Controlling equipment in a closet - IR repeater or HDMI CEC?

[jpolfer]

System:
Unfinished setup
Oppo BDP-83
AppleTV
OTA HDTV PVR
B&W VM2 legacy speakers (2.0 system for now)
Pioneer Elite VSX-613 THX Ultra receiver (older, no HDMI switching or BD audio support)
[Need to buy HDTV + wall mount - have a short-throw gaming projector but it won't work in my new space]

So I just moved into a new home and the previous owners half-completed a home theater space. They built an equipment closet where all speaker connections, HDMI, and coax run to. Since all the speaker wiring runs into this closet, you need to store the AV receiver there. However, they didn't try to solve the problems around remote signals yet.

So I've been thinking through my options, and I have a few questions. The questions are in bold.
1. Are IR repeaters reliable? I keep reading reviews on repeaters and I read that some only work with CFLs+LCDs, and others only work with plasmas. I'd like to get a plasma, but my room lighting is CFL, so this puts me in a tough spot I think. I was planning on buying some serious like a Xantech setup with DL95 if I go this route. I know installers peruse this forum, so I could use your feedback. The distance from rcvr to seating area is 10ft or less. This is the route I'd prefer to go, since I don't think the AppleTV or that random PVR support HDMI CEC.

2. Could I use HDMI CEC instead if I upgrade my receiver? Is CEC reliable between brands? About three years ago, CEC seemed to be just getting off the ground and was fraught with incompatibilities between brands. I'm okay if advanced operations don't work, but is this more reliable than it used to be?

3. I could be a cheapskate and keep the equipment closet door open and mount a mirror in there to reflect the IR signals off of... lol I'd prefer not though.

I guess what I'm wondering is - could someone who has done an install or two recommend what to do in this situation?

 

[crossedover]

If you buy a good ir repeater yes they work great. You can also do rf to ir. Look at Niles, xantech, urc etc. A note on the TV.. you will control it direct most likely so don't worry for it. Also do you have budget?

 

[TechnoFile]

IR repeaters are fantastic and should work without issue. HDMI CEC should work between brands as the specs are within the capabilities of the cable and the connection, not the equipment itself. It really comes down to if the equipment manufacturer has coded their equipment to comply with HDMI CEC. The other option you have, and it's quite a bit more expensive, but you can adapt your system to use an RF remote which penetrates walls and cabinets. There are several brands out there but I've had the best luck with a brand called URC. They have to be installed by a professional as they require a specific type of coding that's not generally made available to the public. But it is an option. Best of luck to you!

 

[Hi Ho]

HDMI CEC is NOT reliable. It may work. It may not. It may work at first, then it may decide to do whatever it feels like at random. Add to that the only piece of equipment on your list that has CEC is the Oppo. Apple TV doesn't support it and I doubt the DVR does. An IR repeater is a much better option.

 

[ARES24]

I use a simple harmony remote for my system but it doesn't go through my repeater reliably... OEM remotes work fine. It is a matter of timing and signal strength that has to be played with until it works well. Just keep this in mind when choosing remotes. If I were to do it again I would go with an RF remote. Just my $.02

 

[adk highlander]

RF always has to be converted back to something else (IR/RS-232) so you will still be using a repeater of sorts. I have had great success with the Niles line. They have IR eye's that are only the size of a dime that you can place below the TV or some models you can stick to the tv. This will run back to a distribution block with the flashers. This can then be used the OEM remotes or a universal remote.

A more complex setup would be something from Harmony or URC where the remote sends an RF signal to the base station which converts in to IR and then distributes. The URC stuff is great and allows for routing of IR signals to specific flashers so if you have multiple sat boxes you can control both without any worries of sending signals to the wrong box. These setups are a bit more pricey. You can get the Niles setup I mentioned above for less than $150 but a bare bones URC setup will cost $500-600 plus programming.

 

[jotham]

I've had a ton of challenges with going with a pure IR signal despite using Xantech, Niles and other reputable brands. The problem seemed to mostly be due to interference from Fluorescent or LED lighting. Adjusting the sensitivity of the various IR eyes helped but sometimes made it worse because it also cut out a part of the IR band that some random component needed. At least for me it was surprisingly frustrating. It may work fine for your setup.

What finally ended up working was an RF remote that feeds to a IR base. That approach has been rock solid. I also like the Harmony line because if something does not work correctly, you can press Help and it will usually resolve the issue. All that said, this is the component I would recommend. It's probably overkill but it will almost assuredly work.

Amazon.com: Logitech Harmony Smart Control with Smartphone App and Simple Remote - Black (915-000194): Electronics


Oh, and stay away from HDMI CEC

 

[crossedover]

I also like the Harmony line because if something does not work correctly, you can press Help and it will usually resolve the issue. All that said, this is the component I would recommend. It's probably overkill but it will almost assuredly work.

Amazon.com: Logitech Harmony Smart Control with Smartphone App and Simple Remote - Black (915-000194): Electronics


Oh, and stay away from HDMI CEC

Not knocking harmony, but you should never need a "help" button with a properly setup system. While they have gotten better, offerings from URC, Niles, RTI, Control 4, Creston (AMX now being sucked up by Harmon, who knows) are what level of control people seek when controlling remote devices, even if the price isn't agreeable.