[mythtv-users] Possible to use IR Blaster with 1/8" mono jack?

[James Crow]

On Sun, 2008-04-27 at 17:25 -0700, blake wrote:
> Hey, all:
> 
> 	I got a MCE Remote and it came with a receiver and a transmitter with an  
> 1/8" jack. Receiver works fine but has no ports to plug in the transmitter.
> 
> 	I have a KWorld that has a 1/8" port. Can I make that work? (Just  
> plugging it in didn't work.)
> 
> 	I notice that the Hauppauge (PVR-150) seems to have an even smaller port  
> labeled IR (1/16"?).
> 
> 	===Blake===
Blake,

  I have an older MCE receiver that has two ports for IR Blasters. I
have an IR blaster that I never tried to use from it. The blaster part
is very simple. It has only a mono (two connection) 1/8" plug that
connects to a long lead to a diode. If I test it with my multimeter it
glows like it is sending a signal. Because it is a diode it only works
when connected one way. (For mine the tip of the plug is the cathode [+]
and the majority of the plug if anode [-])

If the kworld has an ir blaster port it should work, but it could be
wired up in reverse of how the MCE blaster works. You could get a normal
led and hook it up to a 1/8" plug and try that on your kworld card. If
the LED does not light up (when attempting to send a signal) try
reversing the connections from the LED to the plug.

I had a kworld card a long time ago that had an ir receiver port. The
receiver had a 1/8" stereo plug. The IR Blaster from my MCE setup would
plug into the kworld but it would not work because one plug is two
connection (mono) and the jack is three connections (stereo) to say
nothing of the fact that a blaster is a diode and an ir receiver is a
transistor. 

Hopefully I haven't just muddled the water more.

Thanks,
James