I'm just starting to set up my first home theater...

I moved into a new house that had everything pre-wired very nicely so that all of my components can be stored in a laundry room cabinet.

So far... so good, until I realized that some components may not come equipped with an RF setting.

Here's a list of my components:


Vizio 46" Class 1080p Full-HD LCD HDTV with Digital Tuner (Model #: VW46LF)
DIRECTV Plus HD DVR (Model #: HR21)
Onkyo 7.1 Channel Home Theatre (Model #: TX-SR606)
Sony Playstation 3


So far ... I had the RF setting (IR/RF) working great on my DIRECTV box. Then I hooked up the receiver.

Now the receiver says it has its own version of HDMI-CEC, so I was hoping everything could be handled without a special remote just through my TV. However I haven't found out if Vizio has an option for HDMI-CEC, so now I'm stumped on what to do.

I'd love for everything to be handled through one remote. I think both the DIRECTV remote and the Onkyo remote are great and could likely handle everything (minus PS3's blu-ray), but I've yet to figure out a way for me to adjust the volume of my receiver without standing directly in front of it.

I don't need a fancy remote by any means, if I could use either the DIRECTV remote or the Onkyo remote, I'd be perfectly happy, not looking for a high-end setup here. I just want it to function from my couch, not the laundry room.

I am the epitome of a noob when it comes to this stuff. Any experienced individual who would be willing to help would be awesome!! Thanks all!

I'm just starting to set up my first home theater...

I moved into a new house that had everything pre-wired very nicely so that all of my components can be stored in a laundry room cabinet.

So far... so good, until I realized that some components may not come equipped with an RF setting.

Here's a list of my components:


Vizio 46" Class 1080p Full-HD LCD HDTV with Digital Tuner (Model #: VW46LF)
DIRECTV Plus HD DVR (Model #: HR21)
Onkyo 7.1 Channel Home Theatre (Model #: TX-SR606)
Sony Playstation 3


So far ... I had the RF setting (IR/RF) working great on my DIRECTV box. Then I hooked up the receiver.

Now the receiver says it has its own version of HDMI-CEC, so I was hoping everything could be handled without a special remote just through my TV. However I haven't found out if Vizio has an option for HDMI-CEC, so now I'm stumped on what to do.

I'd love for everything to be handled through one remote. I think both the DIRECTV remote and the Onkyo remote are great and could likely handle everything (minus PS3's blu-ray), but I've yet to figure out a way for me to adjust the volume of my receiver without standing directly in front of it.

I don't need a fancy remote by any means, if I could use either the DIRECTV remote or the Onkyo remote, I'd be perfectly happy, not looking for a high-end setup here. I just want it to function from my couch, not the laundry room.

I am the epitome of a noob when it comes to this stuff. Any experienced individual who would be willing to help would be awesome!! Thanks all!

I'm not sure what you mean by an RF "setting." In reality, components don't really take RF commands - they convert them to IR. Your receiver is no exception. You'll need a way to get an IR signal to your components, and there are three ways to do this:

1 - An IR repeater sysetm. If the house is pre-wired, and there is a cat5 wire from the laundry room to the TV, you would put an IR receiver by the TV, connect it to a connecting block, and the connecting block would have emitters connected to it that attach to your components IR "eyes." Just do a search for IR repeater and I'm sure you could get an education. Xantech and Hot Link are two popular brands.

2. Get an RF universal remote. Tons of options, varying in price and complexity. This would consist of an RF "extender" or base station, that sits in the laundry room. The remote would communicate with it, and the extender would then communicate with your components, either with IR emitters/blasters (as in the IR repeater system), or in some cases, the extender itself can act as an IR blaster.

3. Next Generation makes a product where you replace a battery in your IR remote, and it converts it to RF. Again, you can do a search to see how it works. I have no experience with this, some people say it's great, some say the RF range is very limited. With this product, you retain your original remote controls - but each remote would need the RF transmitter, so in your case you would need at least 2.

A fourth option would be for you to connect with a customer installer and get a product from Universal Remote or RTI, but I think those are more robust than what you are looking for. The easiest thing to do, if you have a wire already run from the laundry room to the TV, or you have a conduit through which you could run wire, would be the IR repeater. It's the most foolproof, and the ideal one-room solution.

Thank you tjk for your quick reply...

I'm guessing Vizio's don't have an HDMI-CEC option? Figures... that's what I get for being cheap.


Then out of those three, I think option two sounds the best. The goal is to keep the least amount of equipment around the TV.

If I could set the RF Wireless Extender in the cabinet right with my components, would I need the other items you listed (obviously the remote, but anything else)?

Thank you tjk for your quick reply...

I'm guessing Vizio's don't have an HDMI-CEC option? Figures... that's what I get for being cheap.


Then out of those three, I think option two sounds the best. The goal is to keep the least amount of equipment around the TV.

If I could set the RF Wireless Extender in the cabinet right with my components, would I need the other items you listed (obviously the remote, but anything else)?

I'll be honest with you, I have no idea what an HDMI-CEC is.

I think you're overestimating what the IR receiver looks like. It's about one inch high and a few inches wide. They come even smaller (they make ones you can put in a wall plate). The are hardly noticeable.

If you go with option 2, whether or not you need ir blasters hooked up to the RF extender depends on how good the rf extender is and how sensitive your equipment is to it. But the IR blasters will come with the rf extender, and they're really easy to hook up - you just plug one end into the extender, and stick the blaster on the IR sensor of the equipment. Piece of cake. So you'd be looking at the remote, rf extender, and the ir emitters/blasters. Cost will be a little more than an ir repeater, and it's impossible to know how good performance will be, but any decent rf remote should be highly reliable to at least 50-75 feet.