external IR LED module.

[davievans]

Re: Which external hardware to buy for extend IR range ?

Hey conradsm, welcome!

That's a classic prank idea, and it's cool that you've already got the basic function working with NEMO on your M5 Stick.

You're right, the built-in IR LED on these devices is pretty low-power and designed for short range. To increase the range significantly, you'll want an external IR LED module. It's a simple and cheap piece of hardware that acts like a high-powered spotlight for your infrared signal.

What you're looking for is a high-power IR LED (like a 1W or 3W model) paired with a driver transistor (like a simple NPN transistor, e.g., 2N2222) so you don't fry the GPIO pin on your M5 Stick. The easiest way to get this is to search for a "3.3V IR LED Amplifier Module" or a "GROVE IR Emitter" that is compatible with the GROVE port on your M5 Stick Plus 2. This would be the simplest plug-and-play solution.

Your setup would be:
M5 Stick GPIO Pin -> Driver Circuit/Module -> High-Power IR LED

Just point the external LED in the right direction, and you should easily be able to triple or more your current range from across a room.

Good luck with the joke

[holaeith]

@davievans That setup sounds reasonable. Just make sure the LED driver you choose can handle the current spike your IR diode needs, otherwise the range won’t improve much. Have you already checked which GPIO pin on the Stick you want to use for triggering the module?