In order to control my Sony NEX-5 camera through the IR transmitter from my Android phone easily, I created a simple IR remote controller and named it “EVILRemote”. It’s an open source project for which you can download the Android installer (.apk) and the source code.

You can replace the IR signal sound wave file in the source code with others to control any other camera or device with IR remote capability.

To control your Sony NEX-5 or other compatible camera with this app, you need a IR transmitter that uses the headphone jack, which is easy to build by yourself (or you can purchase one). Here is what my  IR converter looks like:

For more information on building your own IR converter, please refer to my blog article  “Create a LEGO IR Remote Transmitter with headphone jack for Sony NEX-5”.

System Requirement

• Smartphones with Android system 2.2 (Froyo) or higher.
• Adobe certified smartphones with screen resolution 480 x 800 pixels; however, it should work on 320 x 480 screen.
• Adobe AIR run-time app which is freely available on Android Market.

Note: I only tested EVILRemote on following Android smartphones:

• HTC Desire
• HTC Desire HD
• Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY
• LG Optimus Black P970

Features

Basically, EVILRemote is a countdown timer app with an IR signal wave transmit function.

• Long Exposure:contains a timer setter and a Start/Stop toggle button. After setting the timer and pressing Start button, it will transmit an IR signal immediately to start the long exposure process. When countdown time’s up, it will fire another IR signal to stop the long exposure.

  

  If you press Stop button before time’s up, a confirm message will pop up on the screen. If you press ‘OK’, it will fire an IR signal to stop long exposure.

• Time-lapse: after you press the Start button, it will transmit the IR signal repeatedly until you press the Stop button.

  

• Shoot: provides a normal shoot and 2 seconds delay shoot mode.

  

Download EVILRemote installer and source code

I didn’t submit the EVILRemote app to Android Market yet, but you can download the .apk installer file here.

To install the EVILRemote.apk manually, you can copy the .apk file to your Android phone’s SD card, and go to Settings -> Application Settings and enable Unknown Sources on your Android phone.

EVILRemote app is made with Adobe Flash Builder 4.5, here is the source code in Flex .FXP format (ZIP compressed). You can download a trial version on Adobe’s Flash Builder product page, or request a free copy of this tool from Adobe Education website.

If you modify or improve the function from the source code, please also share it to public.

Credits

The Photos and Camera Lens icons used in this app came from PixeloPhilia2 icon set created by Omercetin, which is available on the deviantart website.

The Time Machine and Smiley Star icons below are part of Developpers Icons created by Sekkyumu, which is available on the deviantart website.

The above icons are also included in the app source code. Thanks to these graphics designers for making such gorgeous icons!

This app also uses Android UI Components for Flex 4.5 created by John Olson. These components ease building the user interface of mobile applications. And finally, special thanks to my friend Jim Kajpust who reviewed and edited the content of this app and my English blog.

I made an IR remote controller for NEX-5. Here is the picture:

It’s actually a “sound wave to infrared signal converter“. Before using it to control the NEX-5, you’ll have to “record” the IR signal and convert it into a sound wave. For more information about the IR recording process, please read this blog: “World’s cheapest remote control replicator: just 1$ !’ by jumpjack“.

I’ve already recorded the shutter release and the 2 second delay shutter release signal in WAV, AIFF and MP3 format (here is the zip compressed file). You can play back the sound file from any MP3 player, iPod/iPhone/iPad, Android phone, PSP,… to control your NEX-5.

Here is how the sound file looks like on the HTC Desire android phone:

Of course, this “controller” can be used to control almost any IR device, as long as you have the proper IR signal in sound wave format.

The schematic of the IR transmitter with  headphone jack is pretty simple, you only need two IR LEDs ( I got those from old remote controllers), and one stereo audio plug or jack:

By the way, there’s a problem with the IR port. If someone nearby is using a remote controller, your device might also react to the controller. That’s not good. Therefore, I think it’s better to make sure your controller is the only one that is commanding the device. My solution is simple: use a LEGO brick to cover the IR port, so it will not be interfered by other controllers.

Fortunately, the IR port on NEX-5 is just about the height of one LEGO brick:

We can put the IR LEDs below one brick, that’s the exact location of the IR sensor.

Here are the parts I use:

Here are the construction steps:

Solder the IR LEDs to audio jack:

The other side view:

Put them into one brick and stuff a small piece of eraser into the empty space behind the audio jack.

Finally, connect a stereo cable to the LEGO IR controller and MP3 player or a countdown timer application.

Here is the rear view of the construction:

I tried to connect the IR controller with a stereo Bluetooth headset to control NEX-5 wireless; however, it doesn’t work

The ping pong ball diffuser is a replica of the idea from virodri in dpreview foruum, and it works great!

A simple Time-lapse solution and Long Exposure solution

If you want to take a series of time-lapse photos, such as taking photos every 5 seconds, you can use a Sound Editing tool, like the free and open source Audacity, to add 5 seconds of silence (no sound) at the end of the IR sound wave.

After that, use your MP3 device to loop-play the sound wave… tadaaa, you just made a time-lapse remote controller!

For a long exposure, just set the alarm clock sound effect of your iPod or mobile phone to the IR wave file.

And finally, I’ve made a EVILRemote controller for the Android phone (Android 2.2 and above is required) which has to use with is IR device. The app is free and open source and you can compile the source code into iPhone / iPod touch app.

Have fun!