Suggestion for small IR Receiver for Raspberry Pi 2 / Kodi

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Suggestion for small IR Receiver for Raspberry Pi 2 / Kodi

timmmay

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#223185 18-Sep-2017 08:15

I need a small, discrete USB IR receiver for my R.Pi2 running Kodi in my lounge. Is something like this the kind of thing I need? It looks like it receives IR, sends it via USB to the R.Pi, and also re-sends it via IR as a repeater. Seems too cheap...

My son loves to grab this in one I current have in the TV cabinet. I use a Harmony remote so just need the receiver.

1 | 2 | 3

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#1867804 18-Sep-2017 08:54

I don't see why that linked one wouldn't work....but how does kodi talk to it (or your other one for that matter?). Do you have lircd installed? or does kodi have native drivers etc?

If it's just lircd, then I'd expect it would work as you can almost do anything with that.

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timmmay

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#1867815 18-Sep-2017 09:09

davidcole:

I don't see why that linked one wouldn't work....but how does kodi talk to it (or your other one for that matter?). Do you have lircd installed? or does kodi have native drivers etc?

If it's just lircd, then I'd expect it would work as you can almost do anything with that.

I don't know how it works. I bought the HP one a few years ago, plugged it into the R.Pi USB port, and it just worked. On my Harmony remote I think I may have added MCE keyboard / media device or similar, can't remember for sure and I'm not on that computer.

davidcole

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#1867821 18-Sep-2017 09:18

timmmay:

davidcole:

I don't see why that linked one wouldn't work....but how does kodi talk to it (or your other one for that matter?). Do you have lircd installed? or does kodi have native drivers etc?

If it's just lircd, then I'd expect it would work as you can almost do anything with that.

I don't know how it works. I bought the HP one a few years ago, plugged it into the R.Pi USB port, and it just worked. On my Harmony remote I think I may have added MCE keyboard / media device or similar, can't remember for sure and I'm not on that computer.

Hmm sounds like it's natively handling it. If you don't get any answers you might be better having a look over at the kodi forums.

Rikkitic

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#1867826 18-Sep-2017 09:21

I did something like this a long time ago for my htpc. I bought a (very) cheap Chinese IR remote with USB, programmed it to the Harmony, discarded the remote but kept the receiver, used AutoHotKey to convert the rather bizarre keypress choices that were available to useful functions. It still works fine. I'm not sure how that would work with the Pi and Kodi, but the principle would be the same. For Android I bought another cheap 'air mouse' (small wireless keyboard/mouse combo) from Aliexpress for a couple of dollars and this works perfectly as a remote Kodi controller via USB. However, it is wireless, not IR, and also has a full keyboard so not suited for Harmony control.

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#1867868 18-Sep-2017 10:12

How about just upgrading to an oDroid? There is one currently for sale on Geekzone (Here) which has integrated IR and will be far better performance.

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timmmay

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#1867871 18-Sep-2017 10:16

michaelmurfy:

How about just upgrading to an oDroid? There is one currently for sale on Geekzone (Here) which has integrated IR and will be far better performance.

The R.Pi2 works well, is all set up for the Harmony, and the IR receiver costs less than $5. Can't see any reason to change.

xontech

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#1867893 18-Sep-2017 10:47

I bought this for exactly this purpose:
https://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/peripherals/other/auction-1420258562.htm

Worked straight away, plug and play. I didn't use the remote as I have a Phillips Pronto.

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timmmay

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#1867918 18-Sep-2017 10:51

Thanks @xontech. I might try the $2 one before the $10 one, I don't need another remote.

outdoorsnz

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#1867932 18-Sep-2017 11:10

I used to use a old xbox DVD remote with USB infrared receiver and that worked fine.

Have you considered hooking up a infrared receiver to the GPIO pins? It is very easy to do. 1 x infrared receiver and 3 x breadboard connecting wires.

You should be able to get from jaycar in nz or order online here from element14:

http://nz.element14.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&langId=64&urlRequestType=Base&partNumber=2419157&storeId=10189

See: https://learn.adafruit.com/using-an-ir-remote-with-a-raspberry-pi-media-center/overview

On the software side, if using OSMC (though should be similar on other raspberry pi kodi distros), you just need to select remote brand to enable.

Regards

Scott

timmmay

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#1867934 18-Sep-2017 11:13

outdoorsnz:

Have you considered hooking up a infrared receiver to the GPIO pins? It is very easy to do. 1 x infrared receiver and 3 x breadboard connecting wires.

Nah. I'd have to buy that, buy wire, solder it together, take the R.Pi apart from where it's mounted behind the cabinet, etc. If I order something prepaid on ebay that's much easier.

outdoorsnz

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#1867940 18-Sep-2017 11:18

timmmay:

outdoorsnz:

Have you considered hooking up a infrared receiver to the GPIO pins? It is very easy to do. 1 x infrared receiver and 3 x breadboard connecting wires.

Nah. I'd have to buy that, buy wire, solder it together, take the R.Pi apart from where it's mounted behind the cabinet, etc. If I order something prepaid on ebay that's much easier.

If it works, yes plug and play. Note no soldiering required. You just connect breadboard connector wires to either end.