Wireless pageturn buttons

[iatheia]

Having preordered an Android based ereader that (unfortunately) doesn't have page turn buttons, I decided to do a few experiments on my phone first to see if I could fix this issue by having remote buttons instead, so it would still be possible to read in bed without getting the hands from under the blanket.

Solution - Powerpoint slide advancer (something like this) + microusb/usb(f) adapter (like this). Worked flawlessly with Moon+ (it maps them the same as the volume buttons), straight out of the box immediately after the connection, no additional software or rooting required.

[nhedgehog]

Interesting idea but You should check it out with the actual Ereader. Those I know which have OTG, they need an USB external powersource to work with it. So a powered OTG cable would be needed.

[iatheia]

I'm not entirely sure I understand. Wireless presenters have 2 components - receiver (with buttons) and transmitter. Receiver is usually powered by a battery. Transmitter is powered via a USB connection, so it is feeding off of a device itself.
But, of course I will test it out with an ereader. I preordered Illumina XL, so when that arrives in December I will post an update. So far, though, it works wonderfully on my phone.

[HarryT]

Surely the unit you hold in your hand with the buttons on it is the transmitter, isn't it, and the receiver is the unit that plugs into the PC or tablet?

[iatheia]

Eh, fair enough, got confused in terminology.

[Rizla]

Great idea. I've been thinking about this for a while. Hands-free reading!

[DiapDealer]

I've always wanted something like this for treadmill reading.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Great idea. I've been thinking about this for a while. Hands-free reading!

Well, you're not holding the reader, but you're presumably still going to use your hand to press the button on the controller.

[nhedgehog]

Originally Posted by iatheia

I'm not entirely sure I understand. Wireless presenters have 2 components - receiver (with buttons) and transmitter. Receiver is usually powered by a battery. Transmitter is powered via a USB connection, so it is feeding off of a device itself.
But, of course I will test it out with an ereader. I preordered Illumina XL, so when that arrives in December I will post an update. So far, though, it works wonderfully on my phone.

USB out on Android devices is often not powered. Often as in most of the Android Ereaders. So the need of a powered OTG-cable.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by nhedgehog

USB out on Android devices is often not powered. Often as in most of the Android Ereaders. So the need of a powered OTG-cable.

It can, though, supply small amounts of power, which is all that would be required for an IR receiver. Devices like a mouse, a keyboard, and a USB memory stick have worked fine on the USB OTG systems I've tried them with. You'd certainly need a powered cable for something like an external hard disk, but the very modest power requirements of an IR receiver should be able to be handled by a standard cable.

[nhedgehog]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It can, though, supply small amounts of power, which is all that would be required for an IR receiver. Devices like a mouse, a keyboard, and a USB memory stick have worked fine on the USB OTG systems I've tried them with. You'd certainly need a powered cable for something like an external hard disk, but the very modest power requirements of an IR receiver should be able to be handled by a standard cable.

Tested on Boyue T62 and confirmed by others:
OTG working only with additional powersource: keyboard, mouse, flashdrive
If OTG is used without powersource and the device is drawing too much current there is a possibility of frying the device. It happens sometime (see above link to the cable). OTG powerout is not specified on any ereader I know of, so the hardware may not be prepared to handle it.

The aforementioned Wireless Presenter is working on 2.4 GHz. That is not infrared but the same frequency traditional WLAN is broadcasted. I guess the dongle needs more power than infrared but not sure about it.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Well, you're not holding the reader, but you're presumably still going to use your hand to press the button on the controller.

Actually, no. I would like to control page-turns with my teeth, or possibly my arm-pits. I also have ape-like toes that are capable of pressing buttons, except that they are quite hairless. So the solution would indeed be hands-free. I am in fact typing this message with my nose.

[iatheia]

Finally got an ereader to test this with, and just like with the phone it did work perfectly. It is battery hungry, though, in just about 2 hours it drained ~10% of the total battery.