Objective

In this project, we will connect an Infrared remote control receiver to Raspberry Pi. After an IR remote controller key is pushed, Raspberry Pi will decode the signal and display the key code on the terminal.

This project used a IR receiver library called LIRC. We also have a simple programming tutorial which does not require LIRC library.  Here is the link: https://osoyoo.com/2021/05/26/use-basic-gpio-library-to-get-ir-remote-code-no-need-lirc/

Parts:

1 pc Raspberry Pi 2/3/zero x 1 raspi
1 pc 8GB MicroSD memory card x 1preinstalled Raspbian OS. 8gtf
1 pc VS1838B x 1 LACC200613
1 pc Infrared Remote Controller x 1 LACC200612
1 pc breadboard x 1 BREADBOARD
1 pc GPIO breakout kit(optional) breakout
some Jumper Wires LACC2006AD-31

Circuit Connection Graph

vs1838Ba

Install lirc library

LIRC (Linux Infrared remote control)is an open source library which allow linux to decode IR signal

sudo apt-get install lirc

change configuration with nano command

sudo nano /etc/lirc/hardware.conf

amend following contents in /etc/lirc/hardware.conf file

LIRCD_ATGS=“”

DRIVER=“default”

DEVICE=“/dev/lirc0”

MODULES=“lirc-rpi

Edit module file with nano

sudo nano /etc/modules

add following 2 lines in the end of  /etc/modules添加完两行后按ctrl+o 保存修改,按ctrl+x退出

lirc-dev

lirc-rpi gpio_in_pin_18 gpio_out_pin_17

GPIO 18 pin will get input data from IR receiver

Raspberry Pi GPIO pin graph:

Restart the raspberry pi to enable configuration:

reboot

restart lirc by running followingcommand

sudo /etc/init.d/lirc restart

Test IR receiver

1)Stop lirc by running:

sudo /etc/init.d/lirc stop

2)run following code

mode2 –d /dev/lirc0

After running above command, terminal might show following errors:

This means  /lirco module has not be installed under /dev diretory .

To fix it, you need uncomment “#dtoverlay=lirc-rpi” in /boot/config.txt file

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

find #dtoverlay=lirc-rpi and remove the “#” sign, press ctrl-x to save and exit.

Reboot and test again with following two commands:

reboot

mode2 -d /dev/lirc0

If no error shows up after running above commands, you can press keys in the IR remoter control. You will see following result:

press ctrl-c to exit

Record IR code by running following two commands:

sudo /etc/init.d/lirc stop

irrecord –listnamespace

write down the key names as following:

KEY_CHANNELDOWN

KEY_CHANNELUP

KEY_CHANNEL

KEY_PREVIOUS

KEY_NEXT KEY_PLAY

KEY_VOLUMEDOWN

KEY_VOLUMEUP

KEY_EQUAL

KEY_NUMERIC_0 ~ KEY_NUMERIC_9

Run IR code record command:

irrecord -d /dev/lirc0 ~/lircd.conf

keep press RETURN key until you see “Press RETURN now to start recording.”.
Press RETURN AGAIN ,then press each key  quickly as per the instruction in the screen.  Each press will show up a dot sign in the screen. After the dots fill two lines, screen will prompt: “Please enter the name for the next button (press to finish recording)”, then press the key you want to record..
Example : enter KEY_PLAY  and return, screen prompt “Now hold down button “KEY_PLAY, press and hold PLAY key in your IR controller, PI will record the key code and prompt “Please enter the name for the next button (press to finish recording)”… repeat the procedure until all your keys are recorded, save the config file to lircd.conf

Finally replace /etc/lirc/lircd.conf file with your lircd.conf file :

sudo cp ~/lircd.conf /etc/lirc/lircd.conf

restart lirc and test IR keys with following 2 commands:

sudo /etc/init.d/lirc start

irw

After you press keys in the IR controller, Pi will display key codes as following:

You might feel that LIRC library installation and configuration is a little bit complicated. If you don’t want to use LIRC library, we have another simple solution to program IR receiver with basic GPIO functions. Here is the link: https://osoyoo.com/2021/05/26/use-basic-gpio-library-to-get-ir-remote-code-no-need-lirc/