# Infrared Transmit and Receive on Circuit Playground Express in C++ ## Overview One of the great new features of the Circuit Playground Express is the addition of an infrared LED and infrared receiver. This allows you to use your Circuit Playground Express as an infrared remote control or to send signals to the Circuit Playground Express to make it perform various functions such as changing the pattern or colors of the NeoPixels. The **Adafruit\_CircuitPlayground** library allows you to control various functions on the Circuit Playground Express and in the latest version it has incorporated a specialized version of IRLib2. IRLib2 is a powerful library that allows you to transmit, receive, and decode IR signals using an Arduino or compatible microcontroller. It supports a large variety of protocols. These protocols are used by different manufacturers of consumer electronics products such as TVs, DVD/Blu-ray, and cable boxes. The specialized version of IRLib2 is incorporated into the **Adafruit\_CircuitPlayground** library has been preconfigured for use with the Circuit Playground Express. [We have another Tutorial here in the learning system](../../../using-an-infrared-library/) that teaches you how to use IRLib2 on other Arduino platforms. If you are interested in more details you can get [IRLib2 directly on GitHub](https://github.com/cyborg5/IRLib2). That repository includes [an extensive users manual](https://github.com/cyborg5/IRLib2/tree/master/IRLib2/manuals) with lots of details about the supported protocols and extensive information about how IR signals are transmitted and received. In this tutorial we will give you a brief introduction to IR signals and show you how to use the IR features specifically of the Circuit Playground Express. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/043/381/medium800/circuit_playground_cpx_ir.png?1499012795) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/infrared-transmit-and-receive-on-circuit-playground-express-in-c-plus-plus-2/understanding-infrared-signals.md) ## Featured Products ### Circuit Playground Express [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) **Circuit Playground Express** is the next step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. We've taken the original Circuit Playground Classic and made it even better! Not only did we pack even more sensors in, we also made it even easier to... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3333/guides) ### Circuit Playground Express - Base Kit [Circuit Playground Express - Base Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3517) It's the **Circuit Playground Express Base Kit!**  It provides the few things you'll need to get started with the new [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333). This version of Circuit Playground is super powered, and will... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3517) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3517/guides) ### Circuit Playground Express Advanced Pack [Circuit Playground Express Advanced Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2769) **Circuit Playground Express**  is the next step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. We've taken the original Circuit Playground Classic and made it even better! Not only did we pack even more sensors in, we also made it even easier to program.... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2769) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2769/guides) ### Mini Remote Control [Mini Remote Control](https://www.adafruit.com/product/389) This little remote control would be handy for controlling a robot or other project from across the room. It has 21 buttons and a layout we thought was handy: directional buttons and number entry buttons. The remote uses the NEC encoding type and sends data codes 0 thru 26 (it skips #3, #7,... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/389) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/389/guides) ### IR (Infrared) Receiver Sensor [IR (Infrared) Receiver Sensor](https://www.adafruit.com/product/157) IR sensor tuned to 38KHz, perfect for receiving commands from a TV remote control. Runs at 3V to 5V so it's great for any microcontroller. To use, connect pin 3 (all the way to the right) to 5V power, pin 2 (middle) to ground and listen on pin 1. It doesn't do any decoding... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/157) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/157/guides) ### Super-bright 5mm IR LED [Super-bright 5mm IR LED](https://www.adafruit.com/product/387) Infrared LEDs are used for remote controls (they're the little LED in the part you point at your TV) and 'night-vision' cameras, and these little blue guys are high powered ones! They are 940nm wavelength, which is what nearly all devices listen to. They're 20 degree beamwidth,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/387) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/387/guides) ### Super-bright 5mm IR LED (25 pack) [Super-bright 5mm IR LED (25 pack)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/388) Infrared LEDs are used for remote controls (they're the little LED in the part you point at your TV) and 'night-vision' cameras, and these little blue guys are high powered ones! They are 940nm wavelength, which is what nearly all devices listen to. They're 20 degree beamwidth,... 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