[GMINI]

I just tried to change the channel on tv with my MINI key. Just reached into my pocket and pressed it, absent mindedly expecting the channel to change.

Instead I'm still watching some lame Hal Hartley flick.

So what the heck? Who makes a universal upgrade for the MINI key?

[cooper4us]

The MINI's lockset (Keys, lock, keyless entry system) is manufactured by Valeo of France

[GMINI]

I guess.

[GadgetGav]

GMINI, unless you've got radio remotes for your TV, why would this work..? The MINI is RF remote and most TVs are IR. IR needs line of sight which is inconvienient in a car remote (although I used to have an old aftermarket alarm system that used it!).
Try places like smarthome.com if you want a learning RF remote. I'm not sure they exist, but that's probably a good place to look.

[GMINI]

I mean I was just really having a chuckle over it. But I bet RF uses a lot less energy, though. I never seem to have tripleAs around when i need them. (conversely they abound when i don't).

Cheers!

[noahe]

One caution. If you press the button on the MINI key more than I think 10? times out of range of the car, then the code-rolling remote is out of sequence with the expected digital code. You then need to press the button twice to get the car to acknowledge the key.

If you press the button 100? times out of range of the car, then the code-rolling sequence is exhausted, and the car needs to be re-syncronized with the car. (I dunno if this involves just opening and starting the car with the actual key in the lock, or a trip to the dealer).

Basically, all the keys use the same frequency. They also transmit a sequence of digital number. The number, plus the sequence is long enough to ensure that there are over 16 million combinations.

So, when you use the key, the key transmits say 2 fairly large numbers to the car. The car is expecting either these two numbers, or any other 2 sequential numbers in the fairly large set of numbers they've agreed on. New number sets are randomly added to the end of the list, after a successful lock or unlock signal.

There's a TON more info on this here on MINI2, do a search if this kind of brain boggling stuff appeals to you.

[Racer]

Quote:

Originally posted by GadgetGav
GMINI, unless you've got radio remotes for your TV, why would this work..? The MINI is RF remote and most TVs are IR. IR needs line of sight which is inconvienient in a car remote (although I used to have an old aftermarket alarm system that used it!).
Try places like smarthome.com if you want a learning RF remote. I'm not sure they exist, but that's probably a good place to look.

try x10.com as well they have RF to IR converters