Girder + USB sound = problems

**LordSnow** · 10-04-2006, 12:13 PM

I use an IBM Thinkpad A22 as my platform and had been using the onboard sound until the sound recently died on it, so I bought a Turtle Beach usb soundcard, which works great and now I have much better quality sound now.

I use girder and a Jensen IR20 steering remote as my main input but ever since I installed the usb soundcard, Girder doesn't work like it should. When Frodo is open, Girder no longer receives input from the remote. But if I exit Frodo, it works fine. This isn't an issue with just Frodo; any app that uses the soundcard like WMP, Winamp and RoadRunner, does the same thing.

My IR receiver is connected to my only serial port on the laptop and it sounds to me like a device/resource conflict, I just don't know how to get around it. Any ideas?

**LordSnow** · 10-04-2006, 12:47 PM

Sorry for the double post but here are a couple things I've already tried:

Moving the usb sound to another usb port.

Changing the IRQ and memory address settings on COM1, which girder/WinLirc is using.

Changed the port settings to COM2.

None made a difference.

**BlackStealth** · 10-07-2006, 06:53 AM

The problems you described are similar to what I experienced before. I switched from a COM based infrared device to a USB based infrared device and now my problems are gone!

Notebooks tend not to give full voltage at the COM ports and with you plugging in more devices your voltage threshold probably just dropped which in turn made your COM based infrared device to fail.

**JC-S60** · 10-07-2006, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by BlackStealth

The problems you described are similar to what I experienced before. I switched from a COM based infrared device to a USB based infrared device and now my problems are gone!

Notebooks tend not to give full voltage at the COM ports and with you plugging in more devices your voltage threshold probably just dropped which in turn made your COM based infrared device to fail.

As an alternative you could just take the 5v from a free USB port, which should have 500mA, way enough for an IR receiver...

Good luck!

**Nomader** · 10-07-2006, 10:19 AM

i don't have a laptop but had the same problem with the voltage..even though i use a micro atx..you can do 2 things
1. use the +5volts from a usb port, just cut a usb cable and use just the RED wire (that might or might not provide enough current)
2. use +5volts from your power supply....ohhh nooo you are using a notebook

so go to 1.)

**hithere** · 10-10-2006, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Nomader

i don't have a laptop but had the same problem with the voltage..even though i use a micro atx..you can do 2 things
1. use the +5volts from a usb port, just cut a usb cable and use just the RED wire (that might or might not provide enough current)

That should work. In fact, I'm using a homebrew IR reciever in my living room, powered by USB but input through COM1. Simple as hell to make with RadioShack parts, ~$10 and about a half hour to solder. The eye can be hidden practically anywhere. Works with Girder/Winlirc I believe.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/16/h...your-computer/