Wireless RF Remote Control Extender Review

[j_garcia]

Thanks for the info. I was curious about this one. Unfortunately, the system I was looking to use this for uses a URC MX remote, which the review says this one is not compatible with. The good news about that is though, I found the RF station for the remote for $44

 

[alpab]

Found on ebay !

Bought one on ebay for 45 USD. Received in Belgium after 2 days !
Still 24 available (today august 18) from buyer...See link:
http://cgi.befr.ebay.be/Next-Generation-UHF-Remote-Control-Converter-Extender_W0QQitemZ5791109304QQcategoryZ15065QQcmdZViewItem

One question: it works perfectly for all my remotes except my Harmony SST-659....arghhhh...
Does anybody know which Harmony remote is, for sure, compatible with the RF extender ?
Many thanks
Pablo.

 

[DrErling]

Confusing...

Is NGHP alive at all?

I`ve tried calling, sending emails, ordering systems but I do not get any feedback what so ever. A coupple of months ago "bob" asked me to send credit card info (which I did, smart or not). Nothing has been withdrawn from my account, and nothing has been sent to me. (living in Norway)

What is this? Either the company is full of s*** or else its spamfilter hates me...

Any possibilities of getting hold of the system in Europe?

DrErling

 

[newfmp3]

parts express has them again as of last week. I managed to find a Canadian distributer which found a local dealer for me. They can ship straight out of Toronto to anyone in Canada.

i won't post his email here though.

I got an extra transmitter with mine for a zone 2 remote. Hopefully this works with my remote.

Looks like an interesting product.

edit: by the way, I emailed them as well a few times with no response. I think they had computer issues for the longest time. All of a sudden, after weeks of forgetting about them, they contacted me, and within hours they found a dealer close to me. All in all I was very impressed with the Canadian guy that helped me.

Now, lets see if the flying saucer does what it is supposed to.

 

[Tsunamii]

Ive been trying to get a triple eye emmiter that is listed on their sight for 2 months and nothing yet. I cant find them anywhere......

 

[JohnA]

I can tell you that NGHP is alive and well, their computer network crashed for a few days about 2 weeks back. But Bob is a real guy, and tries to help any way he can. Most of the time when I call, I get Bob.

 

[newfmp3]

I was really amazed at how fast Bob managed to get someone in Canada to help me out. I was expecting the usual hurdles of being in Canada, but no sir, it was a breeze.

 

[Tsunamii]

I talked to Bob yesterday and he said he is on his way to the Manufacture for business and will have more info on the triple eye when he gets back...

 

[newfmp3]

i got this today.

I'm going to just say this

if you are using any other remote extender ..... you are using the wrong one.

this thing is ingenious

 

[Grisbane]

<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial"><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/WirelessRFRemoteControlExtender.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 95px" alt=[remoteextenderbattery_lg] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/remoteextenderbattery_lg_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>Very seldom do I catch myself uttering the word "genius" silently to myself as I'm reviewing a piece of equipment. I have to say, I had my doubts about the Remote Control Extender when it was first brought to my attention last month. How can an IR remote control be automatically converted into a wireless RF remote simply by installing a battery/transmitter device in the unit itself? It just didn't make sense until </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial">Bob</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial"> Dolatowski, President of Next Generation Home Products, Inc explained the Remote Control Extender to us in detail. For the price of a decent component video cable, you can transform your Logitech Harmony, receiver remote,&nbsp;or other universal remote control into a TRUE wireless RF unit - without clunky add-ons or IR converters.&nbsp;This is no joke - RUN and buy this product.</SPAN></SPAN></P><P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial">[Read the Review]</SPAN></SPAN></P>

Clint,

I just bought this for my Harmony 680 remote based on your review. Unfortunately, it does not seem to work for this remote. Can you think of anything that needs to be changed or configured to make it work? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tsunamii]

Do you see the base flashing when it receives the signal from the remote? Are you sure the rechargeable battery is charged? Try leaving one in the base overnight then swap it out. I know when I first had the device it seemed to crash my remote, it would constantly reset it self. After awhile and a few Amstels a light went off... The battery might be dead and it was. After charging it the device works great. Weird though there is a dead spot in my living room. Only a few feet from the base and for some reason in this one spot it will not work. I can use it from the backyard but not this one place only a few feet away. Weird. Ok im babbling now...

 

[newfmp3]

it comes with two batteries, one of mine was indeed dead and had to be recharged.

My only complaint on this remote, and it wasn't a problem for myself, but the instructions are very very brief. I could see how less technical people would get lost

For example, it says to point the "front" of the flying saucer towards your equipment....well, it's perfectly round. What is the front? A geek like myself will start looking for emitters inside the almost clear plastic and find it. But the average joe will not

Another ex: the charger underneath for the batteries. I'll double check when I get home but nowhere are you told how long to keep the batteries in charging. Also, there's a 2/3 size battery slot, and a full size AAA slot. Am I to guess that full size is one is for....???? I can make a logical guess, but that's just it, I'm guessing. There's also a sensitivity selector...what for? it says to keep it on B. So what's A/C settings for? Just stuff the average joe will get confused with.

All in all, I love this thing. I love how the woman keeps pointing the remote at the projection screen and the equipment is in a totally different room

I will say that the base station's IR has really good range, but the optional single IR emitter does not at all. As for the RF side, it worked anywhere I walked to in the house. If it stops raining, I'll try outside.

I've used it in a NAD HTR2, and Xbox, and Some Sony remotes as well so far.

 

[Tsunamii]

"the instructions are very very brief" they were indeed. I also noticed a lack of explanation on many parts. My single IR emitter works good, I did attempt to buy the triple but was sent the kind that go in front of the equipment and do not stick on. They did not work at all. When I went back to the single I can get the cable box to work good, though I am still stuck searching for a triple emitter (I know I can get the IR hub and do it that way also). Bob says he is going to get the scoop on the triple eyes (the old ones had the polarities reversed).
Great product though just bad documentation and service I hear was impaired by a PC problem and the supply problem for the triple eyes I guess is the manufacturer. All I know is Id like to use the product I bought months back to its full potential.

 

[Grisbane]

Thanks for the input

The extender does work, just not for my Harmony 680 remote. I've tried the three settings without any luck.

Hopefully, I can find a way for the device to work with the Harmony or I am going to have to send it back.

 

[BHOWEL01]

Is Next Generation Home Products still in business?

I talked with Bob at NGHP several months ago. He stated that the transmitter which will work with the Harmony remotes has been tested and will be out shortly. Since that time I've made numerous attempts to contact him or anyone in NGHP without success. While this is an absolutely fantastic product, it lacks support. Has anyone talked with Bob recently? Does anyone know how to obtain the transmitter which will work with the Harmony Remotes?

 

[Tsunamii]

I talked to him a week ago. He was on his way to the Manufactures sight (I think S. Korea) that is probably why you are not getting any response. He told me to try him back in early September (after the 6th)...

 

[BHOWEL01]

Next Generation Home Products is Alive!

I was finally able to contact Melissa at NGHP and she said there is a shipment of the updated transmitters arriving this week. After they check them out, we should be able to order them directly from them to work with the Harmony Remotes. She reported they should work with all but perhaps the latest with rechargable batteries. They will need to check that one out.

 

[Tsunamii]

I broke down today and bought the Xantec connecting block to distribute the signal. I was going to have to do it eventualy anway but wanted to save a few bucks in the short term with the triple eye.. at least now I get it working the way I want it.

 

[newfmp3]

any owners of this chime in on this problem?

how long are you getting out of the rechargeable batteries before the remote starts acting wonky?

I'm getting like 2-3 days. Granted, I'm using the remotes a lot while configuring things and such, but 2 days?

two different remotes, two different transmitters, same thing.

 

[philh]

any owners of this chime in on this problem?

how long are you getting out of the rechargeable batteries before the remote starts acting wonky?

I'm getting like 2-3 days. Granted, I'm using the remotes a lot while configuring things and such, but 2 days?

two different remotes, two different transmitters, same thing.

I get 2-4 weeks, but not always related to how much it's used. We're going on 4 weeks and my wife is home after surgery and the tv is almost continuously being watched. Check to make sure the battery is fully charged. Are you replacing the other Battery(s) at the same time?