Good $2 IR Remote Control

erco

Senior Member
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271857752194

A nice universal remote control for sending Sony TV IR codes to your PicAxe project. Most other universal remotes are multi-device and have many useless DVD/SAT/VCR keys, some which automatically shift the remote to DVD mode and you can't understand why the remote "doesn't work anymore". This is a TV-only unit, and 37 of its 39 buttons send Sony unique codes (some which I've never seen) to the Picaxe. I'll buy a few more.
 

Dartmoor

Member
Thanks Erco, that looks good.
It includes shipping, so how do they make any money? US$2 = GB£1.30?
If I could make one (and package it) for nothing, then it would still cost me £2.80 to post it to a local address, let alone Hong Kong!

Hopefully the "^", "v", "+", & "-" buttons are 4 of the 37 of its 39 buttons which send Sony unique codes?
 

AllyCat

Senior Member
Hi,

Certainly postage costs in HK are far lower than in the UK, but items from a small seller may actually arrive with "real" postage stamps that may amount to almost half of the total selling price. So I think the other economy (apart from low profit margins) is the ridiculously low selling prices from the manufacturing centre in Schenzen, only just over the "border" in China. Some items may use "fake" or manufacturers' reject components, but many seem completely legitimate. A remote control of that type can be purchased in one of our "Pound Stores" (including VAT at 20%) or some "Dollar Stores" (where Sales Tax is usually added afterwards), where overall retailing and import costs may be much higher.

As far as "free" shipping is concerned, many buyers may be put off if the shipping costs appear high compared with the item itself. But I think the main reason is that you can't give a low ebay "feedback" score for shipping if you don't pay for it! Some items may take a month or more to arrive (perhaps at no fault of the seller or HK Post) and the feedback score is very important to the seller. Not just for their "reputation", but sellers with very good feedback scores pay lower ebay fees. ;)

Cheers, Alan.
 

erco

Senior Member

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