The mono cable is brand new so I assume it works correctly. Is that what you mean? To check the current cable? I can not find the pinout of the IR IN to see what is actually needed.

hdtvluvr, in a word, the answer to your last question is no.

You'll need to learn what is meant by tip, ring, and sleeve.

You might be confusing yourself by thinking of a data type of wiring (tip, ring, sleeve) as channels of audio (left, right, ground). A stereo mini plug looks IDENTICAL and is wired IDENTICALLY to a TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) and in fact I IDENTICAL with the other one.

See how others have named the different terminals. It'll help you keep it straight and figure out what you're looking at.

Thanks for replying Ernie. I am a little confused though. Tip, ring & sleeve would seem to imply a stereo male plug end. I have a mono cable which has a tip and ground (sleeve).

So, I have ordered

[Link: amazon.com]

to convert the mono male end to a stereo end for the projector. The IR connecting block uses mono male plugs.

Hopefully the part will be delivered tomorrow. Does this seem to be what is needed?

The IR input on a Sony is weird. It like it's a TRS plug, but the tip and ring are together, and the sleeve is on its own. I've tried to make a solid connection by using a TRS plug with screw down terminals, and putting a jumper between the tip and ring, but I don't recall that it was a good fix. In the end, I've always just used a mono cable, pushed it in all the way, then pulled it out juuuust a bit. You'll feel it *kinda* catch tiny bit - and that's where you want it. It's janky as hell, and not the least bit reassuring, and yes, a terrible idea.

Last week, I was working on a travel job with a tech from out of state, and he mentioned using a small washer to do the same thing. That's a waaaaay better yet still bad idea.

Sony TVs are stereo input plug. Dont fiddle with a mono ended plug- do it the right way.

You don't seem to understand how that works. That "adapter" is going to short the tip & ring together (which would be left & right in a 'stereo audio' setup). But you are NOT dealing with an audio plug. It is a data plug - and on that Sony: the Sleeve is Ground, the Tip is Signal, and the Ring (middle) is not connected to anything [as already mentioned several times earlier in this thread].
I don't know what result shorting the Tip & Ring together on the Sony with that particular adapter will do. But I'm willing to bet cash it won't work, since hundreds (if not thousands) of other installers have already tried that method with many other stereo to mono adapters. No one has ever reported it working.

Ok. So where does one get the “data” adapter? And how would one connect it to an IR connecting block that uses 3.5mm mono plugs?

I wish I could answer that for you. I've seen others struggle with this because it is an unusual connection, and they've ultimately had success, but I've never had to deal with Sony's setup. Have you looked up and read other installer comments on this?

All I know is
a) you're not dealing with an audio connector, so you should stop thinking of it as an audio connector. Let's imagine that one of the parts, say, the ring, should be connected to nothing. If you think of the connector as a stereo connector, the question immediately arises, "why isn't the right channel connected?" If you instead think of it simply as a connector, the situation becomes "the ring is not connected to anything" and there's no explanation to do.
And I know that
b) lots of people have figured this out.
Persevere.

TRS breakout board makes wired IR troubleshooting much easier.

IP control even easier, if it's an option.

Sounds like a call to Sony tech support would solve this.

I've never attempted to use that port. Is it actually an IR port or is it a private control connection between Sony components?

I much prefer IP control.

OK, the mono to stereo plug didn't work.

I tried pushing the mono plug in and backing it out slightly - didn't work. Pulled out slightly more and didn't work. Made several attempts to have the plug partially inserted without success.

Ernie I wish those people that figured this out would let me know the secret :)

Depending on what is sending IR a simple "stereo" cable may work. or Get a stereo cable and cut it and your mono cable. Use 1/2 of each and wire tip to tip, sleeve to sleeve, leave ring of the stereo plug disconnected.

you could also use this and just cut your mono cable.
[Link: amazon.com]

diagram of tip, ring, sleeve
[Link: learn.sparkfun.com]

I just dont get all the confusion here. Find yourself a stereo mini cable. Cut it in half and grab one of the halves. Strip back the wires. Tip is signal, sleeve is ground, ring is not connected. No silly adapters needed. Done and works 100% of the time.

OK, I noticed that it doesn't matter if a stereo plug or mono plug is plugged in, any IR even right at the front of the projector is not "seen". In other words, if anything is plugged in the projector doesn't respond to IR from the front. I wonder why.

I didn't want to cut my cable so I ordered these:

[Link: amazon.com]

and

[Link: amazon.com]

I checked that the tip, ring & sleeve were labeled right on the male and that the + and - were correct on the female.  Then I joined them with some short wire.  When I connected my mono cable to this and then plugged it into the projector, it still doesn't work.  I even backed it out a little and couldn't get it to work.

I also checked the output of my IR connecting block and it works correctly.  Not sure what to do next to get this to work.

Just thought about putting 2 of the female connectors together and adding an emitter at the projector. This isn't as clean as simply plugging a cable into the side but it does work. My emitters have the visible red confirmation light.