Optical fibre between infra-red RX and TX LED’s?

[Al (astral highway)]

If I’m linking infra red LED’s with optical fibre, what’s the best way to couple the LED’s and cable ? I haven’t ordered any yet as I need some clarity on this. Are there multiple diameters avail? It’s a low bandwidth and low frequency application and only a very short distance .

Any info much appreciated - following thread but I may not respond very fully for a few days .

Thank you

[SiriusHardware]

I can't help you with your specific question but is this by any chance so a bedridden person can operate a TV box which is below their line of sight?

We had a problem like that when an elderly relative was confined to bed and a bed was set up facing the TV in the lounge, but the receiver box was below line of sight, masked by the end of the bed, and for complicated reasons wasn't easy to move.

We solved it then by acquiring a child's toy periscope and fixing it to the rail at the end of the bed.

[G6Tanuki]

What is the 'receiver' at the other end of the IR LED?

There are various grades of fibre: single-mode, multimode, what's the distance?

Yes, there's a range of fibre used: generally identified by "OM" numbers - see https://www.fibercables.com/blogs/fa...3-and-om4-mean

For short-range multimode I'd go for OM5: https://community.fs.com/blog/three-...tic-cable.html

and aim to use the little "LC" connectors.

Always remember that the cost of the fibre is low compared with the labour-cost of installing/terminating/testing it!

[GrimJosef]

We have speakers in our bathroom ceiling which are connected to a Radio/CD player in a neighbouring bedroom. I ran a few metres of cheap 1mm diameter polymer (acrylic i.e. PMMA) fibre from a top corner in the bathroom over the dividing wall and down to a position in front of the player so I could lie in the bath and use the remote to control the player. In a subsequent redecoration this link was taken out and not re-instated. But I seem to recall that it worked well enough. I don't think I needed a collecting lens in front of the bathroom end of the fibre.

Cheers,

GJ

[Al (astral highway)]

Thank you, G6Tanuki, the receiver’ is an IR device that was paired with the LED when I bought it - it looks like an LED with a flat lens / collimator.

GJ - that’s interesting to note ! Thank you , I’ll look that up

[paulsherwin]

You can buy off the shelf solutions for this sort of thing which are probably cheaper and easier than trying to build something yourself (yes, I know you are perfectly capable of building things )

[Al (astral highway)]

Paul, good tip, thanks. Can you point me to a decent source ,please ?

Cheers

[paulsherwin]

Google 'remote control range extender'.

I've never needed one so can't recommend anything specific.

[Al (astral highway)]

Thank you , Paul .

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Al, a length of perspex rod. say 5mm dia and quite flexible.

Ed

TosLink cables, very cheap.

[Al (astral highway)]

Ed, thank you , that sounds brilliant !

MerlinM, thanks, looks good. What is the name of the appropriate sockets?

[Wendymott]

In the 70's Working ar Bradford University, we had some fibre optic given for a school open day exhibition. We used hyperdermic needles.. putting the fibre down the needle and inserting a suitably modified led into the metal header... worked a treat. Bearing in mind it was the 70's when Fibre optic and leds were in their infancy.

[Al (astral highway)]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

TosLink cables... .

Looks good ! Only what sort of physical / mechanical connection could I make to and from IR TX diode/ receiver on a circuit board?

Thanks