5.6. Extensions

Now that you have a remote-controlled PC, there's virtually no limit to what you can do. If you have a home theater PC (see the project Building an HTPC) and an X10 computer interface, you can have X10-controlled lights dim when you press the Play button on your remote. Think of it as movie time.

You can also build an IR transmitter and send IR codes from your PC to any infrared-controlled device. Imagine being able to ditch the vast majority of your remotes and control multiple devices with just one. For instance, watching TV at my house used to require at least three devices to be powered on. More than just a nuisance, it meant that I was the only one that knew how to operate the TV. So I built a transmitter to allow a single power button to turn on all the necessary components. Read all about it in Chapter 6, Control Your Home Theater.