What is the use of Consumer Infrared

Hi I have looked around alot and havent been able to get a solid answer about this. Can I use the CIR for anything other then a remote control. And if not what the hell is the point of it. I am sitting a few cm away from the laptop, I dont need a damn remote for it.

 

you can connect to another computer that has infrared to transfer files and whatnot

 

Its used almost exclusively for file transfer with other laptops, printers, phones, and PDAs. It is recently being replaced by Bluetooth which does not require line of sight to work.

I have never heard of it being used for remote control, but who knows...

 

thanks for the response. So how do I activated it? I put my phone in front of it and nothing happens. I have all the drivers but no idea on how to get it working. I tried it on a 5920g and 5720 and nither recognized the phone. I also tried my pda. like whats the secret here. I have an external infrared and my devices working on that but not on the cirs on the laptops.

thanks

 

Any way to use a universal remote to control the laptop via CIR?

 

on a laptop I don't know, but if you surf the net you will find quite few applications that enables you to transform a PDA into a remote control.

The advantage of the infraRed over Bluetooth (at least this was the case 2-3 years ago) is the transfer rate. infraRed is faster. Now the problem ith IR is that the devices needs to be close to each other to operate and need to face each other, well in a similar fashion between a TV and a remote control.

With Bleutooth the adantage is it uses sound, so you could have one device, e.g. a printer, in one room and another device, e.g. a laptop in another room and they still can comminicate with each other.

 

if you have a media center remote control, it works with the laptop as well. i have one and it works for me.