IR Remote Control Kit

Description

This IR Remote Control Kit is ideal for implementing an IR remote control for many projects including controlling robotics since the remote includes direction keys and basic number keys without all the unnecessary key clutter found on remotes used for TV style control.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• IR Remote Control w/ battery
• IR Receiver Module
• IR Emitter / Transmitter LED
• 3-Wire F/F Jumper Cable 8″

KEY FEATURES OF IR REMOTE CONTROL KIT:

• 8 meter range
• Robotic oriented buttons
• NEC control codes
• Includes IR receiver module for use with MCU
• Includes IR transmitter LED for implementing IR control via an MCU
• Includes battery

The IR remote  has a minimum control range of about 8 meters (24 feet).  It comes with a CR2025 battery installed.  Just be sure to pull out the plastic insert tab sticking out of the end of the remote to enable the battery.

The remote uses NEC codes.  The specific hex codes used for each remote control button are listed in the table below.  When used within a program, hex codes use the prefix ‘0x’ to signify they are a hex value, so the ‘1’ button would be written as ‘0xFFA25D’ within a program.  If a button is held down, a repeat code of 0xFFFFFF is sent for as long as the button is held down.

IR Remote Control Codes

The IR Receiver module that comes in the kit provides the receiving end of the IR control setup if you need one.  Just apply 3.3 – 5V and ground and hook-up the signal output pin to a digital input pin on the MCU for reading the received codes.  It comes with a 3-wire female-female jumper cable that can be used for hookup.  Click on the pic to see the product page for more information about this module.

1 x 3 Header

• ‘-‘  pin        =  Connect to Ground
• Center pin =  Connect to Vcc (3.3-5V)
• ‘S’ pin        =  Connect to digital input pin on MCU

The kit also includes an IR emitter / transmitter LED.  This can be handy if you want to try using the MCU to replace the IR remote control by controlling the IR directly.

The LED works like any LED, except the output is in the invisible IR range.  If using the IR LED with an MCU, be sure to limit the current to about 20mA by using about a 180 ohm current limiting resistor to avoid damage to the MCU.  The IR LED itself can handle up to about 50mA.

Click here for more info on the IR emitter LED.

Click here for more info on the IR Receiver Module.

OUR EVALUATION RESULTS:

These work great for implementing basic IR Remote Control for various projects.

IR Remote Control Kit – IR Visible Through Phone Camera

To check to see if the remote control is working, you can look at the IR LED using a cell phone camera while you push buttons on the remote.  These cell phone cameras are sensitive to IR light and will make it visible when looking at the LED through the camera.  The same trick will work with the IR LED that comes in the kit if you try to use it.

The program below sets up the basic framework to detect IR commands and react to them.  In this case, we are just printing the command we receive to the Serial Monitor window, but it would be easy to add statements to the switch/case statement to add functionality such as motor control.

The program uses the  IRremote.h library which comes with the Arduino IDE to do most of the heavy-lifting for us.

Connect the IR receiver S pin to pin 11 on the MCU, though this can be changed to any other digital pin.  Also connect 3.3V or 5V to match the MCU and ground to the IR receiver module.

IR Remote Control Kit Example Program

/*
 * IR Remote Control Test
 *
 * Receive and decode each of the key presses
 * Print the key received to the Serial Monitor window
 * Uses the IRremote.h library
 */ 
#include "IRremote.h"

int const IR_REC_PIN = 11;       / Define pin that IR Sensor is attached to

IRrecv irrecv(IR_REC_PIN);       // create instance of 'irrecv'
decode_results irresults;        // create instance of 'decode_results'
//===============================================================================
//  Initialization
//=============================================================================== 
void setup() 
{
  Serial.begin(9600);   // Initialize serial port
  irrecv.enableIRIn(); // Start the IR_REC_PIN
}
//===============================================================================
//  Main
//===============================================================================  
void loop() 
{
  if (irrecv.decode(&irresults)) // We have received an IR command
  {
    Serial.print(irresults.value, HEX);  // Printout raw value
    Serial.print(" : ");
    translateIR(); 
    irrecv.resume(); // receive the next value
  }  
}
//===============================================================================
//  Subroutine to handle the command that was received
//===============================================================================  
void translateIR()
{
  switch(irresults.value)
  {
  case 0xFF18E7: 
    Serial.println(" FORWARD"); 
    break;
  case 0xFF10EF: 
    Serial.println(" LEFT");    
    break;
  case 0xFF38C7: 
    Serial.println(" -OK-");    
    break;
  case 0xFF5AA5: 
    Serial.println(" RIGHT");   
    break;
  case 0xFF4AB5: 
    Serial.println(" REVERSE"); 
    break;
  case 0xFFA25D: 
    Serial.println(" 1");    
    break;
  case 0xFF629D: 
    Serial.println(" 2");    
    break;
  case 0xFFE21D: 
    Serial.println(" 3");    
    break;
  case 0xFF22DD: 
    Serial.println(" 4");    
    break;
  case 0xFF02FD: 
    Serial.println(" 5");    
    break;
  case 0xFFC23D: 
    Serial.println(" 6");    
    break;
  case 0xFFE01F: 
    Serial.println(" 7");    
    break;
  case 0xFFA857: 
    Serial.println(" 8");    
    break;
  case 0xFF906F: 
    Serial.println(" 9");    
    break;
  case 0xFF6897: 
    Serial.println(" *");    
    break;
  case 0xFF9867: 
    Serial.println(" 0");    
    break;
  case 0xFFB04F: 
    Serial.println(" #");    
    break;
  case 0xFFFFFFFF: 
    Serial.println(" REPEAT");
    break;  

  default: 
    Serial.println(" Unidentified button");
  }
  delay(500); // Delay to help avoid accidental repeats
} 

BEFORE THEY ARE SHIPPED, THESE MODULES ARE:

• Sample tested per incoming shipment

Notes: 

1. None

Technical Specifications