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I Put an AirTag Inside of a Fire TV Remote

AngerDanger

AngerDanger

Graphics
Original poster
Staff member
Dec 9, 2008
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I had a leftover remote from a Fire Stick and decided to see if I could fit an AirTag inside. I figured if people are drilling holes through these things, there was no DIY project too stupid to pass on.

Cracking into the remote was a bit like removing the front from a gen 1–5 iPod, but with a lot more plastic tabs to prize apart. I had to cut away a bit of the support inside near the IR transceiver to make room for the AirTag.

tempImagepOVVzs.png

The AirTag was similar; no screws and a lot of time spent working a razor back and forth between the gap in the plastic. The speaker is kinda structurally integral to the AirTag, so it came apart as soon as I got the circuitboard exposed.

I briefly toyed with the idea of repurposing a dead EarPod for a speaker but couldn't make room in the remote.

There wasn't any room for a battery either, so I wired it in parallel with the remote since they're both 3v. This had the added benefit of making it so I don't need to take the whole thing apart to replace the batteries.

tempImagewbh6NJ.png

Interestingly, the AirTag wont turn on unless there are three points of contact with the battery, so I had to bridge the outermost contact points.

tempImageBWXls2.png

Putting the remote back together was the biggest PITA, but all in all, it was a pretty fun DIY project for someone with an Amazon device for television and Apple devices for… literally everything else. :)



PS: Yes, I know and am sorry about how bad I am at soldering. I'm a good person and have many other redeeming qualities, I swear.
 
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No fancy AngerDanger CGI animation to accompany this project so unfortunately I'm going to have to -1. Sorry.

Jokes aside, this is a decent idea and if anything makes me irritated that the new Apple TV remote doesn't have AirTag tracking built into it.
 
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zakarhino said:
No fancy AngerDanger CGI animation to accompany this project so unfortunately I'm going to have to -1. Sorry.

Jokes aside, this is a decent idea and if anything makes me irritated that the new Apple TV remote doesn't have AirTag tracking built into it.
Click to expand...

Apple will release a new remote with AirTag built inside later this year so everyone can rush out to buy it after they just bought the new AppleTv lol
 
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AngerDanger said:
I had a leftover remote from a Fire Stick and decided to see if I could fit an AirTag inside. I figured if people are drilling holes through these things, there was no DIY project too stupid to pass on.

Cracking into the remote was a bit like removing the front from a gen 1–5 iPod, but with a lot more plastic tabs to prize apart. I had to cut away a bit of the support inside near the IR transceiver to make room for the AirTag.

View attachment 1772095

The AirTag was similar; no screws and a lot of time spent working a razor back and forth between the gap in the plastic. The speaker is kinda structurally integral to the AirTag, so it came apart as soon as I got the circuitboard exposed.

I briefly toyed with the idea of repurposing a dead EarPod for a speaker but couldn't make room in the remote.

There wasn't any room for a battery either, so I wired it in parallel with the remote since they're both 3v. This had the added benefit of making it so I don't need to take the whole thing apart to replace the batteries.

View attachment 1772098

Interestingly, the AirTag wont turn on unless there are three points of contact with the battery, so I had to bridge the outermost contact points.

View attachment 1772099

Putting the remote back together was the biggest PITA, but all in all, it was a pretty fun DIY project for someone with an Amazon device for television and Apple devices for… literally everything else. :)

View attachment 1772094

PS: Yes, I know and am sorry about how bad I am at soldering. I'm a good person and have many other redeeming qualities, I swear.
Click to expand...
Bravo sir! Top tinkering 👍
 
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Wow, now I am inspired to put it in my Harmony remote and run it off the rechargeable battery.
 
AngerDanger said:
I had a leftover remote from a Fire Stick and decided to see if I could fit an AirTag inside. I figured if people are drilling holes through these things, there was no DIY project too stupid to pass on.

Cracking into the remote was a bit like removing the front from a gen 1–5 iPod, but with a lot more plastic tabs to prize apart. I had to cut away a bit of the support inside near the IR transceiver to make room for the AirTag.

View attachment 1772095

The AirTag was similar; no screws and a lot of time spent working a razor back and forth between the gap in the plastic. The speaker is kinda structurally integral to the AirTag, so it came apart as soon as I got the circuitboard exposed.

I briefly toyed with the idea of repurposing a dead EarPod for a speaker but couldn't make room in the remote.

There wasn't any room for a battery either, so I wired it in parallel with the remote since they're both 3v. This had the added benefit of making it so I don't need to take the whole thing apart to replace the batteries.

View attachment 1772098

Interestingly, the AirTag wont turn on unless there are three points of contact with the battery, so I had to bridge the outermost contact points.

View attachment 1772099

Putting the remote back together was the biggest PITA, but all in all, it was a pretty fun DIY project for someone with an Amazon device for television and Apple devices for… literally everything else. :)

View attachment 1772094

PS: Yes, I know and am sorry about how bad I am at soldering. I'm a good person and have many other redeeming qualities, I swear.
Click to expand...
Dang... nice! Apple TV remote next?
 
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Amazing work, just i assume the “play sound” stops working because the airtag’s case acts as the diaphragm
oh you’ve mentioned that
 
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levitynyc said:
Why not just buy a second remote?
Click to expand...
Save the environment, create less waste，in fact I think we should create less gadget and try to build product that lasts longer (generations). Use our brain more to remember where we it our remote and develop good habits of putting things where they belong. Unfortunately that’s nothing the world we live in.
 
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legatoboy said:
Save the environment, create less waste，in fact I think we should create less gadget and try to build product that lasts longer (generations). Use our brain more to remember where we it our remote and develop good habits of putting things where they belong. Unfortunately that’s nothing the world we live in.
Click to expand...
Then by your words we don't need Airtags either. No reason to buy them. You know, cuz they create waste and people should remember where they put things. 😉
 
Kylo83 said:
who even looses a remote its only gonna be in the room
Click to expand...
Not to sound cliché, I think anyone can lose a remote given enough practice.

I started off small, losing things like Tic Tacs and coins until I worked my way up to matchbooks and wallets. From there, it only took a few weeks to perfect the remote.

If you find it especially difficult, don't be discouraged; you'll get there soon. :)

stephenjay said:
I put an AirTag up my butt, and now I can easily tell the difference between my ass and a hole in the ground.
Click to expand...
Awesome, dude! Really looking forward to your thread!
 
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zakarhino said:
No fancy AngerDanger CGI animation to accompany this project so unfortunately I'm going to have to -1. Sorry.

Jokes aside, this is a decent idea and if anything makes me irritated that the new Apple TV remote doesn't have AirTag tracking built into it.
Click to expand...
I was wondering that too, but look at the hysteria of the well known tracker AirTag itself to the stalker fantasy fetishist. How would that amplify if it could be an AirPod case or an AppleTV remote doing the same thing?
 
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