Garage remote door opener?
 

Would it be a possibility for the N900 to be programmed as a garage opener for my house? I would appreciate any insight on this.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Even if you can.. the IR transmitter is weak... :/ I can't even turn on/off my tv (using irreco) from the other room (not behind a wall)..

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

This is going to be taken teh wrong way, but eh.

Sometimes, I wonder if some people's brains know what their fingers are typing on the keyboard... I mean, seriously! If I see someone ask if an N900 can be used to steer a Sears Lawn mower, I'm gonna lose it.

Now, on to the answer:


I can't think of any residential garage door openers that work via IR. That, of course, doesn't mean there may not be some cheesy off brand that works via IR.

If you want to open a garage door with an N900, then you'll need more than just software on the N900.

Now, sure, there are GSM garage door / gate openers that you can set up. But with such a unit, you can open it from any cell phone.


Edit: Oh, and don't bother at trying t be funny by asking if you can steer a Sears lawnmower with an N900. You'll fail at tEh funny. ;)

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

IR being line of sight dependent and pretty short range I dont think a garage door uses it. I would imagine it uses RF

Who knows using the FM transmitter in the N900 it maybe could even open a RF triggered door, but I doubt it and the power of the transmitter is not very high.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Hmm, you could connced the door to a computer with WLAN, connect you your home network when you are close, and open it via a web interface or something.
Pretty wild idea, but indeed possible.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

You can buy relays with built in bluetooth controllers, you could pair one with your phone and use it to trigger the door opener. You would have to have a decent knowledge of electronics though.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

A bit dismissive don't you think? If you don't ask a question you can never find the solution.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Garage door controllers uses RF for sure, and only the very old models used a fixed frequency to open and/or close the doors. The usual controller uses a variable frequency that must "negotiated" between the remote and the receiver in order to avoid hijacking your code.

Anyway, N900 has various RF transmitters like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and even FM Transmitter, but they must use a defined frequency range, thus I guess it is impossible to make it open a garage door since the hardware can not transmit in the needed frequency. I think garage doors remote controllers here at Brazil operate at aprox. 400MHz

Didn't know GSM garage controllers tough...

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

433Mhz russo... just like everything else.. car alarms and so on

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Long before the N900 came out, I suggested that a built-in garage door opener would be a good idea. Maybe Apple will be the first with that app.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Its not just about the app, you need a transmitter that can broadcast on 433 mhz band. I dont think any phone or computer has something like that. The hardware can only transmit within preset limits for wifi bluetooth fm-radio etc...

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

I know that it is also a hardware issue. What I was saying is that before the N900 hardware was finalized, they could have added the extra transmitter for a three channel garage door opener. Even my Nisan Murano has that feature.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Thanks therock, I wasn't remembering the exact frequency

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Won't be so hard to implement.
Relay <--> PIC µC <--> ethernet <--> WiFi <--> N900 <--> Software

Garage project anyone?

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Sadly, I feel that for convenience, a GSM door opener would be a better choice. It isn't range limited (so you can trigger the door as you drive up the front driveway), it is zero cost once installed, and doesn't rely on auto-connecting. The added bonus is it would work from any phone.

My research (I was bored) led me here: http://www.gsm-secure.co.uk/GSM-Access-Control.php

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

I agree that GSM door opener is a much more easy approach, but it's expensive too. WiFi is mostly installed in a house and the control circuit if your going with ethernet would be <$70 plus you get the added benefit of controlling other electronics too. You could maybe use bluetooth with a modded antennae (receiver side) to extend the range.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/pro...oducts_id=7830

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Bluetooth with a PIC would be good. You could even configure it to only accept connections from certain mac addresses, and to open when the dial button was pressed.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

But your Nissan Murano is a car and the N900 is a phone? It makes sense to have a garage door opener built into a car and there's no shortage of space to put it.

Personally I'd resent paying for and having to lug around the hardware for a garage door opener on a phone (or computer or whatever it is).

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

Actually, the garage door opener is built into the rear view mirror.

Re: Garage remote door opener?
 

I agree with you... to a point. But there are questions that people should really look into a bit, before they start asking them. If you (not YOU personally) can't be bothered enough to do some research before asking, then I (personally), reserve the right to give you a hard time over your question.

Google is pretty good at finding answers to a question. Chances are, that out of 6 billion people someone may have had the same idea(s) you've had, and have posted/asked about it online.