Almost any video camera will be sensitive to the infrared of a remote
control. A camcorder with LCD display is most convenient since the display
is integral, so one doesn't need to set up a camera and separate monitor.

--
Cheers,
WB
..............


"ian field" wrote in message
...

The symptoms described certainly sound like a PSU/caps problem, just to
put the OP's mind at rest concerning the remote, the IRLED can be observed
in action with any digital camera that has an LCD panel.

An extra comment on PSU caps, not all faulty caps bulge when they fail -
some just get moderately hot. If the OP doesn't have an ESR meter the
touch test might identify a failing electrolytic. But it is important to
remember that the cans are not isolated, so don't touch the cans with the
PSU powered, and as capacitors can hold a dangerous charge, do the touch
test with one hand in pocket so a circuit through the body can't be
completed.

An idea for a poor man's ESR checker, is an inverse-parallel pair of LEDs
in series with a DC blocking capacitor, the idea being that a large ripple
on an electrolytic will look like AC to the DC blocking cap and pass
enough current to light the LEDs. A series resistor of about 1k2 to limit
switch on surge is a good idea, the cap could be about 0.68uF/400V to
cover most eventualities.

Testing is a little time consuming as the PSU needs to be powered down
between each test - the tester is soldered to the print side under each
electrolytic in turn. One of the LEDs will flash once at switch on, if
both then glow there is excessive ripple on the electrolytic.