I basically have everything running great with mx-810 macros, the only problem is the xbox 360. Unless the remote is pointing directly at the xbox 360 it wont turn on, since im turning on alot of devices with IR it is not pointed directly at the 360 but close, and every other device turns on. Is there any cheap way I can increase the IR on the Xbox 360?

I basically have everything running great with mx-810 macros, the only problem is the xbox 360. Unless the remote is pointing directly at the xbox 360 it wont turn on, since im turning on alot of devices with IR it is not pointed directly at the 360 but close, and every other device turns on. Is there any cheap way I can increase the IR on the Xbox 360?

The scene it game comes with a USB IR receiver that has a nice long cable. Not sure if it will work with a universal remote as I don't have the game but if it does that could help extend the IR.

just a thought, why not just turn on and off the xbox via the controller...your going to need it anyway to play a game.....

my harmony remote...does everything for my ps3 and wii but doesn't turn it on...i grab a controller and do that manually while the receiver is switched, inputs, etc..

"the only problem is the xbox 360"

When I have reception issues with my Harmony, it is far more common that the issue is code repeat/speed/inter-device delay related instead of remote power/IR reception. See if your MX supports varying the number of times a code is repeated. Maybe bumping the repeat up one notch will fix the issue. Also, some devices block any incoming signal that isn't for them, but then also don't accept anything else for a while. I don't know if the 360 acts like that off the top of my head, but it's another thing to look at. For the record, my 360 works great with my Harmony, regardless of where I'm pointing the remote.

do you have an aftermarket faceplate? some of them have different (crappy) IR plastic that diverts the signal down to the sensor.

Hmmm I do, but I took out the original ir window (which also seemed to divert the signal down to the sensor. I think thats how it works???). The aftermarket had a black cover, so it would not except IR at all. So I removed the IR window from the original faceplate, and put it in the black faceplate exactly how the original was. And the original also had a red plastic thing that went down to the senor.

I can stand 20 feet back and turn it on, but it has to be pointing exactly at it. Where as every other component i just can turn it on generally pointing in that direction.

If it is the IR screen (even though I took it from the offical faceplate and had it in perfect condition when I molded it onto my black one) is there any other black faceplates out there that are well built and have the proper IR window? Looked on microsofts website only found black carbon, why cant it just be black.

I might try some cheap interact ones from future shop.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10083651&catid=23556#


Maybe my moving the ir window from the original faceplate onto this one hurt the ir sensitivity or something.

Can anyone confirm though standing a ways back they can turn on there xbox fine, not even pointing directly at it, I really just assumed xbox ir was not as sensitive as other components?

The xbox IR is more sensitive than other components. I got a hot link pro recently since I moved my stuff to a rack away from the TV. The only thing I have had problems with was the Xbox. I called the people at hotlink and they said it may be too sensitive and to put peices of masking tape between the sender and the IR cover. 2 peices later and it worked fine.

Well I was reading reviews of faceplates and see joytechs black faceplate got very good reviews, the reviewer mentioned pelican has problems with its IR cover, not so with joytech, so I will give that a try i guess.

The scene it game comes with a USB IR receiver that has a nice long cable. Not sure if it will work with a universal remote as I don't have the game but if it does that could help extend the IR.

Unfortunately, it does not.

OK guys, I'm new to posting here, but I've been reading these forums for a while. Now, I have an IR blaster and an Xbox 360, but it never seemed to work as well as I would like. That is, however, until I made one simple change.

Step 1) I removed the front cover of the Xbox 360. This is very easy and you can find videos online if you are unsure of how to do it.

Step 2) I looked inside the front cover and found the long shaft of dark plastic that normally links the IR cover on the outside of the cover to the IR receiver inside the console.

Step 3) I set the cover on a flat, hard surface with the end of the plastic shaft resting on the flat, hard surface and the outside of the cover facing the ceiling.

Step 4) I gently pushed down on the cover and forced the dark plastic IR peice out of its "seat". It came out rather easily and nothing actually broke. I just forced it out so that the dark plastic IR piece was separated from the rest of the front cover.

Step 5) Put the front cover back on without the plastic IR piece.

Step 6) I took one of my IR blaster emitters and removed the red plastic cover on the end. My emitters had simple two-piece plastic covers that snapped together (and apart). The remaining emitter is just a wire with what looks a like a small LED on the end.

Step 7) I slid the emitter LED into the hole when the plastic IR piece used to be. Then, I started sending signals through the blaster. Once the Xbox started to receive the signals, I took a piece of electrical tape and put it across the hole, securing the wire to the front of the Xbox.

I hope that helps someone else. Thanks!!

^ That sounds like a good method to try first. I've been contemplating following this method that I found on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IYtsVtzK8U