Answers.Body: <p>There is no non-LEGO product that can substitute the infrared tower used for communicating with the RCX, as the USB and Serial towers use a very specific protocol that does not match that of other Infrared devices. Nonetheless, <a href="http://www.crynwr.com/lego-robotics/rcx_ir_txrx_circuit.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">it does appear that there are schematics available for the IR Tower</a>, courtesy of Mark Bellis:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hjTKw.jpg" alt="RCX Infrared Tower schematics"></p>
  
  <p>I'm no expert on low-level electronics, but it looks like <a href="http://www.mientki.ruhosting.nl/data_www/lego_knex/lego_electronica/ir_tower/ir_tower.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this site</a> has a lot of additional information that could be useful if you want to replicate/manipulate the IR tower.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-08-04T21:58:49.607Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-08-04T21:58:49.607Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: HaydenStudios
Body: <p>I came across a used Robotics Invention System 2.0 set, but in addition to a few missing bricks, it is missing the IR tower. Is there any generic replacement that I can use to program the RCX or does anyone know where I can find a schematic to build my own? Thanks...</p>
  
Tags: <rcx>
Title: Any substitute / schematic for Mindstorms 2.0 IR tower?
UserDisplayName: Derek Tombrello
ThreadText: # Any substitute / schematic for Mindstorms 2.0 IR tower?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-04)
  
  I came across a used Robotics Invention System 2.0 set, but in addition to a few missing bricks, it is missing the IR tower. Is there any generic replacement that I can use to program the RCX or does anyone know where I can find a schematic to build my own? Thanks...
  
  **Tags:** rcx
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2014-08-04. Score: 3
  
  There is no non-LEGO product that can substitute the infrared tower used for communicating with the RCX, as the USB and Serial towers use a very specific protocol that does not match that of other Infrared devices. Nonetheless, [it does appear that there are schematics available for the IR Tower](http://www.crynwr.com/lego-robotics/rcx_ir_txrx_circuit.jpg), courtesy of Mark Bellis:
  
  ![RCX Infrared Tower schematics](https://i.sstatic.net/hjTKw.jpg)
  
  I'm no expert on low-level electronics, but it looks like [this site](http://www.mientki.ruhosting.nl/data_www/lego_knex/lego_electronica/ir_tower/ir_tower.html) has a lot of additional information that could be useful if you want to replicate/manipulate the IR tower.
  
  
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