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Hard-wiring ir emitter to components...

post #1 of 8
3/1/12 at 7:45am
Thread Starter 
When installing IR emitters on clients equipment, I always like to keep the emitter/wire as invisible as possible. For Crestron (or similar) systems, this means unscrewing the bezel of the TV, and hiding an emitter near the TV's IR receiver.

I have always hated emitters and the ugly wiring associated with them.

I do this all the time for iPod docks, BD/DVD players, etc... Basically anything that the client will touch or jostle. Because I'm sure you're all frustrated with emitters that have fallen off and don't relay the signal to the intended device!


Normally when using a Xantech or Russound IR routing kit, you have on the IR receiver : +12vdc, ground, and a signal lead. By splicing the emitter's gound lead to the receivers ground, and then splicing the emitters +vdc lead to the IR receivers signal lead, it works and transmits the IR.

I absolutely LOVE equipment with a 3.5mm mono IR input on the rear panel so as an experiment I wanted to see if I could create my own hardwired 3.5mm IR input onto ANY piece.

Here's where i'm at:

I have always noticed that IR receivers on devices have three "legs" soldered to the equipments PCB.

One for +5 VDC, one for -5 VDC and lastly the signal out.

I experimented with trying all sorts of splicing combinations and I was able to get one to work on my Samsung BD player.

I soldered the shield of the 3.5mm plug to the signal out, and the tip to the ground. It seems to be working 100% with my SpeakerCraft IR Routing kit.

Can anyone share a little insight?

Thanks in advance, Michael.
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post #2 of 8
3/1/12 at 10:47am
Quote:


One for +5 VDC, one for -5 VDC and lastly the signal out.

It's ground, not -5V.
Signal out is active low, open collector with a weak pullup and is the demodulated signal received.
IR emitters(LEDs) are driven by a modulated signal.

I modify equipment with a optocoupler. Connect the collector and emitter of the opto to the signal out and ground of the IR receiver in the equipment, connect the input LED to a 3.5mm connector mounted on the back. Drive this with the demodulated signal from an external IR receiver.
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post #3 of 8
4/5/12 at 7:37am
So you're violating the warranty on customer gear by hacking into the hardware. And they're aware of this? And now you're talking about adding an electrical connection to the hardware, which was never designed to share a ground or signal voltages with anything outside of it. And you're carrying what sort of fire/liability insurance against these hacks leading to a fire in what's probably a very expensive residence?

Not that I don't sympathize with the desire to eliminate IR emitter problems, just question whether I'd ever use an integrator that made those kinds of hacks. I'd rather go with gear better designed for the purpose. Might be more expensive but it doesn't seem like that target demographic would care much about it. They WOULD care about stuff like this burning down their house though...

Using an optocoupler is a lot less likely to cause problems with the existing circuits in the equipment. Wiring direct seems like a bad idea from several perspectives. It would just seem smarter to put an IR emitter in there and leave the existing circuits out of the connection entirely. Bearing in mind the warranty issues though...
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post #4 of 8
4/5/12 at 10:38am
Quote:


And now you're talking about adding an electrical connection to the hardware, which was never designed to share a ground or signal voltages with anything outside of it.

That's why an optocoupler is suggested.

Quote:


And you're carrying what sort of fire/liability insurance against these hacks leading to a fire in what's probably a very expensive residence?

5V at 20mA isn't going to start a fire, no matter how hard you try.
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post #5 of 8
4/5/12 at 10:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SAM64 View Post

5V at 20mA isn't going to start a fire, no matter how hard you try.

Tampering inside an AC powered device does nothing to decrease the likelihood of risk from fire. Yes, low voltage isn't really the issue. It's the hacking up the inside of an AC powered device that's the issue. The risk being the aftermath of a possible fire and assigning blame. The safe side of the situation isn't the one that hacked up the boxes. I don't see disliking the look or possible maintenance issues with external emitters as a good enough reason to start hacking up the hardware.

I post this perspective as this is the DIY tweaks section.

But then it's also hard to see why a licensed professional would put that at risk either. Yet far worse things get done too, so go figure.
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post #6 of 8
4/5/12 at 11:04am
Quote:


Tampering inside an AC powered device does nothing to decrease the likelihood of risk from fire.

nor does it increase it.

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It's the hacking up the inside of an AC powered device that's the issue

Speak for yourself, you may be a hack, but others aren't.

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I don't see disliking the look or possible maintenance issues with external emitters as a good enough reason to start hacking up the hardware.

That's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

Quote:


I post this perspective as this is the DIY tweaks section.

Likewise, this is a DIY section...some people aren't as scared to open equipment up.
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post #7 of 8
4/6/12 at 9:44pm
After reading this thread got the same idea so I when and open my audio receiver, my dish receiver and my popcorn hour box, definetly everything looks nicer and dont think it will cause my hiuse to burn, evrything was done on a profesional way
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post #8 of 8
6/12/12 at 7:46pm
Can anyone diagram this for me? (I have old equipment that I want to send my Xantech IR distribution signal to, without the emitters on the front panels. (Also will hardwiring the jack into the IR reciever stop the receiver from working?)

I'm subscribing cause I think most of the information I need is here, I just have to figure out how to read it. Thanks
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