Arduino to control DVD player with Ping Sensor

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
1

I am working on a project that contains two projected videos each projector will have its own DVD player playing the video. I want the viewer's presence to modify the video. So when the viewer walks up to the video the video stops playing.

I thought I could do this with some code on board the arduino without hooking it up to a computer since my resources are limited. So I would have a ping sensor or a photo-sensor hooked up to the arduino and something else (maybe an IR LED?) to send the signal to the DVD player.

Is this feasible, if so what would I need hardware wise and code wise?

thanks for your help!
T

2

Ping sensor is pretty easy... but it has limited range. How far away do you need to sense a body in motion? Less than 3m?

The IR control totally depends on your DVD. RC5 is common for IR encoding and may already be solved for you. You could look here: Building a Universal Remote with an Arduino

For PING:

or here:

3

thanks! only need a range of about 4 to 5 ft - it will be installed under the projector on a 12 ft ceiling... As long as the ping can detect the head of the viewer, I am ok...

I'll check out those links!
T

4

PING sensors are directional. They need to bounce sound of your object to detect distance so the need to be aimed. As small as your hand or as big a car are the same to the PING. If using more than one... try not to aim them towards each other...

5

no problem...

on the remote side I have two Phillips DVP5960 dvd players. Not sure if the remote is RC5. I looked in the manual and it didn't list the type of remote. Do you know where I can find out what type it is?

thanks!
T

6

Nope. There are few standards... but tons of home grown schemes.

You might just have to follow the solution described in the universal remote project.