How do I make LIRC work with my IrDA port?

[Raymond M C. <rca...@op...>]

I have a laptop running Red Hat Linux 9.
According to the BIOS there is an HPSIR port on COM2, x02f8, IRQ 3
/usr/sbin/findchip -v  gives me:

Found SMC FDC37C669 Controller at 0x3f0, DevID=0x00, Rev. 0
   SIR BASE 02f8, FIR Base 0x0
   IRQ=3, DMA=0
   Enabled: yes, Suspended: no
   UART compatible: yes
   Half duplex delay = 0us

Despite all of the conflicting info on the LIRC and Tuxmobil 
Infrared-HOWTO pages I have been unable
to get the interface to recieve data from an standard TV remote control.

Some posters say it will never work because of the different modulation 
schemes, and some say they have
actually done it.

Can anyone who has done it give specific guidance and instructions on 
how to do this?

Many thanks in advance.