[bananamane]

Im in the process of having my basement redone and I plan on getting a projector and putting all my a/v stuff behind the wall with the screen on it. Heres a list of my equipment:

Current:


Onkyo 606

DirecTv Hd DVR

Xbox 360


Soon:


Benq W1000

BR player - not sure which one



Now for the questions. Should I get a new remote, like one of the harmony ones or should I get an Ir repeater? I just need to be able to use my stuff thru the wall. I think I would rather get a remote for under $100 if thats possible but im not sure which one to get. Is the remote the better choice out of the two as far as the controls working properly?

 

[oman321]

Well both have their pros and cons.


RF remotes you don't have to aim anywhere it works because their is no chance of someone walking in front of the remote while it's doing its thing. They tend to cost a little more though and ultimately it will need to convert back to IR in your closet anyhow so you will need a base station which flashes or has emitters to each piece of equipment.



It seems as distance won't be an issue for you so not an issue with RF in this case. If you had to go thru several floors or walls then it might be a concern.


Here is my suggestion: Don't worry about which remote for now and run cat5. I don't know how long it will take to redo your bsmt. but this way you can decide with time and see what else is around the corner as far as remotes (especially if it is gonna take 6 months + to redo your bsmt.). I would run the cat5 regardless, it's cheap and it will help you future proof whichever way you decide to go. You run cat5 to wherever you would place an IR receiver back to the equipment area.


I have an IR network because we are able to view and control the cable box from 4 locations and my concern was distance from Master bedroom to equipment closet in basement. It probably would had worked with RF but at the time I already had a good enough IR remote(harmony 880) and I needed to run wires anyhow so I pulled cat5 along.

 

[bananamane]

Well the basement is actually almost done, It just needs ceiling tiles and carpet.


I dont really understand I guess how the cat5 cable works. If I just get one of the RF remotes for like $100 would it do what I need or would it still have the Ir transmitter on the other side. Even with the Rf remotes how does the a/v stuff know when the RF signal is being transmitted? Do you need to put something on the sensor or something?


I guess im just confused on the whole subject, I just know I want to put my equipment rack behind the wall and use the remote from about 15ft away.



Thanks for the reply

 

[bryansj]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bananamane /forum/post/18159188


Do you need to put something on the sensor or something?

Yes, exactly. RF remotes send a signal to an RF extender. The RF extender then sends IR to the device using either an IR flasher or a stick-on emitter. Usually the RF extender has an IR flasher built in so that if the extender has line-of-sight to the device then it will work. You can also use stick-on emitters that are simply 3.5mm mono cables (usually about 8 feet long) with a small IR emitter on one end and a 3.5mm male jack on the other. The purpose of running CAT5 is that you can splice into a pair of the wires and extend the length of the IR emitter cable.


A RF universal remote does not talk directly to any devices except for the RF extender. However, the RF remotes can also transmit IR just like a standard remote.

 

[mslide]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bananamane /forum/post/18159188


If I just get one of the RF remotes for like $100 would it do what I need or would it still have the Ir transmitter on the other side.

You get what you pay for when it comes to RF. If $100 is your budget, then I'd stick with an IR repeater system and deal with the fact that you have to keep your remote pointed at the IR sensor when executing any macros. Now, if you were willing to spend a few hundred and get something like a URC setup, with an MRF-260 or MRF-350 base station, then sure, ditch the IR and go RF. If you really want to try a $100 RF remote, then I'd make sure that you can return it if necessary. I've had bad luck with cheap RF setups.

 

[mhdiab]

As stated above put in the Cat5 cable - no doubt about it


It is cheap and you can keep looking around. There are some cheaper RF solutions around, but I like the fact that if you do an IR repeater you can use original remotes, any remotes at any time and they will work......

 

[ckellyusa]

I'm a little new to all of this.... what can you do with the Cat5 being ran? What are all the applications the Cat5 (or Cat6?) can accomplish? (especially in regards to the remote control)

 

[bananamane]

Thanks for the help guys. I guess ill try to find a IR repeater then. Do you guys have a nice one to suggest?



So with the repeater, I have one of those pyramid things on one side of the wall and one on the other side and thats it? You point the remote at the one on the outside and it sends a signal to the other side which sends it to the device, right?

 

[mhdiab]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ckellyusa /forum/post/18162470


I'm a little new to all of this.... what can you do with the Cat5 being ran? What are all the applications the Cat5 (or Cat6?) can accomplish? (especially in regards to the remote control)

You get one of several different IR repeater systems and connect them using the Cat5 / Cat6

 

[Vin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bananamane /forum/post/18163073


Thanks for the help guys. I guess ill try to find a IR repeater then. Do you guys have a nice one to suggest?



So with the repeater, I have one of those pyramid things on one side of the wall and one on the other side and thats it? You point the remote at the one on the outside and it sends a signal to the other side which sends it to the device, right?

Well, what you're describing is a wireless system. If you've decided this is the route you prefer to take, my recommendation would be the NG wireless remote extender . This system makes it unncessary to point your IR remote at anything because the transmitter resides within the battery compartment. My experience with this system has been excellent.


What any wireless system attempts to do, essentially, is to allow an IR only remote to function as (an often more expensive) RF remote like an MX-900 for example which communicates with it's own base station where the RF signal is converted back to an IR signal (as it is with any wireless IR system) that your components can respond to.


The suggestions you've received to run cat5 would be beneficial if you chose to go with a wired system like this one for example, because the cat5 could be used to extend the IR cables.

 

[bananamane]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Vin /forum/post/18168134


Well, what you're describing is a wireless system. If you've decided this is the route you prefer to take, my recommendation would be the NG wireless remote extender . This system makes it unncessary to point your IR remote at anything because the transmitter resides within the battery compartment. My experience with this system has been excellent.


What any wireless system attempts to do, essentially, is to allow an IR only remote to function as (an often more expensive) RF remote like an MX-900 for example which communicates with it's own base station where the RF signal is converted back to an IR signal (as it is with any wireless IR system) that your components can respond to.


The suggestions you've received to run cat5 would be beneficial if you chose to go with a wired system like this one for example, because the cat5 could be used to extend the IR cables.

So with the first link you had it only controls one device right? I would need to buy this as well..... http://www.amazon.com/Next-Generatio...6631399&sr=1-7 .... Do you have any experience with that wireless system? It seems like it would do the trick for me.



I dont think im going to run the cat5 since I just plan on using the a/v stuff in the basement and not throughout the home.

 

[Vin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bananamane /forum/post/18170360


So with the first link you had it only controls one device right? I would need to buy this as well..... http://www.amazon.com/Next-Generation-3-EYE-Infrared-Extender/dp/B000CBZT5I/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1266631399&sr=1-7 .... Do you have any experience with that wireless system? It seems like it would do the trick for me.

If you can place the receiver (space ship) so that it flashes all of your components (that's how I have mine set up) you wouldn't need anything else, otherwise the 3 eye emitter cable would be the way to go.


The one thing to keep in mind is that the NG remote extender won't work with remotes that take a rechargeable battery pack.

 

[bananamane]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Vin /forum/post/18184191


If you can place the receiver (space ship) so that it flashes all of your components (that's how I have mine set up) you wouldn't need anything else, otherwise the 3 eye emitter cable would be the way to go.


The one thing to keep in mind is that the NG remote extender won't work with remotes that take a rechargeable battery pack.

Okay, I think I understand it all now. Im going to order that remote extender. I should be okay with it since the directv remote doesnt use rechargables.


Thanks alot for your help! I really appreciate it.