Receive, Transmit or Both

Decoding a remote needs a receiver. Controlling a TV or AC needs an IR LED. Learning then replaying codes, the usual blaster workflow, needs both.

Carrier Frequency

Most remotes use 38kHz and every receiver here is 38kHz class. If your device uses 36kHz or 40kHz, expect reduced range and test before committing.

Voltage and Logic Level

ESP32 and Pico are 3.3V. Pick receivers listed for 2.7 or 3.3V and up, or level-shift a 5V-only module’s output.

Range and Beam Angle

A narrow LED like the TSAL6200 throws further; a 45° LED covers a wider area. Use a transistor driver and two or more LEDs for whole-room coverage.

Bare Parts vs Modules vs Boards

Bare diodes are cheapest, modules plug in without soldering, and ESP boards with IR built in become finished Wi-Fi blasters with ESPHome.

The most complete kit in the guide: per the listing you get 3 TK15 receiver modules, 3 TK16 transmitter modules and 3 handheld remotes on gold-finish (ENIG) boards with a 4-pin plug-and-play interface. It runs on 3.3V and 5V, so it suits an ESP32-S3 or Pico 2 as well as an UNO, and the seller supplies commented example sketches that go from detecting pulses to decoding a remote with the IRremote library. It is new, with only 13 ratings so far, though they average 4.8 stars.

HiLetgo’s three-pack of HX1838 receiver modules ships with cables, which makes it easy to mount the sensor behind a panel window while the board sits elsewhere. The listing gives 5V operation and a digital output, and the HX1838 is the classic receiver for decoding NEC remotes. Check the listing photos for the exact contents before ordering if you also need a handheld remote.

The KY-022 is the 3-pin receiver board you see in most Arduino sensor kits. This 10-pack lists a 2.7 to 5.5V working voltage, a 37.9kHz receive frequency, a 90° receive angle and up to 18m receive range, so it runs happily on both 3.3V ESP32 boards and 5V Arduinos. Ten modules is plenty for a classroom or for putting one in every room of an ESPHome IR setup.

Each of the six sets pairs an ultra-thin mini IR remote with a 38kHz receiver module, the classic combo for learning how to read NEC codes and switch LEDs, relays or motors. The listing notes a 3 to 5mA dynamic current and that the remote’s CR2025 battery is not included. With 68 ratings at 4.3 stars it is a solid pick for a robotics club or a batch of student projects.

If your blaster needs more reach, this set pairs the TSOP38238 receiver (2.5 to 5.5V, listed as insensitive to supply ripple and noise) with the TSAL6200 940nm LED, which the listing describes as suitable for high pulse current with a narrow ±17° half-intensity angle. These are the part numbers many ESP8266 and ESP32 IR blaster designs call for. Drive the LED through a transistor to take advantage of its pulse rating.

CHANZON’s kit lists ten 940nm 5mm emitters with a 45° emitting angle and five VS1838B receivers. The emitters are rated 1.2 to 1.5V forward voltage and the receivers 3 to 5V. The wider 45° LEDs are handy when one blaster has to hit a TV, soundbar and AC unit across a room, and the kit has a strong 4.5-star average from 153 ratings.

This tiny 23.4 x 23.4 x 18mm board combines an ESP8285 Wi-Fi chip with an IR transmitter and receiver, and the listing says it supports infrared control, Wi-Fi control and firmware updates from a DC 5V supply. That makes it a ready-made base for a DIY Wi-Fi IR blaster. Makers often reflash boards like this with ESPHome or Tasmota, but the listing does not state that, so treat custom firmware as something to verify yourself.

The ATOMS3 Lite is a 24 x 24mm ESP32-S3 controller with 8MB flash, a built-in IR transmitter LED and a WS2812C RGB status LED, programmed over USB-C with UiFlow2, Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF or PlatformIO per the listing. Add ESPHome’s remote_transmitter and it becomes a neat, finished-looking IR blaster for Home Assistant. It transmits only, so pair it with a receiver module (like the KY-022 above) if you need to learn codes.

The original Atom Lite uses a classic ESP32 with a built-in IR transmitter and SK6812 RGB LED, and supports UiFlow1/2, Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF and PlatformIO per the listing. It is a well-known ESPHome target in the Home Assistant community for small IR blasters and Bluetooth proxies. Choose it over the ATOMS3 Lite if you want the original ESP32 chip, which has the widest library support.

This module does the IR encoding and decoding on board and talks to your microcontroller over TTL serial, so you send and receive codes as UART bytes instead of timing pulses yourself. The listing gives a 5V supply, a 6 to 10m firing distance (8m in the seller’s own test) and an expansion interface for an external emitter. Useful for boards with weak interrupt timing or for languages without a good IR library. Only 12 ratings, so expect thin documentation.

Control Projects with a TV Remote

A KY-022 or HX1838 receiver plus a spare remote lets an Arduino switch relays, LEDs or a robot. The DWEII six-set kit is ideal for groups.

Home Assistant IR Blaster

An M5Stack ATOMS3 Lite or Atom Lite running ESPHome sends TV and AC codes from automations with no soldering.

Learn and Replay Codes

Use the Gikfun or Dorhea kit: decode with the receiver, then replay with the IR LED using IRremote or IRremoteESP8266.

Smart Air Conditioner Control

Build a longer-range blaster from the TSAL6200 LED and a transistor, plus a TSOP38238 to capture the remote’s state frames.

Wi-Fi IR Bridge on a Budget

The HiLetgo ESP8285 ESP-01M board puts Wi-Fi, an IR LED and a receiver on one tiny 5V board.

Classroom or Workshop Kits

The Lonely Binary kit includes remotes, receivers and emitters with example code for both 3.3V and 5V boards.

What is the difference between VS1838B, HX1838 and TSOP38238?

All three are 38kHz demodulating IR receivers with a digital output. The VS1838B and HX1838 are low-cost generic parts used on most kit modules, while the TSOP38238 is a brand-name receiver listed for 2.5 to 5.5V with better rejection of supply noise. For hobby remote decoding any of them works; for a product or a noisy power supply, pick the TSOP38238.

Can an ESP32 send IR codes to my TV or air conditioner?

Yes. Wire a 940nm IR LED through a transistor to a GPIO pin, or use a board with an IR LED built in such as the M5Stack Atom Lite, then use IRremoteESP8266 or ESPHome’s remote transmitter. AC remotes send long state frames, so use a library that supports your AC brand. Our IR remote home automation project shows the receive side in a real build.

Do 5V IR receiver modules work with 3.3V boards?

Many do, because the VS1838B family typically runs from about 2.7V, and the Teyleten KY-022 is listed for 2.7 to 5.5V. If a module is listed for 5V only, power it at 5V and use a level shifter or divider on its output before it reaches an ESP32 pin.

How far can a DIY IR blaster reach?

A single LED driven straight from a GPIO pin manages a few metres. Driving the LED through a transistor at higher pulse current, or using two LEDs with different angles, extends that to room scale. The GODIYMODULES serial module lists 6 to 10m, which is a useful reference for what a properly driven emitter can do.

Is an IR obstacle sensor the same as an IR receiver?

No. Obstacle and line sensors detect reflected IR light from their own LED and do not decode remote codes. If you want object detection, see our IR sensors and obstacle avoidance modules guide. For remote control, you need a 38kHz demodulating receiver like the ones above.