>Options and verify that the path to the DeviceFiles is set correctly (normally \Program Files\TotalRemote\DeviceFiles\ if Total Remote was installed to Main Memory). "

However, that does not help. When I check, the path is correct. The only thing that fixes it is stopping the application and restarting.

2. I am not getting very good range, and the accuracy is really off. It will work from about 15 feet away (better than the 2 feet I get with the built in), but it has to be pointed exactly at the IR receiver on the device. I literally have to hold the PDA up to my face and sight it like a gun. I went through the on-line documentation and found this:

"I have an iPaq, which you list as compatible, but I am having poor results compared to most other people, reviewers, etc. so I think it must be something about my setup.
Have you updated your iPaq to the latest ROM version? The "EUU3" update can resolve some issues that may affect Total Remote, particularly having to do with audio output."

I went out to get the updated drivers (the link in the faq no longer works, instead, go to http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/eng/support.html ) The most recent ROM update is 1.65 A from June 25, 2001. There is no EUU3 update for an Ipaq 3150 running PPC 2000.


So, my guess is that probably Total remote works fine on ipaqs with PPC 2002 and all the updates, but will not work well on ipaqs that are still on 2000. Just to be sure, I am going to try it on a friends 3900 this weekend just to make sure I did not get a defective transmitter.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Pony99CA]

Well, I got my remote and am having some problems on the 3150. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1. I am sometimes getting a screen that says "No Device". I went through the on-line documentation and found this:

"I see a screen that says “No device”.
This usually means the path to the device files is incorrectly set. Go to Tools>Options and verify that the path to the DeviceFiles is set correctly (normally \Program Files\TotalRemote\DeviceFiles\ if Total Remote was installed to Main Memory). "

However, that does not help. When I check, the path is correct. The only thing that fixes it is stopping the application and restarting.
I've gotten that error, too. I forgot how I caused it, though, but restarting the application fixed it, so I wasn't too worried.

I have an iPAQ 3870, so it's not a 3150 issue at least. :-)

Steve

[GoldKey]

Just to be sure, I am going to try it on a friends 3900 this weekend just to make sure I did not get a defective transmitter.



It does not work at all on my friends 3900. The software is fine, because I can use the built in infra-red without a problem. I am betting on a defective transmitter at this point.

[Don Stratton]

Kudos to Goldkey for having the guts to try this on an untested device!

I have been able to simulated the "No Device" problem by loading invalid PNG skins. When I modified them to spec, they worked just fine. I suggest going over your skin carefully to see if it is the right dimensions, right color depth, etc. If all else fails, you are welcome to send them to me for review. Of course, if you are not working with custom-made skins then I have no idea what the problem could be. Perhaps you should send me your E-mail address so I can provide you with a version of TR that writes diagnostic logs, so maybe I can try to see where and when TR gets "confused".

There is one contradictory statement. You say the transmitter module works to 15 feet, which is better than the 2 feet you get using IrDA. In a later message, you say it doesn't work on a friend's iPaq. It can't be both. If it is really broken, it simply won't work. If it does work for you and not your friend, then PERHAPS it wasn't making a good connection with his headphone jack for some reason.

Bizzare test: If you have a camcorder capable of "zero-light/Nightvision" imaging it may be possible to see the light emitted by the IR LEDs. I suggest doing this in a dark place with no windows. Make sure you see the light coming from BOTH LEDs.

TR has been tested on iPaq 3630 running PPC2K on an older ROM version, and it worked fine. PPC2K2 is not required, simply supported.

The issue with cable boxes is a little more complicated. It seems most cable boxes use a signaling standard that is quite a bit faster and harder to "track" than your typical VCR or DVD player. I have conceptually verified that IrDA is capable of detecting the signal, but our learning algorithm is not translating the signal correctly. Since we are about to radically change the format we use to store IR codes I expect to kill two birds with one stone and fold this all in to the next major update that will feature our new universal code library. This is LOOSELY slated for April.
Anyone who would like to be in on the beta testing is welcome to send me a private message with your E-mail address.

[Don Stratton]

One other thought; It seemed like I was having serious problems with a whole batch of "defective" transmitters. Every one I tried worked to only 10-20 feet. I was in deep despair, when I plugged back in my old prototype transmitter I have used for the last year, and it didn't work well either! OH NO! After thousands of connection cycles I must have blown out my audio port! WOE IS ME!! But wait, MP3s sound just as good as always with headphones, so that can't be it... I removed the transmitter to listen to the tones (the cricket chatter) and there was none! How can this be, since I was getting control albeit over a greatly reduced distance?

I had IrDA selected for the output. The transmitter never entered into it!

Oh, the danger of user-configurable software. :oops:

[GoldKey]

Kudos to Goldkey for having the guts to try this on an untested device!

I have been able to simulated the "No Device" problem by loading invalid PNG skins. When I modified them to spec, they worked just fine. I suggest going over your skin carefully to see if it is the right dimensions, right color depth, etc. If all else fails, you are welcome to send them to me for review. Of course, if you are not working with custom-made skins then I have no idea what the problem could be. Perhaps you should send me your E-mail address so I can provide you with a version of TR that writes diagnostic logs, so maybe I can try to see where and when TR gets "confused".

I have not created any skins yet, I was just using what was built in. When swtiching between devices, the message would popup sometimes with no discernable pattern. Once the message came up, nothing other than totally exiting the program would get a device back up. Will PM my e-mail address and can try it tomorrow. I thought I put the remote in my bag before leaving work, but I must have left it there, so will get it tomorrow.


There is one contradictory statement. You say the transmitter module works to 15 feet, which is better than the 2 feet you get using IrDA. In a later message, you say it doesn't work on a friend's iPaq. It can't be both. If it is really broken, it simply won't work. If it does work for you and not your friend, then PERHAPS it wasn't making a good connection with his headphone jack for some reason..

I agree, I found it really odd. I tried unplugging and plugging it in a couple of times thinking it was the problem. I had the same problem on mine when I first tried. Even though I had it plugged in, I was still hearing the sounds from my speaker, I found I had to seat it just right to get a good connection. On my friends, with it plugged in, I did not hear anything, but with it out, I could hear it. I also tried headphones with no problem. And I checked the settings about 5 or 6 times to make sure it was set to use total remote hardware.

Bizzare test: If you have a camcorder capable of "zero-light/Nightvision" imaging it may be possible to see the light emitted by the IR LEDs. I suggest doing this in a dark place with no windows. Make sure you see the light coming from BOTH LEDs.

I thought of that same thing today. I have a Sony with Nightshot, so I can try this tomorrow night.

TR has been tested on iPaq 3630 running PPC2K on an older ROM version, and it worked fine. PPC2K2 is not required, simply supported.

I only asked because your site made mention of some problems with audio output that had to do with not upgrading to EUU3.

Don, thanks a bunch for the help.

[Pony99CA]

I have been able to simulated the "No Device" problem by loading invalid PNG skins. When I modified them to spec, they worked just fine. I suggest going over your skin carefully to see if it is the right dimensions, right color depth, etc. If all else fails, you are welcome to send them to me for review. Of course, if you are not working with custom-made skins then I have no idea what the problem could be. Perhaps you should send me your E-mail address so I can provide you with a version of TR that writes diagnostic logs, so maybe I can try to see where and when TR gets "confused".

I've had it happen with normal skins. If I recall, it happened when I did a lot of device switching.

Bizzare test: If you have a camcorder capable of "zero-light/Nightvision" imaging it may be possible to see the light emitted by the IR LEDs. I suggest doing this in a dark place with no windows. Make sure you see the light coming from BOTH LEDs.

I'm not sure you even need a night-capable camcorder. My old Sony V5000 Hi8 (from 1990) would easily see IR. I know because the camcorder came with an IR remote and, while using it in front of the camera, I could see bright white flashes.

The issue with cable boxes is a little more complicated. It seems most cable boxes use a signaling standard that is quite a bit faster and harder to "track" than your typical VCR or DVD player. I have conceptually verified that IrDA is capable of detecting the signal, but our learning algorithm is not translating the signal correctly. Since we are about to radically change the format we use to store IR codes I expect to kill two birds with one stone and fold this all in to the next major update that will feature our new universal code library. This is LOOSELY slated for April.
Anyone who would like to be in on the beta testing is welcome to send me a private message with your E-mail address.
The usual question: Will this be a free upgrade? :-D

As another request for improvement, can you get the device list improved? First, the tree doesn't work like other trees. Tapping the +/- button should expand or collapse the tree, but that doesn't work. You have to double-tap the button or text, and quite often that ends up with a device checked that I didn't want checked (as if you executed a single-tap on the device that now has the position of the item that I double-tapped).

Also, it would be nice to be able to add additional sections to the tree. For example, I'd like to add a PVR section and maybe a cable box section. I realize that I can use Other, but that's already very full and having more flexibility would be nice. (Of course, you could also add more sections yourselves. :-))

I also just encountered a major bug. I had programmed my Sony KV-32XBR400 TV in a while ago. I just tried to use it and couldn't navigate to the skin. I looked in the DevicesFiles folder, and the device file was only 46 bytes (most devices are 200 bytes or more)! I had to remove the device from the list and re-add it. I had memorized a lot of controls before that, so those are all gone. :-(

The program is stored in main memory, not a storage card. I think this has happened before, because I have a recovery folder dedicated to Total Remote device files and skins, so I was able to recover my file without having to reprogram the device.

Steve

[GoldKey]

Don

I'm about to give up. Messed with it alot over the weekend, including trying to have it learn the signal rather than using the preset and trying to use it on multiple different components. All with the same result about a 15 foot range but it must be pointed EXACTLY at the IR input on the device I am trying to control. Took a look at the IR using my nightshot camcorder and both bulbs work. I compared them to my regular remote and they seemed about the same intensity. The only difference I noticed was that while the two bulbs in the Griffin device are right next to each other, the two in my std remote are spaced about an inch apart. I am wondering if this wider spacing gives a wider area of coverage. I have not messed with loading the logging software because I figured if I can't get the hardware working right, the software does not matter. Anyway, willing to try anything else you might suggest, otherwise PM me with return instructions. Thanks so much for your help in trying to get this to work.

[Don Stratton]

The usual question: Will this be a free upgrade?

Yes. I expect all v1.x upgrades to be free to current users. What happens to v2.0 and beyond is up to the marketroids.

First, the tree doesn't work like other trees. Tapping the +/- button should expand or collapse the tree, but that doesn't work.

We will change this behavior to match the usual convention on a Pocket PC.

It would be nice to be able to add additional sections to the tree. For example, I'd like to add a PVR section and maybe a cable box section. I realize that I can use Other, but that's already very full and having more flexibility would be nice.

I had not really considered how fairly easy that should be to accomplish. Since skin names are related to device types we could include an option to create a new device catagory with the requirement that the associated skin files contain the new catagory in the name (i.e. a new catagory called "PVR" would match to skins called "PVR_myskin" just as the DVD catagory relates to "DVD_myskin". This would also ease handling of odd device types, like ceiling fans and Lego Mindstorm robots.

I also just encountered a major bug.

It isn't a major bug until _I_ reproduce it! :wink:

I had programmed my Sony KV-32XBR400 TV in a while ago. I just tried to use it and couldn't navigate to the skin. I looked in the DevicesFiles folder, and the device file was only 46 bytes (most devices are 200 bytes or more)! I had to remove the device from the list and re-add it. I had memorized a lot of controls before that, so those are all gone.

Hmm. Very interesting. I wonder what "trashed" the file?

I think this has happened before, because I have a recovery folder dedicated to Total Remote device files and skins

No no, you were just exhibiting good computer behavior and keeping a good copy of backup data! It wasn't because it a failing of the app! NOOOO!!! Seriously though, data-trashing flaw or not (and I say not, for the moment, see above conditions for "major bug" status) I think that all users should back up their personal device and skin files. I have had my share of errors where I had no choice but to do a hard-reset to the PPC, or in the case of one Pocket PC that shall go nameless every time the battery fell off, or in the case of one Pocket PC that shall go nameless every time a co-worker turned off the master power switch instead of turning off the WiFi switch (they are RIGHT next to each other)... I have gotten used to the idea that anything I care about should be on my desktop computer too. I don't want to manually create a profile for my Apex DVD player, 52 buttons in all plus several macros, just because my frickin Pocket PC got sad. I will make a bigger deal of that in future documentation.

Finally, and with no quotes because it is a page back, on the topic of a CF transmitter. I abruptly came much closer to a solution, so this went from maybe 5% completion to 50% completion. I expect to have a prototype in my hand within about one month, and a version of TR that can take advantage of it about a month after that. Once the code and hardware have been checked out, I would anticipate a minimum of 12 weeks in manufacturing. This puts us out to at LEAST August, so I will guess from experience this REALLY means October. If I were a marketing guy I'd call that "Q3" and be done with it. I assure you we will be showing SOMETHING at the next Pocket PC Summit.