Universal Remote RF-->IR Repeater

[dohanc]

I am looking for a RF remote control probably either Universal Remote MX-650/850 or Logitech's Harmony 890. My question is I do not want to run IR blasters to each one of my components. It just makes more wires and since I'm always changing something, I dont want to have IR blasters stuck to each component.

So I thought I once saw a RF-IR repeater that simply takes RF and output IR equivalent to a remote control. I would rather just setup the repeater 4 feet in front of the stereo rack and have it send IR to all the components. Make sense?

So to answer your next question - why RF at all? The stereo is not behind closed doors. The answer is, I have seen older Logitech IR remotes send out long chains of macros and the user presses the button and then naturally puts the remote down. The remote continues sending out commands from the macro sequence and is no longer firing towards the components. Annoying.

How powerful are the IR blasters? Can I just use one of these 4-5 feet away from all the components. Then I only need to wire up one.

Thanks

 

[MDS]

So I thought I once saw a RF-IR repeater that simply takes RF and output IR equivalent to a remote control. I would rather just setup the repeater 4 feet in front of the stereo rack and have it send IR to all the components. Make sense?

What you'd like to do certainly makes sense but will not work. A generic RF repeater will not understand the data protocol used by the MX-650 remote so will not be able to convert the data to IR the way the MRF-200 base station does.

If you intended to place a repeater of some kind 4 feet in front of the components, is it possible to place the RF basestation itself in the same location? If so you could then turn on the front IR blaster and not use the emitters. The IR signal from HTM remotes/basestation is extremely strong and will work reliably at 30 feet and sometimes more (assuming you have reasonable line of sight to the components). My MX-350, using IR only, works perfectly from the middle of the kitchen which is more than 20 feet away from the components.

 

[Haoleb]

The only time you really need an RF basestation is if the components are in a closed rack or another room. Other than that I dont see the need for one in your case. The longest macro you should ever have to use in a reasonable setup will only last for about a second or so unless youve put in time delays which is sometimes necessary. As its been said already the MX remotes seem to have pretty good IR output on them and usually work even when your not pointing them directly at the component.

 

[jcPanny]

RF basestation

The RF basestation that works with my URC remote has an IR "Front Blaster" that outputs all of the commands sent over the RF in addition to the small IR emitters you can stick on the front of your gear.
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Remote-Expander-MRF-100-Station/dp/B0006BFSBO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3578771-7732821?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1193253927&sr=8-1

With an IR only remote you would have to keep it pointed at your gear for several seconds until a long macro has completed.

One downside to me inexpensive URC remote is I have to manually learn the commands when I get new gear. The Harmony web interface might be easier if you make frequent changes, but only the expensive 890 model includes RF.

 

[dohanc]

Ok, I see now that the MRF-100 as well as the MRF-250 has the front emitter which is exactly what I was looking for. The description for the MRF-250 wasn't that clear.

I wasn't looking for a RF repeater - bad description. I guess I will limit my search to only the MX-850 since it can be programmed via computer (RS-232) and the Logitech Harmony 890. My only concern still with the Universal Remote is the software being crippled. I need something that can be RF because I may be installing them at 3 other people's houses.

Any other suggestions between the two are welcome. I'm going to check out the Logitech's feel at a store and mainly decide from there.

 

[MDS]

The MX series remotes can be cloned (basically have one remote 'learn' ALL of the commands in the other remote at one time). It works the same way as learning individual commands from your original remotes, except there is only button to press.

The software you use to program the MX-850 allows you to save the entire configuration so that is another option for transferring all of the settings to another of the same kind of remote.