RF control over HT devices??? (1 Viewer)

[Oswald Pascual]

I have my DVD player and Direct TV in my main theater room, but it is wired with the in house coax so that I can see it in any TV in my home. The problem is that none of my HT equipment is RF. So I am unable to control the equipment from other rooms. I know of a few devices that will send the audio an video signals to other rooms via RF, but all I really want to do is control the devices from other rooms since everything is all ready hard wired. I am looking for suggestions or onions. Thanks!
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Ozzie

 

[Vanessa]

I keep my equipment behind wooden doors, so I understand your problem. I solved it by getting a kit by Xantech (from www.worthdist.com best prices I could find), they make a large amout of IR distribution stuff. Basically, there is a sensor, which can be anything from pinhole size to a small box, that is placed in the rooms that you want control from. A wire runs from the sensor to a distribution box. (That may be the most complicated part for a house distribution system, depending on whether you are able to run the wire through the same routing as your coax or have to do it yourself.) At the equipment you want to control, little IR emitters control your equipment. I am controlling my smallish system of 6 components this way and once it's set up it works great.
If you really want to go RF, here is a product by x10. I've never used it, but before I had a regular DVD player I used their products to send A/V from my computer to my TV and it worked fairly well. (Had some difficulty with walls.) http://www.x10.com/products/x10_pm5900.htm
Hope this helps...
Vanessa
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[Oswald Pascual]

Thanks Vanessa for the response. The worthdist link you provided does not work, so I was not able to see the product you speak of, and YES distrubution of a the cables would be a problem so thats why I think that RF is the solution I am looking for but no products coming to mine yet. The X10 looks promising but it needs to go thru walls and you said that it had a bit of a problem with that sometimes.
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Ozzie
[Edited last by Oswald Pascual on September 26, 2001 at 04:57 PM]

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I think the famous Radio Shack 1995 universal remote comes with a RF link. You put this unit in front of your equipment so they all can "see" the extension. Then you program the universal remote to control your equipment. (You want to do this anyway so you dont play "hunt the remote").
The remote actually broadcasts RF and IR with each keypress. So it should work from the other room. I think this unit is usually $80 at Radio Shack, but I thought I saw it on sale for $49 a week or so ago. Check it out.

 

[Luke_Y]

Oswald, there are several products to fit your needs. The basic "Remote extenders" have 2 boxes, one in your equipment room and one in the room you want to control from. The unit in say your bedroom takes the IR code from your remote and relays it via RF to the unit in your equipment room which in turn uses IR and blasts it to your components. You can get the 2 piece units several places for less than 50$ (Radio Shack) or do a search on the web for "remote extenders". With most of these systems you have the option to buy extra units for other rooms. Some people stick the relay unit in a hallway or such area so they can reach it from multiple rooms.
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Luke

 

[Rob Blakeslee]

Oswald,
The Oct. issue of Sound and Vision features the Terk (www.terk.com) "Remote Anywhere" in the new products section. I have the older version they used to make called the "leapfrog" that I think would fit your needs nicely. The system is basically two pieces: 1) a transmitter that converts the IR to RF and attaches to the end of your remote and 2) a receiver that you aim or put in front of the equipment that you want to control that converts the RF back to IR. Best things is that you can take the remote anywhere up to approx. 150 ft and the list price is only $50. I have three zones (main, kitchen and outside) and for $50 it is probably the best investment in my HT.
Good luck !!
Rob

 

[Jay_E]

I have heard of people having good luck with this device: http://www.smarthome.com/8220A.html
This might work for you also: http://www.smarthome.com/8188r.html
Good luck.
Jay

 

[Rob Blakeslee]

Jay,
Good pictures. Looks very similiar to the Terk Remote Anywhere. Same concept atleast.
-Rob

 

[Jay_E]

Rob,
Do you know where you can buy the Terk Remote Anywhere? I couldn't even find it on terk.com. Thanks.
Jay

 

[BlaineJ]

Just a word of advice - stay away from the RCA kit that they sell at Circuit City and WalMart (among other places).
It works okay but it's one of those IR receivers that's VERY sensitive about the angle your pointing from. My wife and I have our TV sitting on an armoire (too lazy to check spelling) about 6 feet high. From the bed we had to raise our arm as high as possible to get the IR receiver to get the signal. We've since bought a new DirecTV receiver with and RF remote and my dog ate the RCA thing. Amazingly, that didn't bother me so much since it was a worthless piece of crap, anyway.

 

[Aaron H]

Regarding the Worthington Dist link not working, that's because there's a ',' in the link. Take that out and you should be ok. BTW...they do have the best prices on almost all of that stuff.
Aaron

 

[Oswald Pascual]

Thanks For all of your responses. It sounds like the Rat Shack Remote or the "Remote Extender" device may be the best thing thing for me. I will go to my local store to check it out. I also could not find the Terk product.
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Ozzie