I am personally interested in an IR Sender to make my old Hifi Setup smarter.
* https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2026/04/01/release-20264/
If there’s demand this would be a good project for someone to make and have ready to build PCBs you could order from OSH Park or even a fully project that you could have JLC build and populate.
Is there any alternative?
Most remotes seem to be RF not ir these days.
And frustation with atsc 3 and the media landscape led to me abandoning my htpcs.
Very few people have taken the bait. I think we techies over-estimate the ability and inclination of people to make something. Even most programmers don’t want to solder. They may still be technically inclined, but want to be involved at a higher level: Buying the basic stuff and using it as a basis for even more elaborate things.
But that was never the worry. The worry is a competitor undercutting you because they do not have to recoup R&D.

USB device to send and receive IR: have your computer send IR signals to your DVR; receive IR signals from a remote control. Works under Linux and Windows. Our standard USB IR Transceiver can send and receive infra-red (IR) signals. It comes in 3 different variations. Common to all versions:
The difference between the three version are how IR is transmitted and received:
| Device Type | Port A | Port B |
|---|---|---|
| Dual Socket | Channels 1 & 2* | Channels 3 & 4* |
| Socket Receive | Channels 1 & 2* | Receive Socket |

* Channel only accessible with stereo->mono adapter Uses on-board LED Requires wired IR emitter
Dual Socket, Dual LED and Hybrid all have on-board IR receivers opposite USB connector.
Socket Receive version does not have on-board IR receiver, but Port B accepts a wired IR receiver. Socket Receive cannot receive IR signals without a separate wired IR receiver.
Our USB IR Transmitter/Receiver is a standard USB device that can transmit and receive the infrared codes supported by LIRC (Linux only) and WinLIRC (Windows only). Combined with (Win)LIRC, this device can communicate with most home electronics, such as TVs, stereos, DVD players, receivers, and their associated remote controls. When used with MythTV, you can turn your computer into a TiVo-like media center. We can send and receive IR under Linux and Windows. We do not support MAC OS X, although there is an UNSUPPORTED MAC OS/X project. Decoding remote control commands is currently supported under Linux via LIRC and under Windows via WinLIRC. Our software, both binaries and source code, is available in the Downloads section and is licensed under the GPL. We happily accept patches to our code. We would like to extend the ability to decode remote control signals MAC OS/X either through LIRC or an alternative.