IR Receiver

One way to do it is to design a small pcb to mount the IR sensor on with it being lead bent at 90• have the 3 holes to solder the wires. As said mill the back of the panel to a depth and size to just fit the pcb. On the front make the round hole big enough to have the IR lens stick out through it. Have to insulate so nothing shorts to the metal panel.
Thanks for quoting my proposal Rick 😎

Jan
 

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Thank you for all your replies.

I have been searching for panel mount IR receivers (and yes, I did search for chassis mount and anything similar I could think of) - the Keene ones are huge (like 32mm bezel and expensive). The 16mm ones that Jean-Paul linked to look good but I can’t see a price or how to buy them.

I have an Arduino IR module using a 3 pin receiver (sensor is something like TSOP38238). I’ll need to mill out an IR window and then mill the back of the panel to reduce the thickness in order to bring the sensor further forward. And then I’ll need to fit a small piece of acrylic in the IR window hole and have it fit without any gaps. I was hoping to be able to just remove the receiver from the board and connect a nice panel mount one instead but that doesn’t look like it’s going to fly.

I’m disappointed that there are so few options out there.
 
They exist, we probably don’t know the right description. So I did read your requirements correctly and as intended. Funny.

The Keene ones have a 30 mm bezel but hole is 16 mm while the other ones need a 18 mm hole. Possibly the bezel can be reworked. All very simple really. With that diameter and lens sensitivity maybe is better too. Convenience instead of having to point the remote exactly at the right spot to a tiny infrared LED.

BTW just an e-mail to that supplier and you will possibly know more.
 
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I bought some for a preamp project that were about the same size as a 5mm LED.
Unfortunately, these exact ones are NLA, but you can find very similar ones on eBay by searching for "VS838 IR Receiver Modules".
I mounted it in an LED panel clip, Digi-Key part #CLP_127_BLK-ND.
It's above the headphone jack. Works well from all angles.
 

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Ok, the search term would appear to be peep hole IR receiver- who would have thought?

The receiver has arrived from Amazon but I’m unsure as to how to figure out which pin of the receiver links to which pin of the 3.5mm jack plug. I had hoped to be able to slide the receiver out of the housing but it’s very well glued in there and I’ll likely destroy it getting it out. There is no documentation on the web. Does anyone have any tips how to work out the connections without cooking it. I have a scope, bench psu, etc.

I’m inclined to think that the barrel will be ground, the middle ring 5v and the tip signal but no way to be sure.
 
You think someone at Amazon is likely to know? There are a few people selling exactly the same item but one of them know what they are selling and there is no datasheet.
I did already try to find a manufacturers website without any luck.

I’ll put some 1k resistors in series with each pin and try to work out v+, ground and signal.
 
The usual way to find out is to first send that 1 minute costing email to that seller/manufacturing company and then give it a few days. I always like to assume that seller/manufacturers know what they sell/produce rather than asking random guys on an audio forum.

I mean I don't ask the pig farmers here what the problem with my cars gearbox is. They don't give a ham.
 
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I bet the pig farmer would know more than Amazon support does 🙂 It's made to plug into their box, no documentation, what else is new.
Use a variable supply, start at zero go up, monitoring I. Put a diode/1k in series with the tip, ground the shield, scope ring and hopefully a signal comes out
 
I did find something by searching for "IR receiver pinout" and looking only at the images found.
Hopefully these are similar pinout to what you have.
An alternative approach is to look for the documentation for the unit that your receiver plugs into. It might be in there.


IR-EXT3-Wires.jpg
 
Thanks for your quick response. I have to get the front panel milled for a TFT display to be installed so getting another hole cut should be simple enough. I hadn’t considered that the acrylic might not pass the IR - I’ll get some samples and have a play.
Well some black acrylic is completely transparent to near IR, so you never know! And it will depend on the exact wavelength involved too.