Ideas! Using remotes without access to box.

It's a pretty straightforward project. You have two basic options: wired or wireless.

1) Do you have a spare 3-or-more conductor cable that is already running from your server closet to your viewing area that you can dedicate to transmitting IR? Pretty much anything not in use will do...cat5, phone cable, stereo audio cable. If needed, a 2-conductor cable will do, but 3 is preferred.

2) If you don't have the cable, how hard would it be to fish one?

3) What are your walls like? How far is it for an RF signal? How much RF-spewing equipment is in the way (AC, pumps, fridge, etc)

4) What kind of display do you have?

If you are really lucky, your cable box has a 1/8" TRS jack on the back labeled 'IR'. If so, pick up one of these: http://www.amazon.com/HDTVHOOKUP-Dual-Frequency-IR-Receiver/dp/B00255GURK/

I'm not recommending that particular model or seller...that was just the first one listed when I searched for "IR receiver". They vary in price, size, geometry, etc. There is also dual band vs single band. Personally, I couldn't get single band to work with all of my gear, and the dual band ones aren't much more expensive. Just fish the cord and plug it in. If it works, it will be the simplest, cheapest, and most reliable solution.


If you don't have an 1/8" jack, get something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BLTDZA
I can recommend that model. I have four rooms feeding it using 50'-100' lengths cat5, and it works seamlessly. For a back-to-back fish, the cords on the receiver are long enough that you probably won't need to splice in an extension.

There are other aesthetic options too, like: www.amazon.com/Cmple-Repeater-Sensor-Receivers-Frequency/dp/B00255HQXC
You just match up the +12V, SNG, and GND wires on both ends. You can also pop the bezel off your TV and put a receiver inside next to the TV's sensor if that's your style.

If you have a plasma or LED tv and are unlucky, you may need to position the receiver so it doesn't catch any direct light from the display.

If you have an AT&T U-verse cable box, do more digging. I have read that they don't play well with standard IR gear.
Edited by EricN - 10/3/12 at 3:55pm

These IR receivers are basically the same as the IR sensor in your TV, just attached to a longer cord. Chances are good that you'll actually increase the effective range of your remote with one of these receivers, since you have more flexibility in locating them. You can use multiple sensors to cover the room. Just wire them in parallel.

Direct sunlight may cause interference with sensitive receivers. That can be fixed by relocating them, shading them, or putting them behind something that will diffuse the sunlight.