Specifications

Remote Control and Receiver-Transceiver Specifications and Requirements
for Windows Media Center in Windows Operating Systems
64
Legacy Device Summary
Support for ODM customization
Low
Operating System Support
Windows XP or later versions of Windows
with Media Center
Connection
USB Only
Emulation Devices
―Emulation devices‖ are devices which emulate the firmware of the legacy devices. For these
devices, the software is provided by Microsoft, but the hardware and firmware design is entirely
up to the hardware developers. Because the software is entirely provided by Microsoft, the
hardware must communicate with the software in a fixed format. This option allows ODMs to
focus on cost-reducing the hardware without incurring the cost of producing any software.
To build an emulation device, the OEM has to design and build the hardware according to the IR
Receiver Hardware Requirements noted in this document. OEMs must program the firmware
Wake key when the PC is in low power state. OEMs will not need to provide any software drivers.
The software for legacy devices is distributed with the Windows operating system, so no
additional software download/install is necessary for customers.
Emulation Device Summary
Design Cost
Moderate to High
BOM Cost
Up to ODM
Risk
Low to Moderate
Support for ODM customization
Low to Moderate
Operating System Support
Windows Vista or later
Connection
USB Only
Port Driver Devices
Port driver devices allow the hardware manufacturer almost complete freedom in designing their
hardware. The cost of the freedom is that the manufacturer must provide a piece of software – a
port driver – that can communicate with the hardware. The software is moderately difficult to
write, but it allows the OEM freedom to do things such as:
 Connecting via busses other than USB
 Integrating the IR receiver into other peripherals
 Adding additional functionality into the device
Port driver devices give the OEM the greatest degree of freedom, but they incur the greatest
amount of risk and the greatest up-front design cost. In many cases, building a port-driver device
is the best choice, but the decision should not be taken lightly.
To build a port driver device, the OEM has to design and build the hardware according to the IR
Receiver Hardware Requirements. OEMs need to design the firmware to communicate with the
PC using whatever communication they desire. OEMs need to write a port driver that runs on the
PC and communicates with the hardware. They need to program the firmware to respond to the
Wake key when the PC is in low-power state. Because the OEM is responsible for writing the port