Sniffing out IR remote control codes with a PC

Hi,

I seem to remember seeing a simple circuit for connection to a PC's RS232 port and software (DOS/Windows) for sniffing out the codes being transmitted by IR remote control handsets. FWIW I'm only interested in sniffing out handsets that use the NEC protocol.

I've Googled for a while, but so far only found circuits that use PICs etc. - I'm sure it was done with just an IR receiver and some discrete components. If someone knows of something suitable, then could you please let me know.

Many thanks, Steve

Reply to
Steve S
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The below is about as simple as it gets. The recorded info can be saved as a text file for evaluation using the EZ59 software. The USB-UIRT is a nothe gizmo that might be of interest.

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Reply to
Si Ballenger

transmitted

Thanks a lot Si. The circuits are just what I am looking for (the receiver parts). The USB-UIRT looks very interesting too. I've got to check out the software since I really want a dump of the NEC codes being transmitted, rather than being able to learn them for later retransmission - I wonder if the EZ59 software can do this, or how hard it is to decode the raw text files? Alternatively, maybe the Girder s/w can when running from the UIRT - I'll look into it.

For anyone's who is interested, I'm going to be zapping it with all the settings from a one-for-all universal remote and want to have a record of all the NEC customer codes used - we're designing a remotely controlable unit and don't want it to clash with any codes already in common use - our first unit used a customer code chosen at random, and we found out somewhat later that it did clash with some Toshiba TVs! :(

Cheers, Steve

Reply to
Steve S

A google search will pull up a lot of circuits. If the baseband frequency is ~38khz, you could use an IR decoder (radio shack ~$4) to get just the pulses, and vire these using an O-scope program

Reply to
Si Ballenger

RS232

out

please

receiver

the

if

UIRT -

Thanks. TBH I already have a digital storage scope and an IR receiver module - I just can't get the codes out without looking at each waveform by hand. I might have a go at writing some PC s/w to decode the NEC codes coming in via the printer port using one of the circuits you've pointed me too (I was just being lazy I guess hoping there was software already done!)

Cheers, Steve

Reply to
Steve S

Reply to
hamilton

You might go to the below site to see if they already have the codes you need.

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Reply to
Si Ballenger

Alternatively, use the soundcard.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

by

me

done!)

Thanks again for your help - that's a very useful site. Not sure if they list all the actual codes anywhere TBH, but I'll check more closely. BTW, I came across LIRC (Linux) here

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and WinLIRC here:
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These bits of sotware work with very basic circuits connected to the serial port and may well do the job very nicely.

Cheers, Steve

Reply to
Steve S

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