universal learning key fob

No it doesn't. These devices use different protocols and different frequencies. It would be *EXTREMELY* difficult to design a receiver that could learn all the different devices, and it would be prohibitively expensive to build a transmitter that could send all the different frequencies. Plus, the thing wouldn't fit in your pocket.

It's not like infra-red at all.

I've often pondered using a universal IR remote with an IR receiver to activate *each* of the RF remotes.

...Jim Thompson

I read in sci.electronics.design that snipped-for-privacy@larwe.com wrote (in ) about 'universal learning key fob', on Fri, 18 Feb 2005:

Quite right. But available by mid-year in the dollar store, if the demand is big enough. (;-)

Hello Lewin,

Even with IR the matter isn't trivial. We had the IR for our VCR croak a couple months ago. Big deal, I thought, and cracked out the "universal remote". After a bit of fiddling I was able to squeeze the best possible compromise out of it but it will not work for everything the original VCR could do. For example, to get the VCR into programmed recording we now have to hit a button on the VCR itself.

Regards, Joerg

The differences in carrier frequency are fairly easy to work around. But it goes further than that.

Aside from the protocol differences, there are encyrption algorythms that are required for the rolling code keyfobs, as well as some duplex comms keyfobs that talk both ways. You'll never get access to this information. Not without some reverse-engineering anyway.

Like a true 'universal key' for house door locks, picks need some skill to use. Sometimes a big hammer is faster and more cost-effective than picking the lock. After all, not all theives are concerned about damage.

Thanks a lot for all the replies! Definitely something to think about!

JImmy J