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Issue #201 April 2007
ATir Keyboard Interface
by Steven Savage
Start | System Overview | Keyboard | IR Remote Operation | ATir Hardware | Operation | Nice Solution | Sources & PDF
Operation
To program keyboard
macros using the ATir, simply plug the male connector into the PS2 keyboard
port of the PC, plug your keyboard into the female connector of the ATir,
and boot your computer. Open your favorite text editor. For Windows operating
systems, Notepad is sufficient. To enter Programming mode, a key sequence
is entered on the keyboard. To prevent the ATir from going into Program
mode during normal typing tasks, I chose a keyboard sequence that is somewhat
abstract. Type the following sequence: hold down the right Shift key,
press and release the left Shift key, and then release the right Shift
key. Hopefully, you have never used that sequence before with normal computing
tasks. Now, as if by some extremely fast magic speed typist, text should
be scrolling onto the screen prompting you to press a button on the remote.
If the key sequence above is reentered at this stage, the EEPROM is cleared.
To program a macro, point your compatible remote control at ATir and press a button. If decoded successfully, the command byte is displayed and you are prompted to enter a macro and press the same button to record. Type in your macro. When you’re finished, press the same button on the remote control to confirm the macro and record it. If a macro does not exist for the command selected, a prompt will indicate that the macro was recorded successfully. When you press the Remote Control button, the keyboard macro sequence is sent to the PC. Reenter Program mode to set up additional macros for other keys on the remote. Listing 3 is a programming session.
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