A friend of mine came yesterday to me asking if I can do something for him to control WinAmp via a Remote Control. After some searching I found a very simple to build IR receiver using the serial port on LIRC official page so I started to gather the components from our local electronics shop. It costed me around 1.5$ so it was also cheap enough 
.
The schematic is
and the components are as follows :
- IC1 = 78L05, 5V regulator
- IC2 = TSOP1738 , IR receiver
- D1 = 1N4148
- C1 = 4.7uF
- R1 = 4.7K
- one male or female (depends on your configuration/cables) serial (DB9,RS232) connector
I choosed to put all components on air and in the serial connector’s box (photos below).
The pinouts of the 9-pins connector are :
- 1 = DCD (Carrier Detect)
- 2 = RXD (Receive Data)
- 3 = TXD (Transmit Data)
- 4 = DTR (Data Terminal Ready)
- 5 = GND (Ground)
- 6 = DSR (Data Set Ready)
- 7 = RTS (Request To Send)
- 8 = CTS (Clear To Send)
- 9 = RI (Ring Indicator)
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| TSOP1738 pinouts |
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| the starting materials |
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| during construction |
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| inside the box |
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| the final product |
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| the remote controls I use |
- Girder – free trial, can be buyed for about 40$
- WinLirc if you are on Windows and Lirc if you are on an UNIX platform -freeware
- WinAmp Plugin for WinLirc
- BSPlayer – a very good video player, it have a built-in support for WinLirc
(Edited) As a remote control you can use almost all universal remote controls (you must know its working code for the TSOP1738, for the one from the attached picture the code is 081) and most of the domestic (videorecorder, tv …) remote controls. To see if one is working open WinLirc, press Reconfigure and then Raw Codes. If when you press a button on your remote control you see lots of numbers there then it means it is working.
(Edited) To add a status LED to your receiver, just make the schematic below (I tested it last week and it went ok). The disadvantage of this is that you’ll need a battery so it can run ok.
Just click the image to see it larger
References :
uhhh what do you use as a remote?
Thank you for the comment, I just updated the article
. If you have more question please ask.
Nice one! I did this about a year ago, and it works great with AutoHotkey scripts. I use it for WMP with auto hotkey translating the tcp/ip port into windows commands (up, down, etc).
Andrew he just use a normal IR tv remote controller.
Anyway funny and nice project!
Instead of a serial port, can you make it into a USB?
Yes, you can use also the USB but it is a little more complicated as it needs a microcontroller. Here is the best link I found on the net : http://www.cesko.host.sk/IgorPlugUSB/IgorPlug-USB%20(AVR)_eng.htm
Hope this helps
Regards
I’ve been looking at making a receiver like this for awhile… could you detail the connections you made at the serial connector?
Every serial connector have some small numbers above all 9 pins so you should solder (using the circuit schematics) DCD to pin 1, GND to pin 1 and RTS to pin 7.
The pinouts for TSOP1738 are in one of the above images : OUT = Data, Vs = VCC and the GND(ground) = GND.
Hope this helps
why my diy ¼tÍâ¾€½ÓÊÕÆ÷ cannot use my remote is harmon kardon avr25 I want 2 use in geexbox. please help
I never heard of that type. Please be aware that only remotes on 38KHz are working with the TSOP1738 sensor.
Hope this helps
is it ok if I use this IR
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049727&cp=2032058.2032230.2032279&allCount=27&fbn=Type%2FIC-Analog&f=PAD%2FProduct+Type%2FIC-Analog&fbc=1&parentPage=family
instead????
Hmm … I tried to find the datasheets for it and didn’t find what I was looking for so, to be honest I don’t know if you can use this as a replacement. I recommend you to use the TSOP IC which, by the way, it is cheaper(less than 1$, at least here at my local shop).
Regards
Hi,
thanks for the response.
did you find the TSOP IC at radio shack?
Sorry to bother but im really interested in this project is perfect for kernel programming which im learing now.
Dude thanks for all your help I found the TSOP inside a directTV box. its a TSOP1738
You’re welcomed
Happy building
dude im really sorry but I have one last doubt I got all the components but I’m not so sure about the cables. the cables are bought are
Rainbow wire,4 conductors
24 gauge, Solid.
Is that cable good for it or did I waste my money???
I really appreciate your help
Greetings,
wel.
To be honest with you I have no idea what that cable is, the connector should be like this one : http://support.axiolearning.org/images/kyc/desktop/serial.jpg
HTH
Sorin
Hi Guyz
I have a question. You build this up with a TSOP1738.
Do anyone know if this one or better the frequency 38KHz is the only one for remote controls? In my opinion there are some more? Is there any possibility to build up an IR Control for different frequencies. Perhaps to build this circuit up with three different TSOPs.
Thanks for answering.
Yours Alex
Ordered required parts today
Does anybody know what the maximal lenght of the cable is?
Best Regards
For Alex : You are right, 38kHz remote controls are only the most used (European standard). Look at http://www.vishay.com/docs/82044/82044.pdf and you’ll see that they provide photo detectors also for 30,33,36,36.7,40,56kHz.
For Ahnor : the longest cable I build with was 175 cm (about 69 inches) and it works ok.
Hope this helps
Regards
Sorin
Hi trimbitas
I tried connecting that ckt once to the serial
port(male part) of the computer , i was using my
own codes for TSOP 1738 emitted by the IR
transmitter for which the pulses were generated by
ATMEL ATmega8 , but didnt get it working properly
Should this happen ? Any suggestion ?
Thanks
Hello,
I don’t know much about your project but 2 questions :
1)are you sure that the IR LED(emiter) works on same frequency as the TSOP1738?
2)open WinLirc, set the right COM port and press raw codes button, if you’ll see lots of numbers while your circuit is up&running then the signals from ATmega8 are ok.
Hope this helps
Trimbitas Sorin:
Thanks for your reply, since then i built two cables. one short, but one with about 8 meters length. i used a telephone cable for this, and it works great.
best regards
Wow, I didn’t expected it to be ok so long
Gidday, I’ve just constructed the IR receiver as per instructions on .
On the lirc site it says to solder ground to pin 5 (common ground) but you say to wire it to pin 1 (which is DCD).
Does this make much of a difference? I can get the receiver to work in Windows (using WinLirc) but i jump back into linux and I get nothing when I ‘cat /dev/lirc/0′ or ‘cat /dev/ttyS0′ (after rmmod lirc_serial, and a modprobe 8250) and still nothing … Just wondering if wiring ground to DCD will help at all (even tho it works fine in Windows)
Thanks for any help you could provide
Good day,
Hmmm …. where did you saw that I soldered the ground to DCD? In the schematics GND goes to the pin5 (GND).Change it as in the schematic and it should work.
Regards
Enjoy the Sunday
Sorin
Hmm. you should show us how to set up Winlirc! Bye bye: ) nice guide
Hey,
Very interesting project, except i cannot get mine to work
I built it as your design ubt cannot get any response into WinLIRC. As i live in Austrlaia i had to get the only IR reciever i could find. (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZD1952&CATID=&keywords=ZD1952&SPECIAL=&form=KEYWORD&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=)
any thoughts?
Andy I was looking to do the same project, as I’m also in Australia I couldnt find the IR Receiver, I did find some italian(?) guy who makes them and ships them for about $20 which was cheaper than I could order the parts.
Drop me an email at
my_nickname@gmail.com (replace my_nickname with.. well my nick name)
And I’ll dig the URL up and keep you posted on how the one I ordered performs when it gets here in a few days
can it be used to send/receive data from a cellphone with an infrared port?
To be honest with you … I don’t know, most of the cellphones, as far as I know, use TFDS4500 and TFDU4100 chips for sending&receiving IR. Try to find the application notes for those chips and see at what frequencies they RX&TX.
Hope this helps
Sorin
I want to use remote to control the powerpoint slide? Plz tell me where i can find powerpoint plugin for winlirc.
Thank you
Hi, I was using the schematic above and the PNA4612M as the photo IC. I am measuring negative 10V at the pin 7 DB9 (RTS) must be positive voltage… What is wrong?
Hi Ashish,
I think there is no winlirc plugin for this job(it isn’t hard to write one if you need only basic functions like : next/previous slide, play/pause etc).
What you can use is Girder (look in the article for the link) which as far as I know supports PowerPoint.
Have you managed to get your problem fixed?
Regards
Sorin
hello!
I don’t know wich pinout is the “in” and wich the “out” one in my 5V regulator. I know that in the middle is the ground. Can you help me?
It’s very urgent! Thank you!
Hi Beluu,
Look at the 2 pictures below (2 different capsules for the +5V regulator)
http://www.talkingelectronics.com/Projects/LogicDesigner/images/7805.gif
http://www.armory.com/~charlie/empeg1/78l05.gif
Hope this helps
Sorin
is it posible to just use my computers built in IRDA port rather than building a whole separate unit?
Great tutorial! I have a question though: is a E.CAP 4.7uF/25V good for C1 ? How about R1? Is 0.6W 4.7KOhm 1% a good resistor? If not, could you please provide me with a link to where I could buy proper ones? Urgent! Thank you!
Yes, they are both ok, the only problem may be with their size as I don’t know if they fit inside the box.
HTH
Sorin
hello!
i nedd a plugin for bsplayer but i can’t find it! can you help me?
BSplayer
… it has a built-in support for WinLirc : go to Preferences and then to “Key definition & WinLirc”.
HTH
Sorin
hi..
why u have used the DCD and RTS pins and NOT the RXD pin which is involved for receiving data..??
and how DCD and RTS funtion in the above circuit.?
thanks
Hi.
I am using a Pansat Remote control and I’m using Pansat Receiver components. I get to point where I can get data from WinLirc, but it can’t interprete it. I download Pansat Key Code from Lirc. but when I press any key on the remote the green button on WinLirc did not show up… any body help me. Get Raw Code is OK… but can’t decode it.
Thank you Trimbitas.Great work.I managed to built it, but when i restart my pc it doesn’t work.The message is:”can’t connect to Lirc server”.I’m using win 2000 pro(sp 4) and win XP(sp 2).So everytime i open my pc i have to do all the initialization from the beginning.Is there a solution?Thank you again
Hi Kostas
Thanks
I don’t understand all your message : “i have to do all the initialization from the beginning” … did it ever worked?
If not try to the following things : check again the electronic part. If it is ok then open winlirc and check to see if the serial port from its configuration is the same with the one you plugged in the receiver.
HTH
Sorin
Thanx for the quick response Trimbitas.It works great.The electronic part is ok.I’ll tell you what i do:i open winlirc,i “browse” one of the three choices it gives me(it works with all of them)and then i go to “learn”.I program the buttons and everything is fine.Then i configure the plugin in winamp(i add the hotkeys)and the project is complete.As long as i keep my computer open.Because when i restart my pc and i open winamp,it gives a message:”winamp couldn’t connect to winLirc server.Then i have to do all the “learning” process with the remote control and the configuration in winamp from scratch.Is there a way to save these configurations,so that i don’t have to do all the boring things again?
It seems that you have problems with saving the config file.
Try to copy its sample.cf to a new location then when you start WinLIRC choose the new file and “learn” your remote again. Make sure that WinLIRC starts with Windows after the computer restarts. Did this fixed it?
Best regards
Sorin
Hi
Remote is working fine on winamp, how to use the same in girder…….
Any help is welcome
hi trim, i try to build this infrared remote control receiver for my pc. Since i’m living in indonesia, i can’t find the TSOP1728 IR Receiver, i just got TSOP1240. Is this IR Receiver can be used without changing any schematic and component value? FYI, the pinout of TSOP1240 and 1738 is the same.
Thank you,
A friend of mine used TSOP1238 and it worked so TSOP1240 should also work.
Please be aware that TSOP1240 is for 40kHz so , before buying it (even if it is about 1$), be sure that you have a remote control for it.
Hope this helps
Sorin