IR led and sensor without modulation?

Other Hardware Sensors
1

Hi,
I have IR leds and sensors like these; IR Communication - SparkFun Learn. I want to use the led as a beacon which is detected by the sensor to orient a robot.

Now the led burns (checked with camera of smartphone). It is attached with a 100 Ohm reistor to a 6 Volt power supply. The sensor senses, i.e. it reads all kinds of hand held IR remote controls. Howebver,, it does not detect whether the led is on or off or switched between the two.

OK, so perhaps the IR library (irrecv) only detects modulated IR pulses and not simple on/off.

But if I do digitalRead on the sensor it always is 1; if I attach it to A0 for analogRead it always returns 1024.

Much headscratching ensues. What do I do wrong?

Paai

2

If you're using an IR communication sensor like that shown in the Sparkfun page then it is that trying to decode a 38KHz signal.

For unmodulated IR detection you want a simple IR photodiode instead.

Steve

3

Sounds reasonable :slight_smile: Thanks.

Paai