No IR on the PS3

[expletive]

Seems the PS3 will have no IR port and the remote control will use bluetooth. May not seem like a big deal at first but for those planning on integrating the thing into our home theater as a movie player, we wont be able to use our existing universal remote. Actually no one will be able to use an existing universal remote.

I can't find a decent link with the info at the moment, just forum posts, but i'll keep looking.

 

[Guden Oden]

Seems the PS3 will have no IR port

This isn't any kind of news at all. No IR port has ever been shown, or even mentioned in conjunction with PS3. I hope people won't start screaming and bitching-
...Nah. Who am I kidding? Of course they will. After all, Sony's teh dev!l.

 

[MrWibble]

Seems the PS3 will have no IR port and the remote control will use bluetooth. May not seem like a big deal at first but for those planning on integrating the thing into our home theater as a movie player, we wont be able to use our existing universal remote. Actually no one will be able to use an existing universal remote.

I can't find a decent link with the info at the moment, just forum posts, but i'll keep looking.

As far as I know this is true - it's never been listed as a feature and I can't see it on the machine...

I'm quite annoyed by this too. I can understand why it wasn't considered all that essential, but it certainly won't be my blu-ray player of choice if it needs another remote... all my home cinema gear is run from a single remote that is IR only.

I am currently optimistic that some enterprising company will produce an IR/USB dongle with IR remote as an alternative controller - though how many features will be possible without some kind of software hack I don't know. Obviously you can use the machine with a standard PS controller, but it might be fiddly...

My other option would be a bluetooth transmitter on a PC, driven by IR - I actually have an IR receiver on a PC hooked up to my LAN so that any machine on the network can respond to IR commands from the central controller in the living room... not that I use it for much, but it seemed like fun at the time. If I ever get around to wiring up my custom lighting, I'll use it for that.

 

[expletive]

This isn't any kind of news at all. No IR port has ever been shown, or even mentioned in conjunction with PS3. I hope people won't start screaming and bitching-
...Nah. Who am I kidding? Of course they will. After all, Sony's teh dev!l.

I just assumed it would have IR since it is being marketed as a convergence device that would likely be in a home theater setup and be controlled by an IR universal remote. Personally, i didnt even think of pouring over the specs to confirm or deny an IR port, i just assumed it was a no-brainer.

EDIT: In addition, it would seem that the PS3 won't be controllable by any of Sony's own IR universal remotes, doesnt that seem foolish? (Unless they are planning an IR->USB adapter.) After discovering this oversight, let me go check the remote and see if it has discreet off....

 

[hey69]

aside from using a 99-1 remote control for everthing, i find it very intresting the remote is bleutooth and not IR. at least you can start or pauze a movie from 15 metert away from another room

 

[ban25]

Maybe a universal remote will be released that supports Bluetooth as well as IR.

One benefit is that now you can pause/rewind/play your movies from the next room.

 

[archie4oz]

I'm pretty sure Logitech is probably already in the process of updating or releasing a (or several) Harmony remotes with Bluetooth support....

 

[expletive]

Maybe a universal remote will be released that supports Bluetooth as well as IR.

One benefit is that now you can pause/rewind/play your movies from the next room.

There were plenty of RF remotes that exist today that do that via RF. My pronto does it.

 

[Sis]

I just assumed it would have IR since it is being marketed as a convergence device that would likely be in a home theater setup and be controlled by an IR universal remote. Personally, i didnt even think of pouring over the specs to confirm or deny an IR port, i just assumed it was a no-brainer.

EDIT: In addition, it would seem that the PS3 won't be controllable by any of Sony's own IR universal remotes, doesnt that seem foolish? (Unless they are planning an IR->USB adapter.) After discovering this oversight, let me go check the remote and see if it has discreet off....

I've raised this issue a couple times, but never got any traction with it. My favorite was in response to a question from 'one':

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showpost.php?p=783243&postcount=274

In the end, it's not really a big deal, since you'll likely be able to buy a USB receiver, but still...

 

[hey69]

There were plenty of RF remotes that exist today that do that via RF. My pronto does it.

but RF isnt IR so thats not the point

 

[vazel]

I don't like how I always have to point IR remotes directly at the device in order for it to get the signal.

 

[expletive]

but RF isnt IR so thats not the point

Because the remote uses an IR blaster at my equipment rack, the final signal with all these remotes is always IR.

I've raised this issue a couple times, but never got any traction with it. My favorite was in response to a question from 'one':

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showpost.php?p=783243&postcount=274

In the end, it's not really a big deal, since you'll likely be able to buy a USB receiver, but still...

Sony doesn't 'own' bluetooth do they? I cant see why they would do something like this to push a tech that they dont have stake in...

 

[hey69]

i'l give you a trick, you can also point at your back to the wall . no kdding its sometimes easyer

 

[Bigus Dickus]

I've raised this issue a couple times, but never got any traction with it. My favorite was in response to a question from 'one':

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showpost.php?p=783243&postcount=274

In the end, it's not really a big deal, since you'll likely be able to buy a USB receiver, but still...

I keep hearing USB mentioned. Does the PS3 take remote codes through USB or something? I guess I didn't remember that being talked about before, but I probably just missed it.

If not, I'm guessing someone will market a simple IR --> bluetooth station. Sit the thing on/near your TV/AV equipment, it receives an IR signal and outputs the appropriate bluetooth code for the PS3. Simple in concept, just a matter of time before it finds its way to market if needed.

But more about the USB interface... how does that work?

 

[expletive]

I keep hearing USB mentioned. Does the PS3 take remote codes through USB or something? I guess I didn't remember that being talked about before, but I probably just missed it.

If not, I'm guessing someone will market a simple IR --> bluetooth station. Sit the thing on/near your TV/AV equipment, it receives an IR signal and outputs the appropriate bluetooth code for the PS3. Simple in concept, just a matter of time before it finds its way to market if needed.

But more about the USB interface... how does that work?

My thinking was plug an IR receiver into one of the PS3 USB ports...

 

[vazel]

i'l give you a trick, you can also point at your back to the wall . no kdding its sometimes easyer

Haha, that worked. Now i don't have to get out of my seat when using the PC to aim the controller directly at the cable box when I want to change channels.

 

[Farid]

Is there any reason not to expect future universal remotes to support bluetooth?

 

[expletive]

Is there any reason not to expect future universal remotes to support bluetooth?

Because only the PS3 is using bluetooth for IR. There will be "PS3 universal remotes" that will have it but 100% of remotes out today don't.

 

[Sis]

Because only the PS3 is using bluetooth for IR. There will be "PS3 universal remotes" that will have it but 100% of remotes out today don't.

And some people have a lot of money tied up in universal remotes, such as the Harmony.

 

[crystalcube]

And some people have a lot of money tied up in universal remotes, such as the Harmony.

and they assumed that those Harmony remotes will be compatible with all future devices...
wait ..something's wrong .. nope they wont buy any device if its not compatible with Harmony ...
wait... no ..its Sony's fault they must have taken care of all the universal remotes available in market
wait ... ahh nevermind but I guess everyone got the point

Maybe I am among very few who feel that BT is a better technology for such a thing than IR.