The Infrared Experimenter Shield

from $12.00

An updated and enhanced version of the original 2015 development of the Controller 2020 Shield.  A dedicated purpose Arduino Sketch is available from “Downloads” that receives the omnipresent NEC 38kHz Infrared Transmission Protocol using this IR Experimenter Shield.  This Sketch provides an example you can customize to control any RS232 connected device. This is NOT limited to trains! For details see the Infrared Experimenter User Manual.

PCB or Complete Kit:
Interface:

An updated and enhanced version of the original 2015 development of the Controller 2020 Shield.  A dedicated purpose Arduino Sketch is available from “Downloads” that receives the omnipresent NEC 38kHz Infrared Transmission Protocol using this IR Experimenter Shield.  This Sketch provides an example you can customize to control any RS232 connected device. This is NOT limited to trains! For details see the Infrared Experimenter User Manual.

IR Remote
IR Remote
$5.50
Custom Acrylic Enclosure
Custom Acrylic Enclosure
from $6.50
Optional Screws:
Long-Nose DB9 Serial Cable
Long-Nose DB9 Serial Cable
$8.00

The vintage, ubiquitous, and perhaps beloved DB9 RS232 connector is inconveniently large for placement on an Uno Shield so a "daughter card" adapter is used to provide either a DB9 connection or a 5 pin 1.5mm JST connector.  Note that this 5 pin 1.5mm JST connector is compatible with the Lionel LCS PDI connectors.

The available Sketch receives infrared commands and converts them to Lionel LCS serial commands that can be injected into the Lionel PDI network using a DB9 Adapter interface and the Lionel (6-81326) LCS Serial Converter 2 (SER2).  In the future, direct injection into the PDI network (bypassing the Lionel SER2) is expected to be possible by setting pin 12 of the dip switch to ON and replacing the DB9 interface with the optional PDI Daughter card interface.  Pin 12 activates a special mode in the software whereby appropriate PDI communications are used, bypassing the need for a SER2.  Note that the software version of the Sketch that enables this is not yet available.  See Purchase The PDI Adapter Daughter card in the Purchasing Catalog. In the picture of the kit, the red border encloses the Infrared Experimenter Shield components.  Green encloses the PDI Daughter Card kit. Blue encloses the DB9 Daughter Card kit. Note: You don’t really need any daughter card - you can solder wires directly to this Arduino Uno Shield.

See Also Other Options

  • IR Remote

  • Custom Acrylic Enclosure

  • Long-Nose DB9 Cable

All images should be considered representative.  That is, the PCB or color may change and components, logo, whatever… may be added, removed, revised, or moved. What you receive may look different – but it will work as described.