Old infrared device

I've got this infrared device here (just little receiver node on a wire to a serial plug - on com1) and thought I'd have a play with it to see what I could do, but I'm gettin nothin from it and I've tried with 2 different TV remotes!

All I get is 2 of these comEventBreak errors when I open the port. If anyone is IrDA savy would you please fill me in on how they work and what they are supposed to be sending etc :D. According to MSDN and the description on VB it's just what the name says; "when the device sends a break". What is a break? What does it mean? I haven't got a clue!

From what I've been reading, some remotes and devices receive\send at different kHz, could this be my problem? I'm also sceptical if this thing is still working but I've no idea how to find out properly either, so haha. :D

Here's the code I've been testing with:

VB Code:

Option Explicit
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
  'number of comEventBreak received on portopen
  ' 2400 - 2
  ' 4800 - 2
  ' 9600 - 1
  ' 19200 - 1
  ' 38400 - 1
  ' 57600 - 1
  ' 115200 - 1
  
  With MSComm1
    .CommPort = 1
    .Settings = "9600,n,8,1"
    
    'if changed from none to RTS, i sometimes get a comEvCTS on portopen
    'i've even had blank data coming through with this as well
    .Handshaking = comRTS
    .RTSEnable = True
    
    .RThreshold = 1
    .PortOpen = True
  End With
End Sub
 
Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
  MSComm1.PortOpen = False
End Sub
 
Private Sub MSComm1_OnComm()
 
  List1.AddItem "oncomm! - " & MSComm1.CommEvent, 0
  
  Dim s As String * 1
  
  If MSComm1.CommEvent = comEvReceive Then
    Do
      s = MSComm1.Input
      List1.AddItem "data - " & s, 0
    Loop While MSComm1.InBufferCount
  End If
End Sub

Cheers.