New Tortuga Audio Remote

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tortugaranger

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New Tortuga Audio Remote
« on: 3 Apr 2017, 03:06 pm »
I'm pleased to announce that we are coming out with an updated custom Tortuga Audio remote that will take the place of the Apple Remote!

The simple truth is that the Tortuga Audio preamp controller has outgrown the Apple Remote. As more features were added, navigating the controls with the simple generic Apple remote became more challenging. I'm convinced that the new Tortuga Audio remote will make controlling our preamps easier and more intuitive going forward.

When it's released the new Tortuga remote will work with both the new V25 controller board as well as our existing line of preamps built around the V2 controller (after a to-be-released firmware update to the V2's).

Artwork rendering of the new remote is shown below. What isn't obvious from this artwork is that the brown keyboard inlay is actually cherry wood veneer which lends a warm organic feel to what is otherwise yet another plastic remote.

 

The control pad/function list is currently as listed below. If you have questions or suggestions for changes/additions based on your experience with our preamps please post your thoughts on this thread.

0/1 - power on/off toggle
mono - mono mode on/off toggle
rev - reverse polarity on/off toggle (for balanced units wired appropriately)
mute - mute on/off toggle
L - left
R - right
U - up (raise)
D - down (lower)
In1 - input #1
In2 - input #2
In3 - input #3
In4 - input #4
In5 - input #5
In6 - input #6
Cal - calibration mode
Imp - impedance mode
Disp - display mode
MVol - max volume on input change
A - options
B - options

Randy

Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #1 on: 3 Apr 2017, 04:40 pm »
Morten, great. I've been waiting for it and thought you might have put it on the back burner indefinitely. My problem with the apple was that I kept losing it, it was so small. I fixed that by taping it to my CDP remote. Looks weird but it worked. The Mono switch is a great idea.

Randy

glynnw

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #2 on: 3 Apr 2017, 05:17 pm »
Good move.  Are ya gonna take trade-ins  :lol:

TJHUB

Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #3 on: 3 Apr 2017, 05:45 pm »
Looks like a nice remote, and while I'm likely to buy one, the little Apple remote works well for me.  I don't change inputs ever, and my settings have long been dialed in.  You did a decent job on the last remote changes.  My only complaint is that I can't seem to shake the want to press the center select button to turn the preamp on.

P.S.  The inlay should be black or faux brushed aluminum...  :wink:

doggie

Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #4 on: 17 Oct 2017, 02:58 am »
How is it going with the remote?

I am still having issues with my remote actuating my Apple TV.

Two nights ago I nearly purchased a movie while adjusting my preamp. No kidding!

RDavidson

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #5 on: 17 Oct 2017, 03:39 am »
Looks pretty good. From a designer's perspective, I'd remove the "L,R, U, D" letters. They're redundant and only add visual clutter. Anyone buying a sophisticated electronic device should know how to use a directional pad without the use of "L,R,U,D" printed on an otherwise nice remote. I'd also put the power button in the upper left. That's naturally where we're taught to start reading something (in the written sense), so this learned behavior has carry-over to input devices like remotes.

Just giving you some critical feedback. :D

tortugaranger

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #6 on: 18 Oct 2017, 12:44 pm »
The new remote is going to happen but it's been put on the back burner while we get through some other development projects.

doggie

Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #7 on: 19 Oct 2017, 01:10 pm »
Thanks.

Any tips for keeping my Tortuga remote from activating my version2 Apple TV?

When I use the Apple TV it does not activate my Tortuga.

uncola

Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #8 on: 22 Oct 2017, 09:26 pm »
not sure this applies to the current gen appletv but this might help

https://www.administrivia.com/resources/apple-tv-pairing-and-unpairing-the-apple-remote/

OCD

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #9 on: 23 Oct 2017, 05:12 am »
Hi,

Make the on/off discrete commands....not a toggle.

Toggles are a pain in the backside to implement in good IR systems.

Just my 2c worth.

Cheers

tortugaranger

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #10 on: 30 Oct 2017, 01:28 pm »
not sure this applies to the current gen appletv but this might help

https://www.administrivia.com/resources/apple-tv-pairing-and-unpairing-the-apple-remote/

Hi Uncola,

Thanks for the heads up on this.

Doggie, have you tried this and did it make a difference?

The reason the Apple remote has 256 different ID numbers which can be changed in case of conflict is to avoid this very problem. An Apple customer should be able to operate 256 Apple TV's with 256 different remotes without conflicts. Once properly paired the Apple device should ignore all Apple remotes except for the one it's paired with. This is exactly how it works when  we pair a Tortuga Audio preamp with an Apple remote. It only responds to that one Apple remote with 1 of 256 different ID numbers.

tortugaranger

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #11 on: 30 Oct 2017, 01:47 pm »
Hi,

Make the on/off discrete commands....not a toggle.

Toggles are a pain in the backside to implement in good IR systems.

Just my 2c worth.

Cheers

Hi OCD,

I appreciate the input. With separate on/off buttons there's no abiguity. On means on and off means off. With a single power toggle button there's the possibility of rapid on/off cycling if the button is held down too long.

Having dealt with IR commands and their decoding at the most basic programming level a good IR control system should be indifferent. With proper programming of the receiving device (basically a reasonable delay between decoding of toggle button inputs) practical problems can be avoided. Of course that takes some extra engineering/testing to work out the timing.

Cheers,
Morten

OCD

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #12 on: 3 Nov 2017, 03:22 am »
Hi OCD,

I appreciate the input. With separate on/off buttons there's no abiguity. On means on and off means off. With a single power toggle button there's the possibility of rapid on/off cycling if the button is held down too long.

Having dealt with IR commands and their decoding at the most basic programming level a good IR control system should be indifferent. With proper programming of the receiving device (basically a reasonable delay between decoding of toggle button inputs) practical problems can be avoided. Of course that takes some extra engineering/testing to work out the timing.

Cheers,
Morten

Yeah no worries.

Another thing is to publish the IR codes in HEX and other formats, it just makes things easy.

On the subject of IR control, can the current V25 board be controlled by a non apple remote? I have a URC MX 980 which I can put the Apple codes into via a pc(the codes are in the URC data base), so I would assume that would work.

Cheers

Mitch

tortugaranger

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Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #13 on: 3 Nov 2017, 02:24 pm »
Yeah no worries.

Another thing is to publish the IR codes in HEX and other formats, it just makes things easy.

On the subject of IR control, can the current V25 board be controlled by a non apple remote? I have a URC MX 980 which I can put the Apple codes into via a pc(the codes are in the URC data base), so I would assume that would work.

Cheers

Mitch


Any programmable remote that can emulate the silver Apple remote codes should work. I've not published the Apple IR codes since this is already info in the public domain but will put it on the  To Do list for our oinline documentation.

doggie

Re: New Tortuga Audio Remote
« Reply #14 on: 4 Nov 2017, 12:21 pm »
Hi Uncola,

Thanks for the heads up on this.

Doggie, have you tried this and did it make a difference?

The reason the Apple remote has 256 different ID numbers which can be changed in case of conflict is to avoid this very problem. An Apple customer should be able to operate 256 Apple TV's with 256 different remotes without conflicts. Once properly paired the Apple device should ignore all Apple remotes except for the one it's paired with. This is exactly how it works when  we pair a Tortuga Audio preamp with an Apple remote. It only responds to that one Apple remote with 1 of 256 different ID numbers.

Thanks. I gave it a try and it did help. Now when I first hit the preamp remote power-up button my ATV still flickers in response but using the volume and balance buttons no longer cause a response from the ATV.

I will not be renting the Smurfs movie by accident  :-)