Phototube IR Checker

Bad Remote ? You can always use the camera on your cell phone. It can look into the near IR. But that would be too easy. Use an old phototube, that was once used to pickup the sound tracks on movie films, and early threshold announcers. Also detect and amplify the signal with an old vacuum tube. A 930 phototube, and a 1U4 pentode are used here. The neon bulb flickers to the codes output by the IR remote control.