Build a Professional Raspberry Pi Universal Remote with LIRC

This guide walks you through creating a reliable, feature‑rich universal remote using a Raspberry Pi and LIRC. It’s designed for hobbyists and professionals alike, emphasizing clear instructions, proper component selection, and a clean setup process.

Step 1: Gather the Parts

• 1 x Raspberry Pi (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11546)
• 1 x IR emitter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BJFDL6/ref=oh…)
• 1 x Audio breakout board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11570)
• 1 x IR sensor (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10266)
• 1 x 2N3906 transistor (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/522)
• 1 x female header set (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/115)
• 1 x male header set (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/116)
• 1 x perf board

Step 2: Install the Software Stack

These commands assume a fresh Raspbian image. Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

# LAMP stack – useful if you want a web interface
sudo apt-get install apache2 php5 mysql-client mysql-server tomcat6 vsftpd

# Install LIRC for infrared control
sudo apt-get install lirc

Configure GPIO pins for LIRC. Edit /etc/modules and append:

lirc_dev
lirc_rpi gpio_in_pin=23 gpio_out_pin=22

Then set up LIRC’s hardware configuration. Replace the entire contents of /etc/lirc/hardware.conf with:

########################################################
# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
#
# Arguments for launching lircd
LIRCD_ARGS="–uinput"

# Disable optional services
# START_LIRCMD=false
# START_IREXEC=false

LOAD_MODULES=true
DRIVER="default"
DEVICE="/dev/lirc0"
MODULES="lirc_rpi"
LIRCD_CONF=""
LIRCMD_CONF=""
########################################################

Reboot the Pi to apply changes:

sudo reboot

Step 3: Capture Remote Commands with LIRC

Wire the IR sensor’s 3‑pin connector to GPIO 23 (as specified in the modules file). Once connected, test the sensor by running:

sudo /etc/init.d/lirc stopmode2 -d /dev/lirc0

Press buttons on your existing remote; you should see key events appear in the terminal. When ready, record the remote layout:

irrecord -d /dev/lirc0 ~/out.conf

Follow the on‑screen prompts, using the predefined key names listed by:

irrecord –list-namespace

After recording, edit the configuration file:

sudo nano out.conf

Copy the block from begin remote to end remote and paste it into /etc/lirc/lircd.conf:

sudo nano /etc/lirc/lircd.conf

Replace the NAME: entry with a descriptive name for your remote, then repeat for any additional remotes you wish to support. Save the file and reboot again to load the new configuration.

For a deeper dive into the setup and troubleshooting, consult the Raspberry Pi Universal Remote guide linked at the end of this tutorial.