Universal remote

gundy74 · Jan 12, 2007

i read that a camera can be triggered using a universal TV remote in place of the proper IR remote. does anyone know any codes for the Nikon D50? seems like something cool to try.

heres the link:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1881540,00.asp

Sw1tchFX · Jan 12, 2007

that's cool.

britonk · Jan 13, 2007

You sure what you have read is not that a universal remote can fire a camera if you get the remote to "learn" the IR code from the original remote?

If you are going to try it don't forget the D50 needs to be in remote shoot mode (hold the clock button next to the shutter button and turn the control dial next to your right thumb).

RacePhoto · Jan 13, 2007

britonk said:
You sure what you have read is not that a universal remote can fire a camera if you get the remote to "learn" the IR code from the original remote?

If you are going to try it don't forget the D50 needs to be in remote shoot mode (hold the clock button next to the shutter button and turn the control dial next to your right thumb).

Nope, Yup, thanks for the tip on setting the camera.

The article basically says this.

Hold set button on the UNIVERSAL REMOTE until the led stays on, which means it's in search code mode. (that's the kind that you can program for almost any TV or VCR and other devices)

Then depending on the remote, some you use the channel +, some the volume +, some the power button, you press, press, press... until it does something. In the case of TVs usually shuts off the TV, with camera's I'd have no clue yet. If it trips the shutter, there's magic in the air.

Then you press the SET button, and it saves the remote control with that particular IR device code.

(You might try all this on that old Furby some day?)

The article goes on to say, you could set VCR for a different camera, and be able save that code as well.

ALSO: one comment said the searching through codes has been known to lock up a camera until the batter was removed.

Happy hunting!

This method might work on any device that has a remote IR control device enabled. Sounds like fun.

ps Really on the cheap, I've seen universal remotes at Dollar Tree and other stores for a buck. I'm not always confident about dollar toys, but it's sure cheap fun?