Does this IR product exist, or could something be built?

All I can think of is a mechanical arrangement that pulls a shield away from the IR receiver of the device you want to talk to -- but then you'd need another remote to talk to the controller for the switch.

Perhaps there are some pro audio equipment that support IR addressing?

I certainly could build something like this, but it wuold not be cheap... Think along the lines of a device that receives all the remote inputs, and that device routes the codes to the desired unit. Each unit's IR input port would only be able to see the device's output port. So with the remote you'd have to press a button to start the process, then a number for the unit, then the command for that unit.

Addressable repeaters came to mind.

IR light IR Xmitter-------address 1-------->IR in>IR out>CD1 +------address 2-------->IR in>IR out>CD2 +------address 3-------->IR in>IR out>CD3 . . . Block each CD IR receiver with an addressable IR repeater. Each repeater has a IR detector, IR LED + other goodies.

D from BC British Columbia Canada.

Keep it simple. Use fiber-optic cables to extend each CD player's IR port, terminating at one of N holes drilled into a panel of wood located at your control panel. Each hole provides a target for you to independently aim your remote at close range. You may have to reduce the signal strength (possibly using aluminum foil and some tape) to eliminate crosstalk between the holes or across the room.

-- Joe

Peter,

Thanks for your response. Is the high cost in the build or in the design of the circuitry?

D,

Thanks for the response. Do these addressable repeaters exist, or would it have to be custom built? If they exist can you point me to a source?

Keep it simple. Use fiber-optic cables to extend each CD player's IR port, terminating at one of N holes drilled into a panel of wood located at your control panel. Each hole provides a target for you to independently aim your remote at close range. You may have to reduce the signal strength (possibly using aluminum foil and some tape) to eliminate crosstalk between the holes or across the room.

-- Joe

Joe,

Thanks for your response. This is in interesting and certainly very inexpensive solution. A little more clunky than my client will want, but if there's no other way . . . . .

By the way everyone, I posted under two aliases when I shouldn't have. Apologies.

Bruce.

I believe it's a custom thing. But who knows, something might pop up from a Google search. Same goes for the RC transmitter.

Gave it some more thought... wires IR light |-->IR LED>>CD 1 IR Xmitter->address + code-->central receiver+-->IR LED>>CD 2 |-->IR LED>>CD 3

Block all the IR detectors on all the CD's with an IR LED. Let a single receiver do all the work.

D from BC British Columbia Canada.

A lens could concentrate and collimate the ir from a single remote, so it hit only one receiver. Add a laser pointer for fun.

John

Howsabout a backwards solution?

Put an IR LED directly in front of each device's receiver. Initially all 8 LEDs will emit a signal. Maybe DC would be enough, or maybe you need to modulate it at 30 or 40 KHz. Anyway, it's enough so that no device can understand any IR coming from anywhere else; they're all completely swamped by the LEDs you've added. You put a little tube around the jammer LEDs, so that each one only jams its own CD player. But both ends of the tube are open so that IR from the room can still get to the CD player's IR receiver.

At your easy chair you have a special IR remote, with 8 buttons on it. When you push button #1 on this second remote, it causes the "jamming" LED on CD player #1 to turn off. Now you can happily push whatever buttons you want to on any one copy of the remote that would ordinarily control all 8 CD players and only CD player #1 will respond, because the rest of them are still blinded.

Etc.

So what you have to build is this remote-controlled 8-channel IR jammer.

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You can install small incandescent lamps near each IR receiver. A 6V bulb run from 12V will last more or less forever and will glow visiblly (but mostly infra red) and will 'blind' the adjacent IR receiver.

How you select which device isn't blinded is another issue, but the basic technique may be useful.

Cheers

BG,

Thanks! I Googled just about everything BUT router. Found it within seconds.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I found what I need and appreciate your efforts.

Huh... A blank out selection method. I got a spin off idea..

t if

Oh, there's a client. Use anodized aluminum instead of wood.

-- Joe