This one has what looks like a clear LED and between this and the cable exit a smooth shiny rectangle which may or may not be a window. It looks black but could be an IR filter.

 

Ir transmitter?

 

Given that the plug has only two contacts, I don't think it's any sort of IR receiver. It doesn't seem to be anything more than an LED on a plug. For what purpose it may be - - - ?

 

I was particularly curious as it has no mounting hole or other means of attachment.
I measured across the pins with the meter on 'diode check' and it reads 1.06. I guess that's about right for an IR emitter.

 

I was particularly curious as it has no mounting hole or other means of attachment.
I measured across the pins with the meter on 'diode check' and it reads 1.06. I guess that's about right for an IR emitter.

Probably an IrDA adapter for an old printer.

 

Is the black shiny thing magnetic?
Will a magnet stick to the BST?
It might be the means by which it mounts to something. OR perhaps if it's a magnet it might activate a Hall effect transistor or a reed switch.

 

Also, wondering if it's some sort of repeater. Perhaps the two wire connection provides power to the device. An IR signal is received then by means of amplification it repeats the IR signal to something that may be otherwise beyond the capability of some remote.

I had an idea several years ago to take a flashlight with multiple LED's and replace the LED's with IR LED's. Then drive them from a TV remote. In a Motel where all the TV's are typically the same make and model, use that flash light to broadcast a bright beam turning the TV's on in the adjacent rooms across the parking lot. Imagine waking everybody up at 2:00 AM with the TV coming on and blasting. A cruel joke - I know. More of a "I wonder if it can be done" than something I'd actually want to do.

 

Based on what I own, it's an IR receiver. The one I have plugged into a VCR. The VCR could be in a home entertainment cabinet of the 80'8 - 90's, with the receiver outside the cabinet for better reception. Inside the device might be nothing more than a photo-transistor or photo-diode, plus transient protection.

ak

 

Based on what I own, it's an IR receiver. The one I have plugged into a VCR. The VCR could be in a home entertainment cabinet of the 80'8 - 90's, with the receiver outside the cabinet for better reception. Inside the device might be nothing more than a photo-transistor or photo-diode, plus transient protection.

Quite possible. But what's the LED for? Unless that's not an LED but rather, the IR Receiver.

 

It looks a WHOLE lot like the IR remote control pickup for one of the very small cable TV/digital TV converters that I have connected for my friends. It is probably a photo-diode.

 

It looks a WHOLE lot like the IR remote control pickup for one of the very small cable TV/digital TV converters

Agree. I forgot that I have a couple of those also.

Digi-Key has 5 part numbers in stock:

https://www.digikey.com/en/products...ABiYSQAWgbQFUPgFdVxSGQCs2nQbIsAFoTaEAJv3c5tQA

ak

 

Based on what I own, it's an IR receiver. The one I have plugged into a VCR. The VCR could be in a home entertainment cabinet of the 80'8 - 90's, with the receiver outside the cabinet for better reception. Inside the device might be nothing more than a photo-transistor or photo-diode, plus transient protection.

ak

Across the two connections it reads like a diode, forward voltage 1.09V. Is that how a photo-diode would read?

 

Following this thread out of curiosity. Based on AnalogKid's link I opened a random data sheet. Found this:


Vf appears to be 1.3V @ 80mA. So your question about typical PD Vf would appear to be reasonably correct.

 

Perhaps helps a bit:

Decades into electronics, learned to recognize some clear lensed LEDs just by appearance.
If the die is blackish; it is an IR emitter. If lens is tinted dark, is an IR receiver. If clear lens but not blackish die, it is a visible light LED. If yellowish shrouded, is white emitter. Just observe its guts. Triple die IR emitter :

Plain color :

 

Perhaps helps a bit:

The die is black so that probably settles the question, thanks.