What programming languages are used for multi media remotes?

Question

Title basically surmises the question, but just to clarify. What language or languages are used for programming remotes for multimedia setups like home theater systems? Is it a scripting language? Are there SDKs?

Here's an example I'm pondering. Someone wants a high end theater installed. They get A/V consultants to come in and have the remote do something special, like dim the lights, turn the TV on in 5 minutes and switch inputs. All of this seems custom to the client. Does the A/V consultant go back to the shop, tell his requirements to the programmer and the programmer rights some assembly to make it happen?

Answer 1

The language is most likely Assembly (maybe C if your lucky). Don't expect to see a remote that uses a scripting language. Scripting Languages are great for writing everyday programs but when it comes to writing software to interface to hardware you run into a wall. Scripting Languages try to protect you from low-level stuff (like pointers). When writing software for a remote you need low-level stuff.

I wouldn't expect to see anything like the .NET Mircoframework for the remote (unless the remote was made specially for that).

Answer 2

A remote is almost certainly perceived of as a device, not a programming platform. This means that the programming will be done in a way that is cheapest to fit into the device, since the cost of getting the programming done is much less than the cost of giving every device additional computational power. The remote is almost certainly not capable of being reprogrammed in any other way than swapping out a chip or larger component.

There are software development kits for programming chips used as microcontrollers, although they're not likely to have special features for remotes and the like. They're likely to come from the chip vendor, although I've seen third-party kits for sale. They may not be cheap: when you're going to ship a half-million units you're probably doing everything you can to get production costs down and not caring as much about the fixed costs.

Answer 3

You can buy programmable remotes which can learn some pretty advanced control sequences. Take a look at the links in this Coding Horror post which recommends Logitech harmony remotes