IR/UHF Remote Control

[jigar]

Guys,

I need to buy a remote control which combine all my gear's remote control and can work outside the walls. As all my equipment for Home theater are outside my HT Room. Can you suggest one? Where can I but that cheap.


Thanks in advance.

 

[MDS]

Most of the new line of Home Theater Master remotes are IR/RF. Good sites to buy them at a discount are http://www.surfremotecontrol.com and http://www.bluedo.com

 

[jcPanny]

RF remote

Here is a good deal on the entry level MX-600 RF remote from newegg, only $115.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16880100603

If you already have a good universal remote. Consider the RF extender from parts express for about $50.

 

[jigar]

Thanks JCPENNY. Only thing is do you know if that remote has a capability of downloading data from their website? I found VPL-HS51A sony projector is not part of their database. Do youknow of any remote which has that capability?

 

[jigar]

Also does any one know how do I use this remote controls to operate lights in home theater. I want this remote control to operate lights. Can you tell me what kind of dimmer switch and what else do I need to configure that?

 

[j_garcia]

As long as the remote you get is programmable, you can control most anything that has an IR remote, though nearly all remotes have problems with certain codes so you may not get everything to work.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Also does any one know how do I use this remote controls to operate lights in home theater. I want this remote control to operate lights. Can you tell me what kind of dimmer switch and what else do I need to configure that?

For remote controlled dimmer lights try the Lutron Spacer System light switches. They are all IR controlled, and if you can run some wiring to them, you can bury IR emitters inside the box to hit different scenes.

 

[majorloser]

Philips Pronto

I know there are a lot of people who think they are hard to use, but I still like the Philips Pronto Pro. http://www.pronto.philips.com/index.cfm?id=885

Check out this site to help you decide on remotes: www.remotecentral.com

 

[bandits007]

After reading some stuff on this thread.....I had a couple of questions.

1. What exactly does a RF extender do? Below is the picture of my cabinet that I had custom built for my media niche. The cable box is in the bottom center cabinet. RIGHT NOW, I have to leave it open if i want to control the cable box. I haven't bought any speakers yet and on a thread that I had posted asking for help, MDS suggested that I place the center channel speaker in either top or bottom center and put acoustically transparent grill cloth to make it look good. Will the cable box or whatever I put behind the cloth let IR work?

2. Also in the picture above, to the right side, I have a lamp plugged in that has a dimmer. Is there something I can purchase that will control the lights on the ceiling as well as this lamp. I want to be able to turn the lights on/off and control the dimmer througha remote.

 

[MDS]

1. An RF extender is essentially a wireless repeater. You place them all around the house to extend the coverage area of the RF signal which is good for about 300 feet.

2. IR will not easily (if at all) penetrate wood but it usually works fine thru glass if it is not heavily smoked. IR will go right through grill cloth no problem.

The solution to the issue of having components behind a wood door is an RF remote. You have the remote which transmits either IR or RF or both and you have a base station that accepts RF and converts it to IR.

The better systems have a base station that can act in 2 ways:
- As a 'blaster' where it emits the IR from its front panel. To use the blaster the base station needs to be in line of sight of your components just as an IR remote itself needs line of sight.
- IR emitters. These are wires that are attached to the back of the base station and have an LED on one end that is placed over the IR eye of the component. If the IR signal is very strong you don't even have to place the emitter on the component to control - anywhere in the near vicinity will work (especially inside a cabinet as the IR is trapped and will bounce all around the inside and the ir eye of the component is almost sure to see it).

My preference for IR/RF remote controls is the Home Theater Master. The 'Total Control Series' are both IR and RF and you can program the remote to send either or both. The corresponding base station has programmable emitters as well and you can program the remote and base station to only send certain commands on say emitter 1. Programmable emitters are useful if you have two of the same component or similar components that respond to the same remote codes. The base station can also be programmed to use the blaster, emitters only, or both - very flexible. You would place the base station anywhere on the media cabinet and run the emitters down into the area where the components live. You would then be able to control them pretty much from anywhere in the house and with the wood door closed.

If you have 10 devices or fewer (include your dimmable lights as a component) I would suggest the MX-350. For about $250 (retail), the MX-350 and the MRF-100 base station solves your problem completely. I have an MX-350 but haven't gotten around to getting the RF basestation yet.

 

[bandits007]

dang....MDS..you know it all huh?

thanks AGAIN

I was thinking about getting a Logitech Harmony 890 Remote which comes with a wireless extender or repeater. Price wise Best Buy has it for about $359 but I saw it at www.surfremotecontrol.com for cheaper, I'll just wait for it to come back in stock.

I really need to find out what I can get to control the lights in the ceiling and the lamps that plug into the wall. I saw the Intermatic Line at Lowes store that uses z-wave technology. I should be able to find something better out there.

 

[MDS]

I really need to find out what I can get to control the lights in the ceiling and the lamps that plug into the wall. I saw the Intermatic Line at Lowes store that uses z-wave technology. I should be able to find something better out there.

Other options to check out would be Lutron Spacer and good old X-10. Many remotes have X-10 codes pre-programmed. I'm thinking the same thing as you but I only have one light over the fireplace I would like to be able to dim from my remote.

 

[steveylypc]

RF repeater

MDS said,
"1. An RF extender is essentially a wireless repeater. You place them all around the house to extend the coverage area of the RF signal which is good for about 300 feet."

I have a standard DISH Network system with RF remotes that don't reach as far as I'd like them to. Is there an extender/repeater I can buy to extend the range of my Dish-furnished RF remotes?

Thanks!
~Steve

 

[BMXTRIX]

I have a standard DISH Network system with RF remotes that don't reach as far as I'd like them to. Is there an extender/repeater I can buy to extend the range of my Dish-furnished RF remotes?

Most likely, no. The RF in the sat. boxes tends to be cheap with limited range. This, you already have learned. But, RF signals tend to operate on different frequencies from one another. So, while you can get an RF extender, it typically is brand and product specific.

You would have to find one that is 100% specific to your Dish box - and that I'm afraid I don't know of existing.

You could always use a good universal remote/RF repeater combo like those from Universal Remote Control and being discussed in this thread. Should have MUCH better range than the cheapie that came with your Dish box.

 

[majorloser]

I'm not sure which Dish RF remote/receiver you have. I've had both the Dish 6000HD receiver and the ViP211 receiver with RF remotes. Both of those receivers/remotes still had IR control capability. You should be able to try a simple IR repeater system.

With this feature I was able to use my Phillips Pronto Pro remote to control everything in the room. The Phillips system uses RF to transmit to an IR sending unit located with the components.

 

[jlcct]

I question controling the lighting with an rf signal if the lights are on the same circuit as your equipment. Unless maybe you have a power conditioner for the gear. You would think that since you are sending a second signal through your thhn then you would be adding some sort of foreign/unwanted distortion. Any thoughts?

 

[Kruncher]

I just read on engadget.com that Universal Remote Control had just announced the RF20 PowerPak.

Looks like it might be warrant consideration. I've had one of their MX-500's for about three years. Love it - it's great.

$70 off msrp @ SurfRemoteControl.com.

 

[steveylypc]

RF remote extender

Thanks, guys! I think I will just dig out the IR remote for this system and stick a Powermid in the closet with the receiver. I have 2 sets of Powermids which worked fine throughout the house for years, and since they are on a different freq from the DISH remotes, I should be OK.

This is a helluva site - glad I found it. When I have some $$$ I'll be back for more info!

~S.