Remote IR and Like Devices

[cshortreed]

I really couldn't figure a better way to describe that .

Anyway, I'm trying to put together a media closet in my home and would like to have two cable boxes (Comcast) and modulate that onto my RG6 throughout the house. The problem that I'm seeing (haven't done this yet) is that these two boxes will BOTH respond if ONE person uses the remote. Is there a way to combat this other than to simply isoltate access by saying 'rooms 1 & 3 use cable box 1' and 'rooms 2 & 4 use cable box 2'?

Thanks!

 

[MDS]

If the cable box and its associated remote control can be assigned an ID, then that will keep them separate as they will only respond if the command includes their ID. However, I highly doubt that the cable companies boxes have that capability.

Probably the least expensive way to do it would be to buy an RF remote and RF base station with assignable emitters like Home Theater Master - http://www.universalremote.com/ Look at the MX-350 and up and their associated RF basestations.

The RF basestation has assignable emitters and you can set up a different device button for each cable box and assign each to a different ID.

 

[cshortreed]

So you program the remote to send a code BEFORE it sends the command, then the receiving end will look at that code and know which emitter to send the command on?

Do you know which model of the remotes at universalremotes.com does this? I looked and they didn't mention this particular functionality.

Thanks!

 

[MDS]

So you program the remote to send a code BEFORE it sends the command, then the receiving end will look at that code and know which emitter to send the command on?

Do you know which model of the remotes at universalremotes.com does this? I looked and they didn't mention this particular functionality.

Thanks!

Look at the 'Complete Control Series' under Professional Products. The description for the MRF-250 RF base station somewhat explains the capabilities. I have the MX-350, which has the capability. If you need to control more than 10 devices you could look at the MX-350. If additionally, you want to program the remote on the computer (instead of directly on the remote) then look at the MX-850.

Essentially the way these RF remote/base stations work is that the remote sends the commands over RF and the base station receives them and converts them to IR. The base station can either 'blast' the IR from its front panel (the receiving device must then be in line of sight of the front panel) OR it can send the IR over one of the emitters attached to the base station. The emitters are placed over the IR eye of the receiving device or at least in close proximity to it (the signal from these remotes is very strong).

On the remote itself you associate device buttons with emitters on the base station. So for example, you have one button for cable box 1 and one for cable box 2 and emitter 1 on the base station goes to cable box one then you tell the remote (in its setup menus) that the button labeled cbl1 (you only get 5 letters to name the devices) is associated with emitter 1. When you are in cbl1 mode, the commands are sent only to emitter 1. When you are in cbl2 mode, you would use a different emitter and that is how you can control identical devices without interfering with each other.

Edit: You can also download the manuals for the remotes from their site and read through them to see how they work. IMO, these remotes are designed extremely well and are easy to setup and use. I can't live without mine.