DIY Apple Remote Shield for the Arduino

Have you ever wanted to make an apple remote? Or maybe want to have one of your arduino creations be able to control iTunes on your Mac, your iPod, Or your Apple TV? Now you can! 

Awhile back I was working on a project that that I wanted to be able to start music the on my mac through the IR receiver. After a while of looking around I found this library which allows you to use your arduino as an Apple Remote. I integrated it in to my project and it worked great! So the other day I decided to make an Apple Remote shield for my arduino.

Note: Depending on the IR Led's you use, the performance of this can vary greatly.

 If you have any questions, comments, &/or suggestions. Please ask them.


Voting starts Nov 16th. So please come back & vote!

Step 1: The Stuff:

Parts:
- Arduino
- 2 or 3 IR Led's
- 5 NO Momentary push buttons (NO Stands for Normally Open)
- Wire
- Perf-Board

Tools:
- Computer
- A-B USB Cable

Software:
- Arduino Software
- Apple Remote Library (This can be found in the step: Coding the Arduino!)

Comments

[gomako]

There's a really good tutorial on capturing IR remote codes here -> http://www.ladyada.net/wiki/tutorials/learn/sensors/ir.html

Unfortunately, this sketch and library aren't working for me. I get an error when compiling that I don't understand. Something to do with the library. Blorp.

[madrulzzz]

this is jus awesome.......
but cud u tell me why u are calling ars.play(),ars.left() etc.... three times in each if block...

[do_too]

BTW, changed the <> to "" for the header file, works fine now, thanks for the great project and links to the Apple IR Lib, been looking for that for a while now!

Anyone know how to change (on the computer end) the codes or is that doable?
...as in creating new commands for the remote to tell the computer?

Thanks

[do_too]

anyone have trouble with the ardy code compiling?

i.e."AppleRemoteSender does not specify type" (line 4)

[kotofeiivanovich]

Have you ever tried creating an opposite project, i.e., reading the signals from apple remote, instead of sending them, to control the uC? Which photo-elements do I need for this? What's the frequency used in apple's IR remote controls? Are there any readymade libraries for atmel controllers?

[supermaggel]

i'm looking for the exact same, apparently someone on the arduino forums allready did, but i couldn't find out what electronic components were needed. also, the technical details of the apple remote can be found on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Remote

[mrodal]

Great job. But which IR diodes did you use?

[posox2000]

Remote works! But.... apple react on next button pressing only every 5 sec. It is confusing when you want to adjust Volume. Do you have any suggestions where to look in the code? LCD flashing every time but computer ignoring them.

[andrucha]

I can´t download the .pde file. How can I get it?

[led235]

 HOW DID THIS NOT MAKE IT TO THE FINALISTS!?!?!?!? THIS HAS GOT TO BE A JOKE THAT ITS NOT!!!
WHAT THE DEUCE!?!?!?

[Radioactive_Legos]

Very nice!  LOL, according to hackaday, your IR LEDs are having a party!

[zuixro]

Very cool. But why no Menu button?

[computergeek]

I'm glad you like it! I didn't add a menu button because on my Apple Remote the menu button is kind of annoying & I didn't have another button handy. But if you want one you can hook another button up to pin 7, then use the code ars.menu(); to trigger the menu ir pulse.

[joejoerowley]

 Great instructable! Very well documented. Congratulations on being featured on hackaday btw!

[computergeek]

 Thanks for the complements & pointing out that it was featured by hackaday.com! I probably would of never noticed that.

[joejoerowley]

No problem,
I tried to make a link and it didn't work last time. It won't be on the homepage forever so here is the permalink.