1: Before you begin

Make sure you have all of the following:

1. An MS-Windows machine running Win95/98/2000/Me/XP.
   
   
2. A free serial port on your computer. A serial port is a 9-pin-male socket you'd find in the back side of your computer:
   
   
3. A stereo, vcr, cable box or any other IR device, that can be controlled by an infrared remote. You may want to make sure your remote control is available in our remote database (under remotes); if it is not, you will need to create a “remote definitions file” for it which may require some work on your behalf.

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2: Shopping List

These are the components you will need in order to build the circuit. You should be able to buy them at the local radio/electronics shop. If you don't have one in your neighborhood, ask a stereo technician. You can also order them online, but they are more expensive.

DB-9 female plug (like an old serial mouse would have)	Infrared LED (looks like a clear or dark-blue LED)
Any length of 2-conductor wire (we tested phone, data and speaker wires, of up to 20 meters - 60 feet - of length).

You will also need the following equipment:

Solder and soldering iron

Wire cutter

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3: Build the Circuit

First, reveal the conductor in both sides of the wire.	Second, shorten the LED's legs to 3 or 4 millimeters, using the wire cutter.
Third, in one side of the wire, solder each conductor to one leg of the LED. Make sure you don't short circuit!	Fourth, in the other side of the wire, solder one conductor to the back side of pin #3, and the other to pin #5 (pin numbers are etched on the plug's face).
And finally, Close the plug cover.

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