The definitive roundup of all infrared remote controller apps

[Menneisyys]

Another day, another roundup from me.

The reviewed applications are as follows:

NetRemote IR 1.1.0.44
UltraMote 3.1
Nevo 1.0.4.004 CPL1/CPB1
NoviiRemote 2.3
RemoteControl II for Pocket PC 1.18
Total Remote 2.2.577
VITO Remote 3.5.1
PDAWin TV Remote Controller 5.5
UniversalRemoteCE 4.0


Thoroughly tested on both the HP iPAQ 2210 and the Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 720 (both CIR devices).

Check it out here (http://pocketpcmag.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17874).

Be sure to post your questions/remarks - I'd really like to know what you think of the roundup/how I could improve them etc. :)

[Patrick Y.]

WOW!! nice job!! 8O I really like reading your tutorials. They provide a LOT of useful information. I'm going to read this one carefully as soon as possible. :D

One suggestion- Can you make it shorter? :cry: :wink:

[rim]

UPD: and NoviiRemote Deluxe 3.1 (allows to customize the interface and button layouts)

[Menneisyys]

UPD: and NoviiRemote Deluxe 3.1 (allows to customize the interface and button layouts)

Thanks for the update - indeed, they have released a brand new version after I've finished the roundup. I'll retest and publish the results ASAP.

[Menneisyys]

Posted a detailed review of ViTO Remote 4.0.

[Menneisyys]

I've posted today
- a detailed comparison of the voice operated mode of ViTO Remote 4.0 and PdaWin TV remote controller 5.5
- a detailed comparison of NoviiRemote Deluxe 3.1 and NoviiRemote 2.3

Please see http://pocketpcmag.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17874

[Menneisyys]

Just uploaded the review of U.R.C. 1.01 (beta) (http://nsolan.free.fr/About.U.R.C.v1.htm).

[Menneisyys]

I have had the chance today to test all the IR remote controller applications on the Samsung CPU. None of them worked, except for NoviiRemote 2.3 and NoviiRemote Deluxe 3.1.

The Samsung compliance of the former (the "standard" NoviiRemote) app is definitely good news - you don't necessarily need the latter, which is $10 more expensive. (It's only the latter that is advertised as Samsung-compliant, not the former.)

Please note that NoviiRemote 2.3, at times (for example, at choosing devices/exiting the program) may become really unresponsive (for example, exiting takes around a minute). I don't know whether it's a common problem with the iPAQ 1940 - on all the other devices, it exists at once.

I've also tested the range/usability of the iPAQ 1940. It's much wose than even that of the iPAQ 36xx/37xx - around one meter (two meters at most).

[Menneisyys]

I've done some more experiments with a Texas Instruments OMAP-based h6315 PDA-phone combo today to find out more about TI compliance. As was easy to predict, it was, again, only the standard 2.3 and the deluxe 3.1 versions of NoviiRemote that was able to run on it. (Note that, unlike with all the other four test devices, it errorenously assumed COM6 to be the IR port on the 6315; it must be re-set to COM3 manually.)

Interestingly, it was only the more expensive Deluxe 3.1 that was able to emit the off/on signal of the LG air conditioner on both the Samsung and the TI device; the standard 2.3 version wasn't. The button, after emitting the signal, just got sticked and made a soft reset unavoidable. (The other – I've tested the pre-defined Pana and JVC VCR databases – devices I've tested worked just fine.)

The same Novii 2.3 worked just fine on both Xscale devices (PL720 and iPAQ 2210 – don't forget it doesn't support the CIR mode of 2210; therefore, the range is really bad!) in this respect. The StrongARM-based iPAQ 3660, on the other hand, had the same problems as with the air conditioner signals than the iPAQ 1940 (Samsung) and the h6315 (TI).

Therefore, if you have a TI, a StrongARM or a Samsung CPU-based device and want to save $10 on going for the standard version of Novii instead of the deluxe one, test it with all your remote controllers and functions before buying!