Remote controller for SONY MiniDiscs

• It's a 32bit application - runs from Windows95 and Windows NT.
• Requires external electrical device:
  - el. device is connecting to PC through COM port.
  - it's not connected to MD - controlling and titling are done by IR receiver on MiniDisc.
• Support realtime controlling and titling (such as Sony Keyboard Remote RM-D10P - but more comfortable)
  All alphabetical characters, numbers and symbols works.
• Support batch titling (Disc and songs titles are read from text file and sent to MD).
• Support batch (script) controlling with time synchronization
• You can define commands for other devices (CD, Tuner, Amplifier, TV, other MD, ...) and use it in batch scripting.
• (Important only for Czech Language) Support for Czech language Code Pages (Latin2, Kamenicky, Win1250)

Tested MD Decks:

• MDS-JE500, MDS-JE510 - No problems.
• MDS 303 - you can't use realtime titling (you can use Batch titling, but some special characters like @,#,&, ... don't work and titling is slower).

Generally:

• If it's possible to title songs with SONY keyboard remote controller RM-D10P, then you can use my program without limitation (Example: MDS-JE500).
• If it's possible to title songs with SONY remote controller for MDS-JE500 (RM-D7M), then you can use my program, but can't use Realtime titling and batch titling will be slower and special symbols will not work (example: MDS 303)
• If it's possible to title songs with some other Infrared remote controller, then you can use my application, but you must change IR-codes in WinRemote.cdf file. Please cousult this before ordering Hardware and program.

Main screen of application looks like remote controller for MDS-JE500 (RM-D7M) with some new functions (Erase, Divide, Combine, ...).

You can controlling (and titling) your MD in Realtime by this way:

• You can send any command by clicking on appropriate button.
• Nearly all command button have key shortcut.
• All alphanumeric (and special character) keys send appropriete character. You can also use Shift, Delete and Backspace with their common meaning.
  There is keyboard buffer, so you can type as quickly as you want and all characters will be send to MD.

List of command buttons and key shortcuts

Button	Shortcut
Eject
Power
Display	<Ctrl><Insert>
Scroll	<Ctrl><Home>
Continue	<Insert>
Shuffle	<Home>
Program	<PageUp>
1, ... 25, >25
Repeat	<End>
A-B repeat	<PageDn>
A. Space	<Scroll Lock>
M. Scan	<Ctrl><gray +>
Clear	<Delete>
Play	<gray +>
Pause	<Pause>
Stop	<gray ->
Prev. track	<num 2>
Next track	<num 8>
Scan backward	<num 4>
Scan forward	<num 6>
Record	<gray *>
T.Rec	<Ctrl><gray *>
Music Sync	<gray />
Name	<F2>
Divide	<F4>
Combine	<F5>
Erase	<F8>
Yes	<F11>
No	<F12>

You can redefine this commands (for using with other MD Deck) in WinRemote.cdf file.

Common using of Batch titling:

1. Insert (unprotected) MD to MiniDisc Deck
2. Erase all titles on Your MD
3. Write (or load from text file) names of disc and songs in this format:

          <MiniDisc Title>
            [1)] <Title of 1. track>
            [2)] <Title of 2. track>
            [3)] <Title of 3. track>
            ...
        

   All redundant spaces and tabelators are ignored.
   Empty lines and lines started with ; are comments (ignored).
   Example:

          Queen - Made In Heaven
           1) It's A Beautiful Day
           2) Made In Heaven
           3) Let Me Live
           4) Mother Love
           

4. Press "Start titling" button to transmit names to MD

Batch Scripting enables you to write sequence of commands (with time synchronization).

Common using of batch controlling

1. Write (or load from text file) script.
   Each command must be on single line (line started with ; are ignored).
2. Optional: Test syntaxe of script
3. Optional: Save script for later use
4. Start script

Syntaxe of commands

Function: You can left out MD_ prefix (or only _ ), so MD_Play = Play = MDPlay

• Standard MDS-JE500 Commands - can be redefined in WinRemote.cdf
  MD_Eject, MD_Power, MD_Display, MD_Scroll, MD_Continue, MD_Shuffle, MD_Program, MD_D_Pre, MD_D_Rec, MD_1, ... MD_25, MD_More25, MD_Repeat, MD_AB_Repeat, MD_A_Space, MD_M_Scan, MD_Name, MD_Char, MD_Num, MD_Clear, MD_Play, MD_Pause, MD_Stop, MD_TrRev, MD_TrForw, MD_Record, MD_Rev, MD_Forw, MD_T_Rec, MD_MusicSync, MD_Edit the same as MD_No, MD_Enter the same as MD_Yes, MD_Erase, MD_Divide, MD_Combine
• Advanced MDS-JE500 Commands - can't be redefined in WinRemote.cdf
  MD_TrSel<TrNo> - select track <TrNo> (1..255),
  "<String>" - send <String> to MD (MD must be in Title mode),
  @[@][<TrNo>] <Title> - Title selected or <TrNo> Track (use 0 for title MD), (@@ erase old title before titling)
• Universal commands
  #<IRCode> - send IR-Code (hexadecimal - max. 16 hexa-digits (64 bits)),
  <User_defined_command> - send command defined in file WinRemote.cdf
  Delay - do nothing (only delay)
• Time synchronizing commands
  WaitTo [<yyyy/mm/dd>] <hh:mm:ss> - wait to absolute time (date and time)
  WaitTo+ <hh:mm:ss> - wait <hh:mm:ss> from last command
  WaitTo= <hh:mm:ss> - wait to relative time (00:00:00 is start of script)

Examples of commands

• MD_Play - start playing MD
• Stop - stop MD
• MD_TrSel40 - select track no. 40 on MD
• "Test string" - send Test string to MD, MD must be in title mode
• @0 MD title - title MD (disc) with string MD Title
• @@2 Track 2 - title track 2 with string Track 2, erase old title before titling
• @ My Title - title selected track with title My Title
• #8B2 - send hexadecimal code 8B2
• CD_Play - send user defined command (CD_Play must be defined in WinRemote.cdf)
• WaitTo 1997/10/7 15:50 - wait to 7th October 1997 - half past three pm (next command in script can be MD_Record for example),
• WaitTo+ 0:2:15 - wait 2 minutes and 15 seconds after last command
• WaitTo= 0:5:0 - wait to 5 minutes after start of script
• MD_TrForw 3 - skip 3 tracks forward (send command TrForw 3 times)
• MD_TrStop - 500 - stop MD, and wait 500ms after sending this command
• MD_TrForw 4 5000 - send TrForw command 4 times, after each command wait 5 sec. Use WaitTo+ command for long waiting rather then specify long Delay.
• MD_Forw - - 50 - send "long" Forw command (scan forward), IR-code will be send 50-times without any delay, so cursor will move much faster then in command IRC Forw 50

Hardware consist of these parts:

1. small box (85mm * 60mm * 30mm) with:
   - CANNON DB9F connector for connecting to COM port
   - (Mono headphones) connector for connecting IR-LED
2. cable for connecting to COM (CANNON DB25F - CANNON DB9M, 25cm long)
   If you want (CANNON DB9F - CANNON DBM (part 2b) then let me know when ordering hardware)
3. 3m long cable with IR-LED on end.
4. IR-LED directly placed in (Mono headphones) connector.

Installing hardware for Desktop PC:

1. Connect box (part 1) to COM port, using cable (part 2)
2. Connect cable (part 3) to box (part 1) and place IR-LED ahead of MD Deck
3. Set appropriate COM port in WinRemote.ini
4. Run WinRemote application

Installing hardware for Notebook:

1. Connect box (part 1) directly to COM port.
   I'm not sure if it's possible on all notebooks, because connector CANNON DB9F is placed directly in one side (60mm * 30mm) of box (par 1), so there must be some place around COM port connector in notebook. Maybe you will need use cable (part 2b) or some reduction.
2. Connect (part 4) to box (part 1) and place Notebook (with described hardware part) ahead of MD Deck.
   It credible works on distance (2m - 2.5m) but IR-LED must lead up to MD Deck.
3. Set appropriate COM port in WinRemote.ini
4. Run WinRemote application