FirM Jr + KAT5 – evaluation
firm Jr + KAT5 – A marriage made in Croydon (Submission by Tony Butler).
Having made the decision many moons back to move all my AV set to node 0 (coincidentally, around the time my twin boys were born!), I have long sought the twin holy grails of high quality distributed A/V as well as dependable distributed IR control.
My distributed needs are not that fantastic at present (Thankfully, since there is no affordable A/V matrix doing S-video or much better high quality on the market yet), so I feed all my sources into:
– A Denon AVR3200 A/V amp for feeding element video + surround noise to the lounge
– A Linn Knekt system to provide audio only in three other zones
– A simple A/V switcher to feed composite (only since the TV does not support S-Video) to the bedroom
Linn aside, the other feeds reach their destinations via KAT5 over CAT5, which addresses the demand to get high quality A/V feeds to the different destinations. The hope is that eventually, all changing will be done via a Matrix switch, however that is some method off yet. Now, what about IR control? The options, up until just recently have been as follows:
No IR manage – just not acceptable!
Fully wired dumb IR systems, eg Xantech – These are usually fairly costly as well as either need new wiring to bring the IR, or utilising valuable RJ45 sockets just for IR. all of us understand that you just never put in sufficient CAT5 no matter exactly how much you plan ahead, as well as in the bedroom especially, I do not have any type of spare sockets in the right place.
FirM – a completely wired, zoned IR system for ultimate versatility & control.- This needs either a homevision (I don’t have one), or I believe there is a PC interface now which replaces the HV however nevertheless needs programming. If I went this path it would doubtless still be sitting on the shelf today as I have neither the time nor the inclination to spend hours configuring such a beast. Also, the requirement to utilize up RJ45 sockets applies similarly here.
Wireless IR system, eg Powermid. – This I have been utilizing for a long time with reasonable success – though my TiVo refused to work with it as well as is the one A/V source which had to stay in the lounge as well as therefore might not be managed from the bedroom. Also, strong sunlight impacts it’s reliability, which is rather frustrating.
Recently, I decided to purchase a plasma screen, which would mean that there was now nowhere for TiVo to online as well as therefore it *had* to move to node 0. This in turn meant that my IR solution had to change, since Powermid just would not manage the TiVo reliably.
Following some discussion on the UKHA list, it seemed an response to my issue was offered at last. Frank Mc Alinden, inventor of the FirM, had come up with a more lightweight solution, firm Jr , an IR repeater system, which (crucially for me) needs no outside controller, as well as no programming (in this sense, it is similar to a Xantech solution) as well as which, with a bit bit of magic, might be linked to the just recently released (and eagerly awaited) KAT5 IR upgrades. This meant that I might accomplish dependable wired IR manage without utilizing any type of extra RJ45 sockets, since the existing ones utilized for KAT5 feeds would likewise bring the IR signals.
KAT5 IR as well as firm Jr were established totally independently, as well as not especially meant to work together, so believing caps on, as well as Keith (KAT5) as well as Frank (FirM Jr) came up with what, in theory, as a viable solution….. which began to show up soon after when I got a bundle from Australia containing quite my whatever I would requirement from a firm Jr perspective, apart from IR emitters as well as a UK spec 12v regulated PSU, which I had “in stock”.
All the set is in extremely high high quality housings as well as does not in any type of method feel “home made”, so very first impressions were extremely favourable indeed. The bundle comprised the complying with items:
1 x firm Jr – This is the heart of the system. It has a single IR input, (to get signals from HomeVision/CBus/any other difficult wired IR source you can believe of.). a single output, as well as sockets on the back for 6 IR Receivers to plug into (which are the things that pick up the IR in your lounge or anywhere as well as transmits it to the firm Jr unit). any type of incoming IR is likewise provided to the RX units, (which may seem a bit confusing), which is a function carried over from the firm controller to enable some set to be found in the different IR zones to be managed by other IR controllers found in node 0 (connected to the IR in on firm Jr) – however is likewise useful in this instance for one more function as discussed below.
1 x IR Combiner system – This utilizes optoisolators to isolate the output from the KAT5 IR units from the firm Jr input – in part no question to guard once again Mr Doxey’s dodgy wiring (!) however likewise to enable for both 5v as well as 12v inputs should you desire to mix as well as match IR sources. In a purely KAT5 fed environment, this may not be strictly necessary, however you requirement some method to feed several IR signals into the firm Jr, as well as the added layer of security does no harm. One extremely minor niggle with this is that it does not have a power LED like the firm Jr, so I at first had no concept if it was working or not.
1 x IR Receiver These would normally be utilized in a firm based solution, with one in each zone where you desire to have IR control, fed over CAT5 back to the firm Jr. The RX system has two LEDs on it – a blue LED to suggest it has got IR from your remote, as well as a red LED to suggest that the system is busy. In a firm Jr environment, IR signals can only be transmitted from one place each time as well as the red LED lets you understand that some zone is transmitting IR. If it is not you doing it, then you requirement to wait up until this LED goes off before you attempt any type of IR manage yourself. It may be much better if the red LED did not come on when it is you that is transmitting, though this is only a extremely minor point. In my environment, the firm IR receivers are replaced with KAT5 IR, however nonetheless, it is useful to have this for testing/troubleshooting purposes, as well as indeed was pressed into service while I waited for the KAT5 IR upgrades to arrive.
2 x 8 method IR Splitters – These take a single IR input as well as split it between as much as eight IR emitters plugged into them to manage the source equipment. Although I only had eight gadgets to manage today, I desired the versatility to be able to manage more in the future. For this reason, Frank supplied one basic splitter, which plugs into the IR out on the front of the firm Jr, as well as other with an RJ45 plug on it to plug into one of the IR Receiver inputs (as mentioned earlier, the incoming IR is likewise provided to every of these sockets, enabling me to utilize one “input” socket as an IR output to this splitter).
1 x Dummy IR emitter – This simple gadget plugs into the output of the splitters as well as lights up when IR got by the firm Jr system is being transmitted again, therefore enabling a bench test to ensure I’d wired everything up correctly!
Various cables to link all the set together – just showing Frank’s interest to detail, the cables were all well cable connected as well – totally unnecessary, buts add to the perception of high quality as well as care.
First steps were to link everything up “on the bench” as well as make sure it worked in isolation. I did not have the KAT5 units yet anyway, so the very first test was just utilizing the firm kit. I linked everything up according to Frank’s instructions, terminated some IR at the receiver and…. The dummy emitter lit up – hurrah! You can see the evidence in picture 1 – the getting as well as hectic LEDs are lit on the IR Receiver, as well as the IR tester is lit to show the IR is being transmitted successfully.
Photo 2 shows the back of the exact same configuration – not extremely exciting, however included for completeness.
I tried a range of remote controls in the bench test, as well as all seemed to work fine, so the next step was to deploy it in the “real world”. I did not yet have the KAT5 IR units, however the plasma screen had shown up as well as the TiVo had to move to node 0, so I needed to deploy a temporary solution up until they arrived….Luckily I had the firm IR Receiver, which I deployed to the lounge to manage the TiVo as well as A/V amp, whilst my existing powermids continued to manage whatever else from both the lounge as well as the bedroom. picture 3 shows the IR Receiver in place, just below the plasma screen. I do not understand if the screen (a pioneer PDP-435XDE) does not emit much interference, or if the firm set is particularly resistant to plasma interference, however either way, the proximity of the screen to the receiver triggered no problems.
This solution worked well for a number of weeks up until the KAT5 IR upgrades shown up as well as I might put my final (well, up until the KAT5 switcher arrives!) solution into place. This is where everything wet horribly wrong as well as I believed the KAT5-FirM Jr marriage was off. This was, up until now, only a theoretical solution since Frank did not have IR enabled KAT5 units as well as Keith did not have any type of firm kit, as well as it appeared like it was off.
Happily, the issues [turned out to be] down to a combination of ignoring Frank’s advice as well as individual stupidity, both of which were ultimately resolved. I have the complying with advice to offer those of you who may desire to attempt a similar solution yourselves:
Put fresh batteries in your remotes or ensure your Pronto is completely charged as appropriate
When testing, do not have two IR receivers close to every other (eg a firm receiver as well as a KAT5 receiver – a number of receivers pick up your IR signals, none are likely to get with as firm Jr can only handle one set of signals at a time.
Do not “overload” your splitters. I had plugged some double emitters into one of the splitters, resulting in some gadgets working, some not, some intermittently. stay with single emitters.
Test the firm set in isolation, as well as the KAT5 IR returns in isolation to ensure both are working before you attempt to bring them together.
Once these issues were overcome, the firm IR Receiver in the lounge as well as the Powermid in the bedroom were replaced with IR receivers that includes the KAT5 IR upgrades, as well as the Powermid emitters were al replaced with stick-on emitters – a blend of Xantech as well as some unbranded ones from Let’s Automated.
Photo 4 shows the IR Receiver in the lounge – an entirely tidier solution than the firm IR Receiver, though I must confess I miss having the comments from the hectic LED to let me understand when SWMBO is utilizing IR upstairs. “Luckily”, SWMBO is usually controlling the TiVo from upstairs so I can usually tell what she’s as much as since I am trying to watch it downstairs as well as well as she has just changed to one of her programs
I have had this solution working for about 2 months now controlling 8 different gadgets from 8 different manufacturers as well as in that time, it has proved absolutely reliable. The only issue I have now is to do with discovering remotes refusing to discover some codes, however that is independent of KAT5/FirM.
I would not hesitate to suggest firm Jr to anyone wanting to implement a hardwired IR system, as well as particularly if you want to utilize it in combination with KAT5 IR, since I understand this combination works aside from the actual “it works” element, I discovered the support from Frank to be superb, as well as he was willing to go that additional mile, building the IR combiner as well as a custom IR splitter for me – perfect for somebody like me without any time as well as no skills in that area.
Since firm Jr is an Australian product, exchange rates work in our favour too, as well as the firm Jr set is definitely similar to, if not cheaper than, an equivalent Xantech configuration – eg:
Xantech 6way ir block + 1 receiver, approx £98
FirM Jr + 8way splitter + 1 receiver, approx £96
Xantech 6way ir block + 3 receivers, approx £206
FirM Jr + 8way splitter+ 3 receivers, approx £145
Actual costs for firm Jr set (excluding Australian GST) are as follows:
FirM Jr AUD $135:00
Rx system AUD $60.00
8 method Splitter AUD $47:00
And I’m sure Frank would be happy to quote you for an IR Combiner, whether it is a full-on optoisolator jobbie, or a simple diode combiner.
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