DIY IR Remote and IR Remote controlled LEDs

In this project documentation, you will be reading about making a DIY IR Remote and controlling LEDs with it. For this project, you will be needing both Arduino Uno and Arduino Nano. Before starting this project, make sure that you install the IRremote Library by Ken Shirriff from your Arduino IDE software.

Please visit this website, to learn about IR communication in detail. Refer to the 'Coding' section in this page to understand how to start this project.

Connections

IR transmitter module

• (+) - 3.3V
• (-) - Ground (GND)
• S - D3

IR receiver module

• (+) - This pin has no connectivity with the IR LED
• (-) - Ground (GND)
• S - D11

Push button

• Ground (GND)
• 01 - D4
• 02 - D5
• 03 - D6
• 04 - D7
• 05 - D8

I have not connected the push buttons to the 10kΩ resistor. You can learn more about this, here.

LEDs

• Cathode - Ground (GND)
• Red - D7
• Green - D6
• Yellow - D5
• Blue - D4

Coding

First of all, assemble your components. Go to Examples, open IRRemote Library, and select IRrecvDemo to get decode the IR signals sent by an IR remote and to discover its type of IR transmission protocol. Take out an IR remote, place the IR LED right in front of your IR receiver module to avoid IR noises, and press each button on your remote to see the data send by the IR signals.

Decoding the IR signals and discovering the IR transmission protocol can help us to prepare the sketch for our DIY IR remote. To check whether the connections are correct with your IR transmitter module, go to examples, open IRremote library, and select IRsendDemo. Place your phone camera above the IR LED and upload the code to your Arduino Uno. You should see the IR LED blinking if your connections are correct.

My Midea Fan remote uses NEC IR transmission protocol, and I have used the irsend.sendNEC function in my sketch. Refer to this website to learn more about coding for IR transmitter and receiver modules.

Final Look

If you have any questions, or suggestions, about this project please feel free to comment below.