Infrared remote control

for Sony MZ-R30 MiniDisc Walkman, a useful add-on for a popular player

The MZ-R30 MD recorder comes with its own cable-operated remote control, which is primarily designed for Walkman-ish operation. However, Brian Houghton’s own application for recording choral rehearsals needed to have a means of controlling the stop/start function from a location that made cable control impossible. Here’s how Brian solved the problem — elegantly and without breaking the bank.Rather than starting straightaway with the technical description of the project it may be interesting to tell you some of the design history.I found the website “The Minidisk Community Pages” on http://www.amulation.com/minidisc very helpful with information on how the Sony MZ-R30 remote functions are controlled by different resistance values across a pair of wires.

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Materials

990075-PCB.pdf

Component list

Receiver/decoder (Board section 990075a)
Resistors:
R1 = 56k?
R2,R3 = 10k?
R4,R20 = 4k?7
R5,R6 = 2k?2
R7 = 27?
R8,R13,R15 = 1k?5
R9,R10 = 1k?3
R11 = 56?
R12 = 1k?8
R14 = 150?
R16,R17 = 2k?
R18 = 100?
R19 = 5k?6
R21 = 680?
P1 = 1k? preset H
Capacitors:
C1 = 2µF2 25V radial
C2 = 4µF7 16V radial
C3-C7 = 100nF
Semiconductors:
D1,D3 = low-current LED
D2 = 1N4001
T1,T2 = BC550
IC1 = HT12D (Holtek) (Maplin)
IC2 = 4028
IC3,IC5,IC6 = 4016
IC4 = LP2950-CZ5.0
Miscellaneous:
JP1 = SFH506-36
Transmitter (Board section 990075b)
Resistors:
R1,R2 = 10k?
R3,R4 = 2?2
R5 = 10M?
Capacitors:
C1 = 100µF 16V radial
C2,C3 = 100pF
C4 = 100nF
Semiconductors:
D1-D25 = 1N4148
D26,D27 = LD271 or similar IR LED
T1,T2 = BC550
IC1 = HT12A (Holtek) (Maplin, Farnell)
Miscellaneous:
S1-S11 = pushbutton, PCB mount, Multimec or D6-R-RD
BT1 = 2 off AA or AAA penlight battery
X1 = ceramic resonator, 455kHz (e.g., SB455E) (Mainline, 0870 241 0810)