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REMOTE CONTROLS CAN DO SOME
AMAZING THINGS!
I like the idea of having one remote control for all my audio and video products. Is there something for garage doors and gates?
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Well, it seems that I got some folks wondering what else can be controlled from a clicker after my discussion of remote controls. If you missed them, we keep them around for you newcomers here:
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How can I know if they will work with my homes audio and video equipment?
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How universal remote control can do some amazing things.
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The idea of controlling garage door openers and gates with one remote is pretty new to the home automation industry. It seems that the solution came about because of the sheer number of garage door and gate openers found in some vehicles. Homes may have more than one garage door opener and of course, they are all different brands, so they need separate remotes. Some cars have remotes for the community gate and a remote for their own garage. Still others have multiple remotes for vacation homes or the homes of relatives. If you have ever had to wait outside your dear ole' mother's trailer park in the rain while she makes her way to the phone to trigger the gate, you know what I mean.
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The first problem that we had to figure out was how to make one remote that could reproduce all the frequencies used by gate and garage door manufactures. Just like about everything in life, there are few standards in this industry!. Our FCC (the communications regulating authority in the United States) made several frequency bands available for low-power transmitters. Unfortunately, manufactures choose to use all those bands so it's fairly common for transmitters to be on different frequencies. Thanks to the electronics revolution and the miniaturization of components, they figured out a way for one transmitter to send multiple frequencies. At the same time, they figured out the "coding" system used between the transmitter and the receiver. These are the small "dip-switches" inside the remote control's battery compartment.
| | Frequency | Manufacturer | | 300MHz | Multi-Code
Ambassador | | 310MHz | X10
Linear
Moore-o-matic
Powerlift
Delta | | 390MHz | Genie
Liftadoor
Chamberlain
Stanley
Doorman
Lift-master |
 "You asked for it, you got it!" The Learning Keychain RF Remote is now available for controlling multiple gate, garage door openers, and X10 system. It is in the size of a Keychain FOB (what exactly does FOB mean?) It has multiple buttons that can send different frequencies and coded signals when pressed.
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The Learning Keychain RF Remote is able to learn signals from your existing remote control. Basically, you will follow these steps:
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1. Make sure the teaching remote has a fresh battery.
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2. Place the two remotes next to each other.
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3. Put the Keychain Remote into the learning mode.
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4. Press the key the signal is to be learned into.
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5. Press and hold both keys on the teaching and learning remotes.
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6. After a few moments, (up to several minutes), the learning Remote will catch the signal.
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If you don't have a remote to teach it (like the community gate), borrow one from a neighbor for five minutes. If you have lost your remote control, you're out of luck. If you don't have a garage or gate that needs controlling, we'll find another excuse for you to have one of these.
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This remote is great to give to your latchkey children so they can open the garage door or gate from outside the home. It also makes a great gift!
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I mentioned that it could control lights. If you are using X10 devices in your home, the Learning Keychain Remote can learn signals from any of the X10 RF transmitters like:
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Or any of the transmitters on this page:
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X10 - Wireless Remotes
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 Use the X10 remote control transmitter to teach the Learning Keychain Remote the signals it needs to memorize like I described above. By the way, unlike X10 transmitters, which can only send on one housecode, a Learning Keychain Remote can hold X10 signals on different house codes! An X10 Transceiver Module will still be needed to receive the radio signals (or more than one if you are using multiple housecodes) and put the X10 signals onto the electricity line.
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To be honest, the product does have a couple of drawbacks. (Don't tell my boss I'm mentioning this.) The Keychain Remote does not have the same range as regular garage door and gate openers. When they miniaturized the circuitry in the remote (using the "Electromagnetic Shrinking Machine" from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), the smaller sized unit and battery produced about 50% less transmitting power. Therefore, you'll have to be in your driveway before activating the door or gate (instead of doing this from down the street!) A second issue is that it can't figure out remotes that use rolling or rotating codes. Some openers like the Genie Intellicode system use a system that changes the coded signal each time the remote's button is pressed. This also means that it will not work with most car alarms or car entry systems.
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Now, with one remote, you can open the gate or garage door and turn on some lights inside your home. Plus, have a remote for your dear ole' mom's trailer park entry gate!
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updated 6/25/02
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