Ir Blaster

If your recorder didn't originally come with IR Blaster capability, you can't just add one on; it has to have a jack on the back of the unit, as well as firmware and circuitry to make it work.


Check on the back of your recorder, or the owner's manual, to see if your recorder has an IR jack; it will look similar to a mini-headphone jack and is usually labelled "IR OUT" or similar. If it does, and you bought your recorder new, the IR Blaster is probably still in the box or in the plastic bag with the rest of the cables. Look for an angled piece of plastic with a long thin wire coming out of the back. Otherwise you'll need to order a new one from Panasonic.


If not, don't be too quick to replace it. As I said in another thread, if you're thinking of replacing a perfectly good recorder just to get IR Blaster capability, you may be making an expensive mistake. Depending on the cable box and your cable provider, it may not work as reliably as you hoped. You may be better getting off a DVR from your cable company, which you can use to record the programs, and the ones you want to keep you can transfer to disc. I rent the SA8000HD for $10/month from Charter.