Hopefully someone with a little more custom install experience than myself can help me out here. I have an Anthem AVM-20 and I am hoping to set up a distibuted IR repeater system with the built in IR input/outputs on it. I know how to set up the emitters to control all my components, my question is about IR recievers. I have looked at a bunch of the different IR recievers on smarthome.com and other sites, and I would like to know if there are schematics to build your own receivers, as I see it, the signals need to be sent as they are transmitted from the actual remote, not just the code with the carrier signal stripped out. Does this mean I can simply use an IR phototransistor and resistor to create the circuit, or do I need to purchase one of these (expensive) IR recievers. I know that there would be circuitry around noise reduction, RF rejection, etc. but if it was in a controlled environment, would it be necessary. Maybe another question is does anyone have a good line on 12 volt IR receivers for less than the $50 smarthome charges?

My sample circuit:

+12 V
|
<
> ...220 Ohm Res
<
|
|---- ...signal out
|
|/
| ...npn phototransistor
|\
|
-
Gnd