Palm Handheld IR Remote Control for SJT400

Palm Handheld Infrared Remote Control for SJT400

Palm Handheld Showing SJT400 IR Remote Control

This is an infrared remote control program for the Palm, Visor, Clie, and HandEra families of personal organizers that allows these pocket-sized units to be used as remotes for RCA's SJT400 and SKT400 players. The photo at the left shows the Visor Prism model running the remote program with the unit's backlighting turned on. This allows the Palm organizer to be used as a remote in a darkened room-- an advantage over RCA's original remote controls. Note that what you download from CED Magic is only the modified omniremote.pdb database file that contains the IR codes and screen layout for RCA's 400 series players. The OmniRemote or OmniRemote Pro programs that make use of the database are commercial products that can be downloaded from Pacific Neo-Tek. This company has a free evaluation version that allows you to install OmniRemote and use it as a TV remote control, but to use it with the 400-series modified omniremote.pdb database you must pay for the program via the Pacific Neo-Tek web site.

OmniRemote is well worth the nominal charge, as it's a video buff's dream, allowing the Palm handheld to control almost all IR consumer electronic appliances with user-designed screen layouts. After the screen layout is completed each button is trained with the original remote. The program comes with several different generic screen layouts, and up to 15 different ones can be created, all accessible via a pop-down menu. The CED Magic database has the same sample layouts as the database supplied by Pacific Neo-Tek, with the addition of the SJT400 layout and IR codes.

The CED Magic database also contains a layout for the Hitachi VIP201P player, which is described on a separate page. Since the VIP201P is a PAL-format player marketed in the United Kingdom, there won't be many North American owners of this machine. Note that the OmniRemote program cannot be used with the SGT250, SJT300, SKT300, and 686-5705 players as the infrared control circuitry used in these models was designed before digital codes became standard. Although PalmPilot models earlier than the Palm III lack a built-in IR transceiver, this remote program can be used with these earlier models by plugging an OmniRemote Module into the serial port.

Button Layouts on SJT400 Palm Remote Control

The top illustration at left shows an actual 400-series remote control keypad, while the one just below it shows the layout of the corresponding Palm screen. As can be seen, the button layout is identical on the Palm, with the spacing reduced to accommodate the smaller area. This will make it easier to learn the functions of the remote using the 400 Series Player Owner's Manual.

Palm Remote Control Panel with Menu This illustration shows the built-in TV remote with the pop-down menu also visible to show the other sample categories. The TV remote has category buttons similar to the function buttons on RCA's Digital Command Center remotes that allow another screen to be brought up without having to go through the pop-down menu. The other buttons on the TV remote have an outline appearance because they have not yet been trained.

Palm Hardware Buttons for SJT400 This illustration shows the six hardware buttons across the bottom of the Palm and the functions I have assigned to them on my Palm organizer when OmniRemote is the active application. The most commonly used SJT400 functions were chosen for these buttons so they can be selected without looking at the Palm screen. The hardware buttons can be assigned to perform the function of any remote button via the OmniRemote preferences.

Download omniremo.zip for Windows host computers

Download omniremote.pdb for MacOS host computers

After download, unzip the Windows file (the Mac file is ready to install as is), and use the Palm install program to prepare it for transfer. During the next HotSync operation the omniremote.pdb file (case insensitive) will over write the existing file on the Palm, and the SJT400 and VIP201P categories will become available. Install the CED Magic omniremote.pdb file before you make any customized remotes in the OmniRemote program.

Button Layouts on SJT400 Palm Remote Control

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