Newbie help with IR reciever

[vynce]

All of these IR receivers that are connected to computers will recognize any IR codes. If you program your universal remote for a brand of equipment that you don't have (so that it doesn't interfere with the brands that you do have) then only the IR receiver connected to your PC will recognize the codes that your remote sends.

The Packard Bell receiver works, but it is not an optimal solution. The PB receiver decodes the IR signal in software instead of hardware (IRMan, UIRT, etc). This can cause problems with slower computers and computers under high cpu load since the PB receiver uses the cpu to decode the signals. If your cpu is at 100% cpu load when watching a movie or something, then the PB receiver will fail to decode the IR signal and nothing will happen, whereas with a hardware decoding IR device it should still work fine.

The PB receiver has good range and sensitivity. I think the software decoding is the biggest problem - which might not even be a problem for some.

[Electronics4life]

Hi guys, I am thinking of trying out the Packard Bell receiver with a universal remote that I have for my home theater equipment. Usually with a universal remote you have enter the brand code to get the remote to work. How am I going to find what code I should tell me remote to use for it to be able to communicate with the Packard Bell receiver? Also, I am hearing bad reviews of this IR receiver on a different forum, granted they don't know much about girder. Does the Packard Bell receiver suck that bad? Bad range? Bad sensitivity? I could possibly build my own if this receiver is bad, but I definitely don't want to pay like $35(IRman) for one.