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What is this cable with red light at end of microphone jack
I have been cleaning my office today and came across a something I had in a "Mom's laptop bag" of accessories and nobody seems to know what it is. On one end is an audio jack and on the other end is a very small sort of oval red plastic piece with a red light in it. The wire is very long so must be meant to be used a long way from the computer. The red piece has a peel and stick backing on it. When I plug it into my microphone jack the laptop detects it and if I choose the microphone option, the red light comes on. When I plug it into the headphone jack, nothing happens. What the heck is this little thing?
PudgyOne
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April 21st, 2012 21:00
doozer14,
Maybe a picture with both ends showing?
Rick
PudgyOne
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April 22nd, 2012 17:00
doozer14,
I have asked some friends to look at the image, maybe they know.
Rick
doozer14
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April 22nd, 2012 17:00
Here it is. note the very very long cable
1 Attachment
mystery_object.jpg
Tesla1856
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April 22nd, 2012 18:00
It appears to be an IR-Blaster:
www.engadget.com/.../hd-101-ir-blasters-hdmi-cec-rs-232-and-ip-control
It likely plugs into something like a TV-Card, or a USB based eHome IR receiver.
sugarbear18
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April 22nd, 2012 18:00
It sounds like an Optical digital cable and here is a better explanation than I can give.
www.ehow.com/about_5042802_optical-digital-cable.html
doozer14
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April 22nd, 2012 22:00
Yes! An IR blaster it is. Now I am curious as to why this was shipped with my Inspiron 1720 laptop. What device is expected to receive the IR signal???? I haven't had time to fully read the link you included but I suspect it will give me some insight. Thanks for solving the mystery!
Bay Wolf
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April 22nd, 2012 23:00
Per Wikipedia
An infrared blaster (or IR blaster) is a device that emulates an infrared remote control to autonomously control a device that is normally controlled only by remote control key presses. The most common use of an IR blaster is to allow a recording device such as a DVR or VCR to change the channel on an external tuner such as a cable box or satellite receiver. This way, the recording device can automatically select the correct channel to record before starting the recording process. Another common use is to extend infrared signals in order to place remote controlled products behind closed doors.
en.wikipedia.org/.../Infrared_blaster
morblore
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April 23rd, 2012 17:00
Did the laptop come with a windows media center remote kit? It could be part of that. You get two blasters, a remote, batteries and a IR receiver with the kit.
ASUS4Life
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March 12th, 2013 06:00
Tesla1856
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March 16th, 2014 02:00
IIRC, an IR-Blaster will allow Windows 7 Media Center to control a basic Digital SetTopBox for tuning. Without messing with CableCards, another way to receive and record Encrypted (pay) Cable or Satellite HDTV on your computer.
britanynicole
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March 16th, 2014 02:00
this is awesome. i have the same cord..was very pleased to find this post... mystery solved for me as well as iv had this odd little cord floating around for an bout three or four years now.. plugging it into everything thats had a headset jack getting nothing out of it.. i kept it around becouse its a neat looking gadget.. and what do ya know it really is. im assuming it came with my desktop computer? that is long gone. these cords are extremly long lol mine still has the bread tie and green and white adhesive tape on the back... my question is. what can i use it for now?? im very curious even more so now then before ..