User Manual August 2011 Switch accessible infra-red remote control with auditory feedback and scanning Features:Records infra-red commands from other remote controls. Can be used to control TV, Hi-Fi, Lights, Sockets, Door opener etc. High quality auditory feedback using recorded speech. 3.5mm sockets for single switch, short click and two switch scanning Programmable scanning options to suit user needs.
User Manual August 2011 Contents Page 3 1. Specifications 2. Introduction 4 3. Basic User Operation 3.1 Getting Started 3.2 Scanning Styles 3.3 Changing the batteries 6 6 7 9 4. Program Mode 4.1 Selecting Program Mode 10 10 5. Recording Infra-red commands 5.1 Recording an InfraRed command 5.2 Recording a series of InfraRed commands (Macro) 5.3 Recording an “OK” command 5.4 Recording commands on Level 2 11 11 12 13 15 6. Recording Auditory Prompts 6.1 Recording Button Prompts 6.
User Manual 1 August 2011 Specifications Electrical Power Supply Quiescent Current 3 x 1.5V AA batteries 30mA Mechanical Weight Case material Approx. 500grams Black ABS plastic. Environmental Operating ambient temperature range Storage temperature range Operating and storage humidity Min Max Units -25 -25 0 50 70 90 ºC ºC %RH The HouseMate is not designed for outdoor use.
User Manual 2 August 2011 Introduction HouseMate HouseMate is a switch accessible Infra-red remote control with auditory feedback using recorded speech. It is practical and easy to use and can be operated by external switches or directly by pressing the keypad buttons. HouseMate can be used to control the Television, Hi-Fi, Video as well as environmental control functions such as lights, sockets, curtain openers etc (provided they have been previously fitted and can be controlled by Infra-red).
User Manual August 2011 Infra-Red output. Powerful IR output ensures that user does not have to point the device. Label Insert. Lift up flap to insert a custom designed label. Button indicator. Illuminates during scanning or when the button is pressed. Infra-red signal indicator. Illuminates when transmitting or recording an Infra-red signal. Buttons. 10 light action buttons for easy direct access. Low battery indicator. Illuminates when battery is low and needs to be changed. Program Button.
User Manual August 2011 3 Basic User Operation HouseMate is designed primarily for switch users and is intended to be operated by one or two suitable external switches. How a user operates their device will depend on the number of switches they are using, the scanning method, the scanning style and other settings that have been chosen. Since each setup can be quite different this chapter only gives a general description of how to use HouseMate.
User Manual August 2011 more switch activity it gives you control over both the scanning and the selection from one switch. Two Switch Scanning Two switch scanning or step scanning uses two external switches. Switch 2 is used to manually advance the scan and select the desired button. Switch 1 is used to activate the command on that button. Direct Access Direct access is not strictly a scanning mode and is provided for simple setups, demonstrations and assessments.
User Manual August 2011 The Scanning Style can also be called the scanning pattern. There are 6 different scanning styles or patterns possible within HouseMate. For details on how to choose the scanning style see page 22. Linear XY This is the standard Scanning Style. The scan advances sequentially from 1 to 2 to 3 and so on. When the scan reaches the 10th button, Button 0, it restarts from Button 1. If no switch is pressed after two complete scans HouseMate stops scanning.
User Manual 3.3 August 2011 Changing the batteries HouseMate runs on 3 x AA internal batteries. When the batteries are running low the light will illuminate. The InfraRed codes and Prompts are stored on a nonremovable SD flash memory so there is no danger of losing any information if the batteries run out or when you are replacing the batteries. To change the batteries 1.
User Manual August 2011 4 Program Mode When you receive HouseMate it will have no Infra-red codes and no prompts recorded in it. All the settings will be set to their default values. To get started you will need the Infra-red controls of the devices you want to control. To record an Infra-red code, record a prompt or adjust a setting you must select program mode first. 4.1 Selecting Program Mode To select program mode: 1. 2. 3. 4. With one hand press and hold button 1 and button 2 at the same time.
User Manual 5 August 2011 Recording Infra-red commands Before you start make sure that you have the Infra-red controls of the devices you want to control and that they have new batteries. Position the Infra-red control facing into the top of the HouseMate as in the picture below at least one foot apart. Warning: Some fluorescent lights emit Infra-red radiation. When you are recording Infra-red codes be sure that you are not directly under fluorescent lighting. 5.
User Manual August 2011 In this mode the low battery indicator, , is used to indicate that recording is in progress. 7. Now, let go the button on the Infra-red control followed by the button on the HouseMate. 8. Repeat this procedure a second time from step 5 for confirmation. 9. You can now leave program mode by pressing the should stop flashing. button. The symbol 10. Now, test the button you just recorded on by pressing it. You should see the symbol illuminate.
User Manual 3. The August 2011 symbol should be flashing. 4. Press and hold the HouseMate button you want to record onto. Notice that the symbol starts flashing faster. 5. Continue holding and then press, one after the other, the buttons on the Infra-red control whose commands you want to record. The symbol will light up when the first command is received and then the symbol will light up every time you press a button on the Infra-red control.
User Manual August 2011 commands and the second series, or “OK command”, would of course be the OK command itself. 1. Select program mode and then press Button 1. (see page 10) 2. Button 1 and 2 should be flashing. Now press Button 2. This selects macro record mode. 3. The symbol should be flashing. 4. Press and hold the HouseMate button you want to record onto. The symbol starts flashing faster. 5.
User Manual August 2011 For the end command record the OK command. Now when the user selects the button an automatic scan of their favorite channels will take place on the TV. Furthermore when they press their switch a second time the highlighted channel will be selected. When creating a series like this it is important to leave enough of a pause between pressing the GUIDE button, the FAVOURITES button and the first DOWN button.
User Manual 5.4 August 2011 Recording commands on Level 2 There are two levels or pages within HouseMate. This expands the number of possible commands to 20. Each button has a different command depending on what level you are on. Level 1 could be used for TV commands whilst level 2 could be used for House commands such as lights, sockets, door opener etc. Like level 1, it is possible to record a command or series of commands on each button in level 2. In order to do so you must have level 2 open first.
User Manual 6 August 2011 Recording Auditory Prompts HouseMate allows you to record Auditory prompts for each button. The prompts are played back during scanning so that the user can press their switch when they hear the correct prompt. The prompts are also played back when you press a button on HouseMate directly. The microphone is positioned in the top left hand corner of the speaker grill. To get the best result speak close to the microphone but not directly into it.
User Manual August 2011 Tip: You can record a prompt for more than one button before leaving program mode. When you have finished step 5 above repeat from step 3 for the next button you want to record on. To record a prompt on a button in level 2 There are two levels or pages within HouseMate. This expands the number of possible commands and associated prompts to 20. Each button has a different command depending on what level you are on.
User Manual August 2011 In order to record a prompt for level 1 or level 2 you must connect an external switch into switch input 1 on the right hand side of the connector panel at the bottom of HouseMate. 1. Select the correct level by pressing Button 0. Button 1 will light up if you have selected level 1. Button 2 will light up if you have selected level 2. 2. Select program mode and then press Button 2. (see page 10) 3. The symbol should be flashing. 4.
User Manual 7 August 2011 HouseMate Settings This chapter deals with HouseMate settings such as Scanning Method, Switch Acceptance Time, Open Level Two and so on. With the exception of the Scanning Speed setting they are all adjusted in exactly the same way. This section briefly explains the procedure. When you are in program mode the buttons on the HouseMate are used to select the setting you want to change according to the following diagram.
User Manual August 2011 To change the setting, simply press the button representing the new value. When you release the button HouseMate shows you the new value by blinking the light of the button you just pressed. In the example below the Skip Enable setting has been changed to Skip Enabled. Note that each setting has its own permitted values. If you press a button other than the permitted values for that setting no change will occur.
User Manual August 2011 2. The current scanning method is indicated by whichever button is blinking according to the table below: Automatic Scanning Short Click Scanning Two Switch Scanning Direct Access Button 1 Button 2 Button 3 Button 4 3. Select the scanning method you require by pressing the corresponding button. 4. You can now leave program mode by pressing the button. 5. Confirm that the new scanning method is working by pressing Switch 1 or Switch 2. 7.
User Manual ¼ second ½ second 1 second 1 ½ seconds 2 seconds 2 ½ seconds 3 seconds 4 seconds August 2011 Button 1 Button 2 Button 3 Button 4 Button 5 Button 6 Button 7 Button 8 Note how the rate at which the “clicks” changes. symbol flashes and the pace of the 4. You can now leave program mode by pressing the button. 5. Confirm the new scanning speed by pressing Switch 1 to start the scan. 7.3 Choosing a Scanning Style There are 6 different scanning styles possible within HouseMate.
User Manual 7.4 August 2011 Skipping empty buttons For user‟s who only wish to use a small number of commands it is possible to skip buttons that have no Infra-red code command recorded on them. This reduces having to scan through unused buttons. To set the Skip Function 1. Select program mode and then press Button 4. 2. The current Skip Function setting is indicated by whichever button is blinking according to the table below: Skip Disabled Skip Enabled Button 1 Button 2 3.
User Manual August 2011 Both When Auditory Feedback is set to Both, then, as in Prompts Only, HouseMate plays back the recorded prompts during scanning. However when a button is selected the recorded prompt is stopped, a click is played back and the Infra-red command is transmitted. None Except for system sounds during programming there is no Auditory feedback. To set the Auditory Feedback 1. Select program mode and then press Button 5. 2.
User Manual August 2011 For fast switch users it is important to keep the switch acceptance time short as it may appear to them that pressing the switch has no effect and they may presume the unit or switch to be broken. To set the Switch Acceptance Time 1. Select program mode and then press Button 6. 2. The current Switch Acceptance Time is indicated by whichever button is blinking according to the table below: 50 milli-seconds (short) ¼ second ½ second (long) Button 1 Button 2 Button 3 3.
User Manual 7.7 August 2011 Enabling the Volume Control It is possible to adjust the volume of the HouseMate loudspeaker by enabled Button 9 to be a volume control. Once enabled, Button 9 can be used to toggle through 5 different volume settings. Lights 1-4 indicate the current HouseMate volume. Press or select Button 9 to adjust the HouseMate volume. This function only applies to level 1. If you intend to use level 2 then Button 9 on level 2 is free to use for Infra-red commands.
User Manual 7.8 August 2011 Opening Level 2 There are two levels or pages within HouseMate. This feature expands the number of possible Infra-red commands and associated prompts to 20. Each button has a different command depending on what level you are on. Level 1 could be used for TV commands whilst level 2 could be used for House commands such as lights, sockets, speakerphone etc. When Level 2 is open Button 1 or Button 2 will blink to give the user a visual queue as to what level they are using.
User Manual August 2011 To Open Level 2 1. Select program mode and then press Button 0. 2. The current state of Level 2 is indicated by whichever button is blinking according to the table below: Level 2 closed Open – use Button 0 Open – use Switches Button 1 Button 2 Button 3 3. Select the desired state of Level 2 by pressing the corresponding button. 4. You can now leave program mode by pressing the button. 5. Confirm that Level 2 is open by pressing Button 0 or the relevant Switch.
User Manual 8 August 2011 Resetting HouseMate Occasionally you will want to erase the InfraRed commands and Prompts that you have recorded onto the HouseMate buttons. It is possible to do this one button at a time or all at once. When you erase all at once the HouseMate settings, such as Scanning Speed, Scanning Method etc., are reset to their default values. Warning: There is no “Undo” when erasing InfraRed commands or Prompts.
User Manual August 2011 3. You are now in Erase mode and the ten LEDs will blink rapidly. If you wish to stop at this stage you can do so by pressing the button. 4. With one hand press and hold button 3 and button 4 at the same time. With the other hand press and hold the button until all the lights come on. 5. Release all 3 buttons. All the InfraRed commands and Prompts will be erased for each button one after the other and all the HouseMate settings will be reset to their default values. 6.
User Manual August 2011 9 Maintenance The HouseMate should be regularly checked for integrity. Loose, damaged or corroded connectors or terminals, or damaged cabling should be reported to your Service Centre and be replaced immediately. The AA batteries should be regularly checked for corrosion or leakage. If you are not using your HouseMate for an extended period remove the AA batteries. All switches connected to the HouseMate should be regularly tested to ensure that they function correctly.
User Manual August 2011 10 Safety and Misuse Warnings Do not install, maintain or operate the HouseMate without reading, understanding and following the proper instructions and manuals, otherwise injury or damage may result. Do not operate the HouseMate if it behaves erratically, or shows abnormal response, heating, smoke or arcing. Turn the unit off, disconnect all cables, and consult your service agent.
User Manual August 2011 11 Warranty & Sales and Service Information All equipment supplied by Unique Perspectives Ltd. is warranted by the company to be free from faulty materials or workmanship. If any defect is found within the warranty period of 12 months, the company will repair the equipment, or at its discretion, replace the equipment without charge for materials and labor. The warranty is subject to the conditions that the equipment: Has been used solely in accordance with this manual.
User Manual August 2011 12 Appendix A: Blank Labels ©Unique Perspectives www.click2go.
