TV remote

[Karthik rajagopal]

Hi all,
I recently bought a set top box for my TV. It was provided with a separate remote other than the TV remote. The instruction manual of the set top box mentioned that the remote can be programmed so that we can use the unused buttons in it to control the TV's function so as to reduce the handling of 2 remotes. It is mentioned in the manual that if I press the volume button in my TV remote and an unused button in my set top box remote at the same time and hold them face to face (both IR transmitters facing each other) ,that unused button gets the function of the volume button and it also worked for me. My question is , how can an IR transmitter receive an IR signal from another remote for it to program itself ?
From the above pic it is clear that it has only one IR transmitter and no receiver .
How does that work ? Can a transmitter receive signals ?

 

[dave9]

Yes, an LED can be used as a light detection component. Often a transistor is involved to amplify this.

 

[Karthik rajagopal]

Yes, an LED can be used as a light detection component. Often a transistor is involved to amplify this.

Thanks for the reply. Will this method give accurate results ?

 

[dave9]

Define accurate. It just has to work.

 

[Karthik rajagopal]

Define accurate. It just has to work.

I tried to mean the perfect transmission of the heck decimal values ..but got the answer from your reply .Thank you !