A Reprogrammable Cherry MX Key TV Remote
Unable to find his TV's remote, Facelesstech designed a solid-looking unit with Cherry MX key switches, an Arduino, and an IR LED/receiver.
Hacker "Facelesstech" has a TV in his garage that he uses to test things on. The only problem is that he lost the remote.
Although most would buy some sort of universal unit, or perhaps even source a new TV, he decided to instead construct his own clicker with just the functionality that he needs. While bulky and containing only five input buttons, one has to admire the simplicity and rugged appearance of it. Aside from the buttons, there’s an aeronautical-style GX-12 connector used for programming, which is conveniently the size of the keys themselves.
The 3D-printed remote is powered by an Arduino Pro Mini, and contains both an IR emitter and receiver. This allows the unit to be set into programming mode, where it receives IR signals that it can later duplicate to potentially control something new. Along with this, a USB-C connector is provided to top off the device’s LiPo battery.
As Facelesstech puts it, “With most projects I try to introduce a new part or a new way of doing something,” and as his first foray into using Cherry MX key switches, as well as his first 3D-printed project, it seems he’s succeeded. More info on the build can be found in his write-up and he gives a nice overview of it in the video below.