I am buying the Logitech Harmony 900 remote. From my understanding, it has the IR blaster and 2 mini-blasters to help get the RF signal into an IR signal to my devices. I read on logitech's FAQ section that 1 remote can handle 5 IR-Blasters. When I called logitech to order more IR-Blasters, the sales guy said they don't sell them separately. And I can't find it on the internet anywhere. I asked they guy where there is a FAQ to describes how to connect more than 1 IR-Blaster and yet we can't buy extra!

Here is my situation. I have a theater room that holds 2 cable boxes, 1 dish network box, 1 hp computer with MCE, 2 audio amplifiers, and 2 bluray players. The reason I have 2 of everything is that the 2nd set it used for my family room next door, but I keep all the components here. I don't think 1 IR-Blaster and 2-Mini blasters will cover all those components. And besides, my projector in my theater room is completely separate from all the components, so I need another IR blaster just for that. And I also wanted another IR-Blaster for my family room TV as well because I have it hung on the wall with some decorative pieces kind of blocking the front. Since I am getting a RF capable remote, I wanted to be able to control all my devices from anywhere without pointing at it.

So my main question, where can I buy extra IR-Blasters & Mini-Blasters for this remote?

2nd question, can an IR-Blaster be controlled by 2 different remotes? I was thinking of buying 2 Logitech Harmony 900 remotes, one for each room, and have them both programmed for both rooms so the remotes can move back and forth and still control everything.

plain and simple, the separate ir blasters are not yet on sale, but they will be at some point

you can not pair multiple remotes to one blaster, that functionality is still unique to the 890Pro

I am buying the Logitech Harmony 900 remote. From my understanding, it has the IR blaster and 2 mini-blasters to help get the RF signal into an IR signal to my devices. I read on logitech's FAQ section that 1 remote can handle 5 IR-Blasters. When I called logitech to order more IR-Blasters, the sales guy said they don't sell them separately. And I can't find it on the internet anywhere. I asked they guy where there is a FAQ to describes how to connect more than 1 IR-Blaster and yet we can't buy extra!

Here is my situation. I have a theater room that holds 2 cable boxes, 1 dish network box, 1 hp computer with MCE, 2 audio amplifiers, and 2 bluray players. The reason I have 2 of everything is that the 2nd set it used for my family room next door, but I keep all the components here. I don't think 1 IR-Blaster and 2-Mini blasters will cover all those components. And besides, my projector in my theater room is completely separate from all the components, so I need another IR blaster just for that. And I also wanted another IR-Blaster for my family room TV as well because I have it hung on the wall with some decorative pieces kind of blocking the front. Since I am getting a RF capable remote, I wanted to be able to control all my devices from anywhere without pointing at it.

So my main question, where can I buy extra IR-Blasters & Mini-Blasters for this remote?

2nd question, can an IR-Blaster be controlled by 2 different remotes? I was thinking of buying 2 Logitech Harmony 900 remotes, one for each room, and have them both programmed for both rooms so the remotes can move back and forth and still control everything.

I use two 890's with two IR blasters and they work fine. Both remotes are programmed identically so that I can use either remote in any room. I suspect that configuration would work with the 900 too.

I can't think of any reason that you couldn't use a cable splitter to multiply the number of IR outputs from the blaster but I will defer to others on that one.

I use two 890's with two IR blasters and they work fine. Both remotes are programmed identically so that I can use either remote in any room. I suspect that configuration would work with the 900 too.

I can't think of any reason that you couldn't use a cable splitter to multiply the number of IR outputs from the blaster but I will defer to others on that one.
but that's multiple remotes to their own blasters.

the 890Pro actually supports multiple remotes being paired with a single blaster

you can use multiple 900s in the same house, but you can not have two remotes paired to the same blaster.

you can use splitters to multiply the number of IR outputs from the blaster, just remember that they have to be mono cables/splitters

but that's multiple remotes to their own blasters.

the 890Pro actually supports multiple remotes being paired with a single blaster

you can use multiple 900s in the same house, but you can not have two remotes paired to the same blaster.

you can use splitters to multiply the number of IR outputs from the blaster, just remember that they have to be mono cables/splitters

thanks for your answers!

so if i go to radio shack and get a 3.5mm mono splitter, i can then buy some DUAL IR emitter cables and use those in combination with the mini-blasters to cover all my hardware? when i called technical support with logitech, they said they don't recommend splitting up the blaster anymore then it is. not sure why he said that.

i guess i will have to keep the remotes independent to each room, which shouldn't be a big deal.

yup, but keep in mind the jacks on the blaster are 2.5mm mono jacks
if the dual IR emitter cables you're going to use are 3.5mm tips, then what you'll need is a 2.5mm to 3.5mm mono adapter...I use this one (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062457) myself

I use the old style logitech dual tip IR blaster cables, and two of them (4 total tips is enough for my bedroom setup). if you need to split the blaster any more, you would also need something like this (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102953)

so far I have not found a 1 piece unit that converts the 2.5mm jack on the blaster to two 3.5mm jacks...so you'll need the one piece to change the 2.5mm to 3.5mm and then the second piece to split it into two jacks.

awesome, i got in my remote today along with my new equipment. i'll check it out this weekend and let you know, thanks so much!

they said they don't recommend splitting up the blaster anymore then it is. not sure why he said that.


It would depend on where the current limiting resistor for the IR LED is (near the LED or near the driver) and weather the driver is capable of supplying the current.
LEDs are not lightbulbs, they're current driven devices, they can't just be placed in parallel without considering the supply voltage and current limiting.

yup, but keep in mind the jacks on the blaster are 2.5mm mono jacks
if the dual IR emitter cables you're going to use are 3.5mm tips, then what you'll need is a 2.5mm to 3.5mm mono adapter...I use this one (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062457) myself

I use the old style logitech dual tip IR blaster cables, and two of them (4 total tips is enough for my bedroom setup). if you need to split the blaster any more, you would also need something like this (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102953)

so far I have not found a 1 piece unit that converts the 2.5mm jack on the blaster to two 3.5mm jacks...so you'll need the one piece to change the 2.5mm to 3.5mm and then the second piece to split it into two jacks.

So I got my remotes and fooled around with everything last night. Here are some more questions I have. you were right about not being able to pair a IR blaster with 2 remotes, so i had to keep both remotes and their respective IR blasters operating separately.

First i tried just using the Blasters and Mini-Blasters. They work fine, but since I have identical devices, like the cable boxes and dvd players, the mini-blaster on 1 remote will affect both devices. so i definitely think i need to go with the IR emitters instead. i called logitech to confirm and they said this IR blaster is not compatible with any IR emitter. they said it will only work with theirs that is coming out in november. is that true? or can i purchase any dual IR emitter off ebay, etc.?

also, my remote in the theater room works great, good reception everywhere! but my remote for my family room doesn't get good reception at all. it always complains about not being able to communicate to the IR blaster. so i asked logitech support if i can move my main IR blaster in front of my TV in my family room, and then run 50-100ft extension cables for the mini-blaster to where my devices are located in my theater room. he said that will work fine. will it be fine to do this and use IR emitters instead? like run the extension cable from the main IR blaster to my equipment and then use the IR emitters at that point? will the 100ft extension cable really not make a difference? he said it won't because its traveling at the speed of light, which i understood, but i thought the IR signal might get lost over that large distance.

another question that is off topic, but just seeing if you guys have a clue before i start searching these forums. i have my computer connected to my projector as well with a DVI-HDMI converter. picture looks great only when i set the resolution to 1280x720. But the problem is that my picture is cut off a bit. I read somewhere before that is normal and that even regular HD cable boxes do the same thing. Is there some software i can buy for windows xp or a setting i can adjust to let windows know that my picture is actually smaller than 1280x720? i tried messing with smaller resolutions, but then the image of my desktop doesn't come out properly. sometimes it came out way too small or an unrecognized resolution. so basically i need windows to still output at 1280x720, but it needs to realize that my viewing area is a bit smaller, maybe 1200x680 or something. that way when i maximize my browser or any program, it won't be cut off.

oh 1 more thing to mention. i really with the RF extender would work with this remote. that would solve all my concerns!

as far as your harmony related questions...I AM using mine with the old logitech dual tip IR blaster cables that came with the old style RF extender. I think tech support at most companies are too 'cookie cutter' in their answers. will another companies IR emitters work, probably...but they're going to say no for two reasons...1. they want you to buy their adapter (called the IR precision cables - it's mentioned in the manual) and 2. they don't want to explain about the various 2.5mm to 3.5mm mono adapters and splitters that you might need to use.

the IR precision cables won't require you to get any separate adapters, but that's up to you if you want to wait or not.

as far as the extension cable, I think that came up during our beta test and I think logitech mentioned that they had tested at least 75 feet for extensions, but I don't know about much farther

yah i noticed the manual mentioning the precision cables as well. when i asked the tech guy about it, he said they weren't coming out till november.

hey Wannabe Actuary, had 1 more question. my cable HD-DVR box has a 3.5mm input called IR. so instead of using an IR emitter, can i use a regular 3.5mm mono cable and plug it into that? i know i still need the 2.5 to 3.5mm adapter. just seems less hassle than positioning the IR emitter.

hey Wannabe Actuary, had 1 more question. my cable HD-DVR box has a 3.5mm input called IR. so instead of using an IR emitter, can i use a regular 3.5mm mono cable and plug it into that? i know i still need the 2.5 to 3.5mm adapter. just seems less hassle than positioning the IR emitter.
should work but depends on the box...most cable boxes I've seen with the ir in don't currently have the port active

Most cable boxes with an IR port are designed to drive an IR LED for changing channels on a VCR.

thanks again for everyone's help. so i realized that there was an existing IR cable from my family room tv to my back equipment for my old crestron control system. so i simply wired up the main blaster to that IR cable by cutting off one of the mini-blasters. then on my equipment side, i wired up all my IR emitters to that one cable, now everything works perfectly. on 1 port of the main blaster, i have my cable box, dish network, dvd player, and amplifier all being controlled by it. i was worried it would be too much on 1 port but im surprised it all works fine. and i use the main blaster to control my tv so i never have to point the remote to anything.

again thanks for helping me get this setup.