Anyone Recognize This? Strange Remote

[freddy333]

 

 

Does anyone know what this is or what component it works with?

 

I found it tangled in between some wires behind my stereo & servers, so I have no idea whether it belongs to the stereo or computers?

It looks like some type of wireless transmitter, but the other end of the cord has a stereo pin plug, so I am not sure what it is or what it came from?

Anyone?

[mstan83]

Could be something along these lines? Bluetooth audio adapter perhaps?

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/qed-uplay-hi-fi-bluetooth-stereo-audio-adapter.html

[Nanuq]

Drat!  You found it!

 

Ummmmmmmmm, it's nothing ... nothing at all.    Just cut it into many many small pieces and throw it away.  Preferably in several widely separated public waste receptacles.

[freddy333]

I figured it was something like that, but the stereo gear is at least 25 years old, made long before BlueTooth or any other wireless options were even thought of. So it must have come from something else. But what? And if it is some type of audio streaming transmitter, I might be able to use it. But where is the receiver?

 

Otherwise, I would toss it, but I do not want to find out later that it is needed.

[mstan83]

It doesn't look that old. Is there no hint of what it could be from the writing on the wire itself, I can't make out what it says.

[B3nj4min3]

Looks quite similar to an InfraRed receiver. Possibly connects to a Subwoofer/Sound Card or similar and could be controlled via a Remote Control.

[jpz5142]

Could it be a IR antenna? Meaning for hidden equipment you would run the wire to the equipment and put the "bubble" in line of sight to receive the signal.

[dommysam]

Yep, it's an infrared receiver.

[freddy333]

 

The only writing on the wire looks to be from the wire maker, not from whoever made the part. The white circle is cover over a 3M adhesive pad.

 

It could be any of the above, but the only wireless components I have are wireless mice, all of which are accounted for & they all have a much larger transmitter (that contains batteries & a transmit button). Otherwise, I do not have any other wireless equipment running here, which is why this is so strange.

[mstan83]

Yep, it's an infrared receiver.

[mstan83]

If your not using it already I would bin it, at least you know what it is now. Where it came from or what with is another thing!

[freddy333]

Thanks, mstang83. That is definitely the item in question, but why would an IR receiver have a stereo plug? That part does not make sense.

[mstan83]

It would be used as an extension cable plugged into the back of your stereo/other compatible device.

I believe infrared words mainly on a line of sight basis and doesn't penetrate most solid objects, so, if for example your stereo is in a solid cabinet/behind closed doors/out of range the stereo may not pick up the signal from the remote. This could be placed elsewhere possibly extending the range of your remote control.

I may be wrong however!

[freddy333]

Got to be something else. My stereo components were made in the 1960s, at least 3 decades before wireless arrived in the audio world.

[mstan83]

They are quite generic, same principle for tv's, set top boxes etc etc but then they usually go through an IR control box of some sort as it would be an input signal rather than a stereo jack but basically anything that sends and receives an IR signal. Probably came free with something over the years.

Probably a set up like this http://www.xantech.com/manuals/49095.pdf

See page 3

Edited September 27, 2013 by mstan83

[Nanuq]

IR wireless headphone transmitter?

[freddy333]

Although it is in another location, my cable tv box has an (empty) IR input jack on the back, so I put it in there. At least, that way, if I discover that it belongs to something else, I just have to remember that I put in the cable tv box. Thanks everyone for the help.

[fraggle42]

Infrared pickup.

Three connectors, two for the power, the third for the received signal.

It's so you can hide the kit out of sight in a cabinet and still be able to control it using the remote control.

[asciwhite]

It could be just a microphone?

 

Just looks like a IR unit...

[PeteM]

I'd be more worried about those pin lenses on your book shelf.....

 

 

Also can you do me a favour...can you move that vase to the left...me and Nanuq cant see he whole sofa....

 

[matzaman]

It looks exactly like my in blaster extension cables from my Logitech remote. The mic jack plug goes into the rf to ir adapter.