Just checked my Club 30. No IR module.

Murugan wrote on 2022-05-01, 11:56:

Just checked my Club 30. No IR module.

Thanks, really appreciate it!
I welcome anyone else with a similar model to check and report back on their IR situation 😀

Hi, so I just opened up my Packard Bell Club 40, and the IR window is just a blanking plate, no sensor. Additionally, I checked the motherboard header connections for the front panel switches, LEDs, and there's no IR provision anywhere, so would assume any model with this PB850 / FR500 motherboard isn't going to have IR either. I'm sure there's an updated Super Socket 7 version of this motherboard FR510/FR520? that also has SDRAM slots, maybe that has IR capability?

These pictures show header terminals, and behind front panel switches/LEDs, sensor window.

Thanks for checking Dave!

I didn't even think before to check for IR headers on the mainboard. Will do next time when I'm opening the case.

BigDave wrote on 2023-01-15, 10:27:

Hi, so I just opened up my Packard Bell Club 40, and the IR window is just a blanking plate, no sensor. Additionally, I checked […]
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Hi, so I just opened up my Packard Bell Club 40, and the IR window is just a blanking plate, no sensor. Additionally, I checked the motherboard header connections for the front panel switches, LEDs, and there's no IR provision anywhere, so would assume any model with this PB850 / FR500 motherboard isn't going to have IR either. I'm sure there's an updated Super Socket 7 version of this motherboard FR510/FR520? that also has SDRAM slots, maybe that has IR capability?

These pictures show header terminals, and behind front panel switches/LEDs, sensor window.

IMG_20230115_094052_MP~2.jpg
IMG_20230115_094301_MP~2.jpg
IMG_20230115_094452_MP~2.jpg

FR520 would not have been used in one of these desktop cases, they'd stopped using this case by the time the FR520 was introduced.

I'd rather suspect it would have been the Intel MU440EX 'Maui', as that was definitely used in this case by PB (that was the config of my system when I worked at PB in 2000) and it supports IR. No idea what software it would have used though.

dionb wrote on 2023-01-28, 00:13:

FR520 would not have been used in one of these desktop cases, they'd stopped using this case by the time the FR520 was introduced.

I'd rather suspect it would have been the Intel MU440EX 'Maui', as that was definitely used in this case by PB (that was the config of my system when I worked at PB in 2000) and it supports IR. No idea what software it would have used though.

You're absolutely right, I took a look at the Intel MU440EX 'Maui' PB880/PB885 motherboard on UKT, and it does indeed have front panel IR header support.
http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/pb/mb/880.htm

The front panel header connections by #pin:

1 HD LED Pullup
2 Front panel green LED
3 Hard disk active LED
4 Front panel yellow LED
5 Ground
6 Front panel on-off button
7 Front panel reset button
8 Ground
9 Infrared power
10 Not connected
11 IrDA serial input
12 Ground
13 Ground
14 Not connected (pin removed)
15 IrDA serial output
16 Power

I guess these Slot 1 based 'Clubs' like you had, were the premium models then, having IR and Integrated ATI rage Pro graphics with dedicated 2mb/4mb memory, better than my SiS5598 with upto 4mb 'shared' memory.

Is this the remote it came with?

Packard Bell certainly seemed to embrace the multimedia possibilities better than most PC suppliers, and must have been an exciting company to work for at that time?.
I came across the mediaselect unit which sat underneath the monitor on older systems, a sort of 'wired' remote control, which uses a loopthru to the PS2 Mouse port.

I also found an old picture of a PB system for sale which seemed to have an IR sensor window built into the front of the mouse? Can't find the picture again now, damn Google.

pbagain wrote on 2023-01-27, 22:04:

Thanks for checking Dave!

I didn't even think before to check for IR headers on the mainboard. Will do next time when I'm opening the case.

You're welcome pbagain.
It seems based on what #dionb said, that there were some higher spec models with a 'MAUI' PB880/885 motherboard, but using the same 4x4 Facelift desktop 'Club' case, hence why our Club machines have the sensor window, but no sensor.

In my previous post, I mentioned I'd found a picture of some slightly older Packard Bell systems that came with a remote control, but had their R/C sensors built into the PS2 mouse. I found it, it's actually part of an old PC World flyer, so I cropped out the relevant section so you can see what I mean...

Yes, I've seen that mouse before! One of those cool-but-weird ideas typical of Packard Bell I guess.

Can't find much info about it, might be quite rare by now. Not at all like the separate serial port IR receiver that's still available everywhere:

I'd seen the remote, but never the serial sensor, that is until the recent YouTube video by RMC, they're doing an older PB multimedia restore. They showed this R/C set which had been donated. As you say cool, but weird.

Everywhere? I can't find one, or the microphone. I was just thinking you could get this set, and add the sensor PCB from it to our club machines IR window, direct connect to the serial internally, and have R/C! ...or is that crazy idea?

P.S. I like the way that Packard Bell carried over the ribbed design onto even the peripherals of that time, right down to that serial R/C sensor!

So as a clue to track down models more likely to have it. Across all brands of machines the common components likely to obviate and thus include IR functionality were MPEG cards and TV Tuners. There was also a fad for audio IR control started by SoundBlaster when they had multimedia package that integrated a control with the CDROM drive, and a few "me toos" around 95/96

pbagain wrote on 2023-02-12, 14:00:

Yes, I've seen that mouse before! One of those cool-but-weird ideas typical of Packard Bell I guess.

Can't find much info about it, might be quite rare by now. Not at all like the separate serial port IR receiver that's still available everywhere:
pbremote.jpg

Sorry pbagain, been away from here for over a year, lots of work, personal problems and recently, too many projects. I hope you're still around, and keeping well. I found your PM from January, but the site won't let me reply without becoming an active member again, understandable. So firstly, thank you for your kind words and encouragement. To answer your question, I am still working on the Packard Bell, I finally found what I believe is the correct boot disk and master CD, and have that installed, and over the last year have acquired some of the Packard Bell items (amongst others!) I wanted, in order to re-create the sort of system bundle as it might've been.

Now I'm back I'll make a post with some pictures, but excited to mention that one of the items is the Packard Bell Fast Media IR remote control and serial IR sensor. Unfortunately, it didn't come with any software, and I haven't a clue as to what software / drivers I need exactly to get it working with my Win98 PB Club 40. Can anyone help with that?

Hi Dave, great to see you back on the forum! Hope things have gotten better for you, or will be soon.

I also haven't been active with my Packard Bell for a while. I did acquire a PackMate: a slightly older and smaller case than the Club that has the wavy design integrated in the front panel. It needed a mainboard replacement, however my new mb and riser didn't really fit well in the case so I made some 3d-printed backplate customizations. I'll try to post an update about that sometime soon.

Would love to hear how you get on with installation using the master CD. I also got that external/serial IR receiver some time ago, but haven't used it yet. Will let you know if I find out anything about drivers.

I have a boxed version of that remote, receiver, manual, and floppy disk.

The box is plain and marked ms 3750 keyboard remote cont rol for assembly.

pbagain wrote on 2024-05-17, 08:31:

Hi Dave, great to see you back on the forum! Hope things have gotten better for you, or will be soon.

I also haven't been active with my Packard Bell for a while. I did acquire a PackMate: a slightly older and smaller case than the Club that has the wavy design integrated in the front panel. It needed a mainboard replacement, however my new mb and riser didn't really fit well in the case so I made some 3d-printed backplate customizations. I'll try to post an update about that sometime soon.

Would love to hear how you get on with installation using the master CD. I also got that external/serial IR receiver some time ago, but haven't used it yet. Will let you know if I find out anything about drivers.

Hi, it's great to hear from you too, you were so welcoming to me when I joined last year. It was quite frustrating, as I got your IM, but the site wouldn't let me reply, in fact it still won't, probably because I've not contributed enough yet, so just hoped that you didn't think I was ignoring you in the meantime.
PackMate? not heard of those, that's a new one on me, yes I'd be interested to see it, and how you get on with that, and so jealous you have a 3D printer! . The installation of the Master CD's itself was relatively straightforward, it was all the stuff I had to do beforehand to make that work that was the problem, it took me months, and lots of trial and error to find all the right CD's and matching boot floppy, and then there's all that Tattoo thing, but eventually got it all working. I've also managed to find all the software that would've originally come supplied with the system, albeit mostly non original. Eventually, I hope to get it all setup as a proper system, and make a Youtube video covering the system restoration, and the whole tattoo / OS installation process, but at the moment busy in my spare time doing an Arcade 1up conversion, and learning my new, old computer, a 1985 Amstrad PCW8256.
Yes, if you have any info on the drivers for the remote that'd be great, it would be the ultimate thing to have that working as well for the true multimedia experience. I did look through the archive.org, but couldn't find anything.

Unknown_K wrote on 2024-05-17, 09:17:

I have a boxed version of that remote, receiver, manual, and floppy disk.

The box is plain and marked ms 3750 keyboard remote cont rol for assembly.

Wow! I'd almost given up hope on finding the drivers for R/C, been looking for months. Thank you for taking the time to image the floppy disk, I'm sure there's a few people out that'll be very pleased to have this if it works. I'll have to test it out when I get an opportunity, in the meantime, is there any chance you could also scan the instructions if it's not too much trouble? Cheers.

I did find a picture showing the complete kit, is this the same as yours?

There is a loose white disk with tape on both sides for mounting the reciever.

Unknown_K wrote on 2024-05-23, 05:34:

There is a loose white disk with tape on both sides for mounting the reciever.

Sounds like you're lucky enough to have a NOS boxed PB R/C set then, cool. I guess it's a plain box, as perhaps they were only included as part of a system bundle, rather than a device you could buy separately retail. Now I think about it, in most of the pictures I've seen of this R/C, and even Billy Coore's videos (YT: Nostalgia Mall) the sensor is stuck to the top of the monitor so makes sense they would include the sticker.

Would it be possible for you to please scan the instructions?

I think I can get around to making a PDF of the manual.

Unknown_K wrote on 2024-05-23, 08:02:

I think I can get around to making a PDF of the manual.

Thank you, that would be very helpful, at least then I'll know that I've got it setup correctly.