Slink-e is a model of device designed, built, and sold by Nirvis Systems which allows you to control things such as TVs and VCRs and CD players with your computer and control your computer with an infrared remote control. It attaches to your computer via an RS-232 serial port and creates and receives infrared remote control signals and S-link Control-S and Control-A1 II signals. S-link is a protocol developed by Sony that is used in some high-end audio visual equipment to accept electronic commands.
As a bonus, Slink-e also has a parallel port like the one you find on traditional ISA computers. You can use it to communicate with parallel port devices such as printers, or to have 8 digital input or output lines.
Slink-e was originally an S-link interface. That explains its name. IR was added on.
Slink-e is a great tool for engineers. It is actually a very basic interface device, and gives a programmer low level control over the various ports. Slink-e doesn't conceal any complexity from you; all the complexity lies in the program that drives the other end of the serial line, which gives the engineer great flexibility. This manual not only completely describes the programming interface to the last detail, but also everything you need to know about IR signalling to use it.
The Slinketools package provides all the software needed to drive the Slink-e (serial port) via a Linux system and provide high level IR functions. There is an interactive program for talking to the Slink-e, a daemon program to allow automated processes to access the Slink-e, and a programming library so you can write your own programs. The code is all in Perl, so you can easily see how it works and adapt it. (Slinketools provides minimal function for the non-IR functions of Slink-e, but only because there hasn't been any demand for it).
Slinketools is an independent effort by Bryan Henderson (with help from others). It never came with Slink-e or was related to Nirvis in any way.
Nirvis sold the Slink-e for many years, but ultimately sold the rights to it to Microsoft. After that, it retained the right to continue making and selling it for three years, which came to an end June 30, 2004. Microsoft apparently has no intention of making Slink-e or supporting it in any way.
At the end, Nirvis was selling Slink-e for $258 (including shipping; plus sales tax in California). Several home automation companies resold it for about the same price, and they have been seen on Ebay for around $200.
The final version of Slink-e is called Slink-e Version 3.0, but there have been at least 2 others in history (Version 1 and Version 2). Version 1 is notable in that it has only one IR (infrared) zone and no Control-S capability, whereas the current model has 8 IR zones and Control-S. Version 1 also lacks the ability of later models to store startup defaults in EEPROM.
The IR signalling functions of Slink-e are compatible with Xantech IR equipment. Xantech developed a protocol for relaying IR signals through wires before Slink-e was born. Xantech equipment lets you do things such as put your CD player out of sight of your remote control. You run an electrical wire to the CD player and attach it to an IR emitter that shines on the CD's IR receiver. You run the other end of the wire to a special IR receiver. You point your remote at that receiver and it relays your commands to the CD player. You can insert a Slink-e into such a network, and use Xantech equipment to complete your Slink-e based IR system.