Help : Cloning a generic Radio Frequency remote with an Arduino!

[sacred palm]

Heya!
I'd like to clone the functionality of a generic remote that controls a lamp, with an Arduino.

The remote is very small, and I've been advised that it might be within range of 433mhz.
Not sure how to verify this, apparently most generic RF-remotes tend to be! Is this your experience?

The following parts are available in my country.
Transmitter : STX882 ASK Transmitter Module
Receiver : SRX882 Superheterodyne Receiver

Would these parts be suitable for decoding/capturing the signal, and then replaying it?
How should I go about achieving this?

I look forward to your advice!

[simple flame]

https://www.electronicshub.org/arduino-rf-transmitter-receiver-module/#:~:text=RF Module comprises of a,315 MHz or 434 MHz.

I found this that may help you. I have never used RF but this at least has a frequency range.

[cinder mural]

Radio Frequency stuff is a very hard project to get started. If you don't find something like the howto above for your exact device, you're going to have to find out a lot of things about the communication that you can't easily find out. Things like exact frequency (not just frequency band), the way bits are encoded (things like OOK/FSK ...) possibly some kind of encryption key (although in case of a simple remote, there is probably none) and that's before you even start sending and receiving the correct data.

Some of these things can be found with rather expensive equipment (Frequency and bit encoding)

Some things can be worked out (protocol / what the bytes mean)

but some things might be unavailable no matter how much work you put in (encryption keys)

In projects, where you control both transmitter and receiver, that's easier, because you can mostly choose "whatever" and just need to set those on both receiver and transmitter. But if you don't precisely know the values (with a pre-manufactured device) they are hard to figure out.

[cinder mural]

Regarding the "why 433MHz" - we divide the electromagnetic spectrum into different "bands" (ranges of frequency or wavelength) and countries regulate who gets to use what for which purpose.

433MHz is what we call the ISM band https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISM_radio_band - a range that you can use without a further license, as long as you stay within certain regulations (how powerful you send, for example).

the exact bands of ISM vary by country, but 433 is so common it's a good start.

[simple flame]

I was leaning towards you need existing hardware rather than build your own.

[cinder mural]

in a similar scenario a colleague of mine once got a second, matching remote off of ebay. He took off the keys and soldered arduino pins onto the buttons instead. Overall that was a 10 bucks solution and probably up and running in like an hour :-D

I don't know exactly what he put in there, though. May have been a transistor or optocoupler... for all I know he might have used electromechanical Relays :-D

[sacred palm]

I agree with everything you've mentioned, this isn't my first project, but it is my first working with RF.
From what I've gathered, I only really need to worry about 2 freq-bands (315mhz & 433mhz).
Most generic remote-controls work within this range, and IF my remote departs from this standard, yes ...
Arduino / Microcontrollers aren't the way to proceed.

In the event my remote is differently configured, I'll have to consider using an SDR (Software Defined Radio), something like the RTL2832U.
Slightly more expensive that what I was hoping for, but still accessible to a hobbyist.

[sacred palm]

Hahaha, someone suggested the exact same thing to me, a few hours ago!
Yes, if I can't clone the signal, I'll look to use the existing hardware.
Will involve some disassembly, but 'hacking' the remote is always an option!