Thinkpads Forum

On my TP i have Windows Pro w/ Media Centre. Is there anyway that i would be able to use the infrared port to control media centre with the Microsoft remote that i have? because the remote came with a usb receiver for a desktop but im not sure if you need the receiver to use the remote.

also i was just wondering what other people use their infrared port for?

Using the built-in IR port with your Microsoft Remote Control will likely give you unsatisfactory results. However, if you want to give it a go, see the following thread. About the only thing I have used my IR port for is to copy my cell phone's contact data. This was through using Nokia PC Suite (free download).

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=19107

GomJabbar wrote:About the only thing I have used my IR port for is to copy my cell phone's contact data. This was through using Nokia PC Suite (free download).

Ditto - but with my new phone that doesn't have IR I need to use a USB cable that came with the phone, so for now I can't think of any practical use for it at the moment.

I have used my IR port on my T22 to Hotsync my Palm Z22 pda with my desktop application. It worked well, although not as fast as syncing with the USB cable, but it was fun once in a while; given that I only have ONE USB port on this laptop, I was in a situation when I was printing something long (the printer uses that one USB) and wanted to put a new photo into my Palm and hence "beamed" it to the Palm using the IR port.

I just tried out Activesyncing my new Axim PDA to the laptop via IR and it worked great, much faster even than the Palm Z22. Nice to not have to constantly unplug stuff from the USB port.

I have an HP LaserJet 5MP which has an IR receiver on the front of the printer. I've used it regularly when I didn't want to hook my ThinkPad up using the parallel cable. That spot in the HP line of laser printers all had the IR receiver built-in for some time (5P/MP, 6P/MP, 2100).

schen wrote:I have an HP LaserJet 5MP which has an IR receiver on the front of the printer. I've used it regularly when I didn't want to hook my ThinkPad up using the parallel cable. That spot in the HP line of laser printers all had the IR receiver built-in for some time (5P/MP, 6P/MP, 2100).

I and my wife and children used to do the same with our Thinkpads and my 6MP all the time, it was very convenient as there were more than one of us using the printer.

No longer the case as 1) no more children at home and 2) all my printers are now networked.

The IR ports were also very convenient back in the day (pre WiFi) for synching our various Palms and Workpads, as well as transferring the odd file or two between laptops.

I can't recall the last time I used the IR port for anything as it's been supplanted by WiFi or Bluetooth on all our systems.

BTW, the 6MP is still going strong!

James

JHEM wrote:[2) all my printers are now networked.

The IR ports were also very convenient back in the day (pre WiFi) for synching our various Palms and Workpads, as well as transferring the odd file or two between laptops.

I can't recall the last time I used the IR port for anything as it's been supplanted by WiFi or Bluetooth on all our systems.

BTW, the 6MP is still going strong!

James

Our printers are networked as well, but the Linksys Print Server I have is a little flakey sometimes. But, with virtually my entire extended family on ThinkPads, it's convenient for them to print from the laser when they come stay for the weekend.

Oddly enough, I use the IR to transfer some file a month ago when I was working on a TP for somebody and needed to move a file over from my T30. Since it was sitting side-by-side on a table, I just pointed them at each other and away it went!

My 5MP is still going strong as well after all these years. I bought it almost 10 years ago at a Pawn Shop for $75! Some idiot had put a parallel to serial adapter on it and the people at the Pawn Shop didn't know what it was. It started life as a 5P, then I found some memory for it as the university warehouse where all the old technology gets stored, put in the chips and voila... instant 5MP!