Help! Please.

Hi there boynumber,

'pressing buttons' actual means simulating a human finger? This is hard. You will need solenoids with springs. Once the solenoid is activated it presses the button. To mechanical interface to the device is also hard, it is a terrible way to activate a machine...

If the button to be activated is a electrical contact you can use a relay output to activate the switch of the device. This would mean that you have to disassemble the device to add wires to each button. A standard timer (weekly programmable timer) can be used in this way.

Best regards, Enrico Migchels

Thanks for the insight. I'm going to apply this this to remote that  uses a cr2032 cell battery. Is there anything to take into consideration  in regards to that?

Can I just connect 1 or 2 AA batteries to a 7-day timer, the timer to the relay, and the relay to the remote?

Also, is this the relay you're referring to?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/5-Wire-Relay-Socket-12v-30-40-Amp-Relay-/190363731514?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item2c5290063a

Or , is it this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130351963897&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Hi Boynumber,

The 7-day timer even has the relay inside :-) The problem is that you have to modify the timer so that the internal circuit runs from a DC-power source (battery) and therefore also the relay. Do you think you up to that task?

Best regards, Enrico Migchels

Wow, intresting.

I don't know if I'm up to the task. I'm just learning about all these right now. Google and Wikipedia are helping me out. But, I'm so annoyed by having to do the same tidious repetitive task almost everyday that I'm willing to keep learning to make it happen.

So now, how do I make it run from the battery power source?

Or, If I do decide to plug it in an AC outlet, is it just plug-and-play once I disassemble the remote and connect it to the timer?

Thanks.

RZ

Hi,

I have a few of those timers, plugging directly into the wall socket. It's output is a relay switched contact to switch a lamp or whatever. You can also decided that your switch a 115Vac relay and use the relay contacts to drive your remote. In this case you do not have to modify the timer but need a extra 115Vac relay. 

Best regards, Enrico

Whoa! Hold on a second.

If you use one of these 7-day timers, i absolutely guarantee that one side of the relay will be directly connected to the LIVE mains terminal.

Unless you disconnect that first you will blow a hole right through your remote control PCB. And maybe kill yourself in the process.

I strongly urge you to consider something much safer. A mains powered relay board is not a safe project for someone who is just setting out and self-learning.

Secondly, in every remote control I have ever seen, the contacts on the back of the buttons are not suitable for soldering wires to.

If this were me tackling this I'd look at the requirements and set them out first then try to find something which fits those requirements.

My thinking is...

You need something which will send IR Remote codes to some device at some particular time of the day/week.

You could try hacking an actual remote control and adding some kind of timer to 'push' the buttons.

Or maybe you could use some device to record (or 'learn') the actual codes that are transmitted over IR, then replay them at the specific times.

This sounds like an ideal project for an Arduino or STM32 dev kit. Or, if you have an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad then why not consider an off-the-shelf solution something like this.

What kind of remote are we talking about? How many buttons? A relay&solenoid hardly sounds necessary - we're talking about a 3V device here?

I think KennyMillar is correct in recommending an Arduino or STM32 or similar.

If you don't mind "hacking" your remote, and soldering on directly to the buttons, you could easily have microcontroller control of the remote. This would be an easy hack so long as you can confidently solder.

Alternately you could set up a separate system transmitting remote codes, like Kenny said, although that would be more complex to design. I don't think mechanically pushing the buttons is really the way to go unless: a) you want it to look cool, or b) the electronics are un-accessible.

Wow, I'm learning so much on here. I've never heard of an Arduino before, but so far, I think it might be the answer to what I want to do.

Now, let's say I get the Arduino, get a Breadboard, take the remote apart and have my soldering gun at hand...how do I manage to set it up so that it sends the signal I want during certain times of the day and certain days of the week?

(The UnityRemote for the iPhone you linked to is great. But, that's not exactly what I'm looking for.)

I'm a talking about a small remote that uses a 3V battery. I want to set-up only 2 of the buttons. I want to send the signal for each button maybe a few minutes apart. The Arduino sounds like the best idea so far, but I don't know how to get it to do what I want to do.

I really want to get this done. So, I'd even be willing to try the more complex options if someone could give the detailed steps on how to get it done.

I just orderd an Arduino it should be at my door in like 3 days the tutorials on this link are a little depthy, but if you have time, it has deffinetly given me some insight http://www.ladyada.net/learn/arduino/lesson3.html

I havent committed to a project yet myself, but I plan to do all the basic sample projects to build up my savy