Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried the local Burr-Brown agent, no luck.
Most
manufacturers are represented in New Zealand but  finding shelf stock can be
a trial sometimes, sadly. Think I'll have to re-visit a passive IR circuit
to see
if it can be modified. That uses a TLC272 in low current (10uA) low
frequency
mode with a lot of gain. The current project is OK with said VCR unit, no
panic.
[ More urgent is finding out why my audio system keeps crackling before I go
mad
or it gets a swift kick up the tweeters :-) ]

Joe

> >The IR receiver has been taken from a trashed VCR. I've tried  a few
> >discrete  designs in the past but never managed to come up with anything
> >as effective. Although the power consumption is sort of OK at 1.5mA at 5V
> >(the slave battery is on power), if anyone knows of a circuit as good as
a
> >VCR receiver at lower power I'd be interested.
>
>Joe
>
> I am unaware of a vendor that makes a combination PD/op amp combination
> receiver that draws low power but the opt 209 from Burr Brown is
> ultrasensitive and runs at reduced supply current (400 ua). The opt 301 is
> easier to use as it is self shielding and uses slighlty more power-check
it
> out too.
>
>Art