Anyone Know the Purpose of this Cable?

[SCPhil]

Hi, I am new to this forum, but have read (read, not trolled) and enjoyed it for a good while. I am learning and listening a lot more than coming up with anything new. However, here is a question I hope someone can answer...

What is this cable's intended use? It has a 3mm stereo plug on one end, but the mystery (to me) is a 10x30x5 mm dongle of some sort on the other end; it is not a connector, nor does it put out any sort of light or RF signal when plugged in. Nowhere can I find this online. The only clue I have is that it was found in a box of miscellaneous small stereo connectors and had apparently had never been used, based on condition. The "LED" end (again, that is only what it looks like) has no metallic parts, projections, or any sort of jack or receptacle. Alien technology?



This is just a real source of curiosity and certainly not urgent. Thanks for any ideas.

-Phil

[The Dude]

Not 100% sure, but it looks like it might be an infrared sensor. Used for remote control pickup when the "whatever it plugs into" is out of view- like maybe behind the TV or something of the sort.

BTW, welcome to the place!

[Enzo]

That or a magnetic pickup for something. Did you test for audio sensitivity? Considering the TRS plug, it may need an operating voltage for its function to happen, such as is the case with an electret mic capsule.

[olddawg]

Hard to tell from the picture. My guess would be either an extension IR pickup for a remote controlled unit as said before.

[SCPhil]

Thanks for chiming in and for the welcome! Yeah, sorry the picture is a bit out of focus; I do see you can click on it and it expands to a better size image.

I've attached this to the stereo output of my desktop and both an iPhone and an Android to see what happens (it turns both phones on), Also, I checked continuity from the different annular areas of the plug to see if the "dongle" thing is grabbing any energy or emitting something with direct current, and nothing is passing through in any combination of tip, middle, and base of the plug. Then, we tried touching those areas in combination with a little 6v current to see if an old TV responded as it might with its remote (NOT the Dish TV Box - Ha - something bad actually might happen!). Again, not the end of the World, but would be neat to know what it is.

[Enzo]

I am still voting on it being this:

5ft IR Extender Cable (Receiver)-Newegg.com


They come in various shapes.

[SCPhil]

Thank you! I think you nailed it @Enzo.
Now to test it on...something?
Thank you everyone!