Have a look at the lirc project. I built one and it works very well.
There are drivers for nearly every remote that you could ever imagine
on the site.
www.lirc.org
A couple of years ago I get interested in IR remote controls; I built a
PIC project that used a TSOP1140 (which I had gotten surplus) to receive
remote control signals, and interpret the data stream using a pic. It was
able to do silly things like dimming lamps and turning on fans using a
standard remote control.
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Regards,
Bob Monsen
All things which can be known have number; for it is impossible for a thing
to be conceived or known without number.
- Philolaus (Pythagorean)