TV Remote Control

[mkgrady]

A customer wants to hang a TV over a Highboy Dresser in a bedroom. The cable box and DVD player will be placed behind the dresser doors as they do not want to see them. They also want the TV to swivel out 90 degrees so they can also watch TV in bed.

With only the TV exposed I will be able to control volume and ON/OFF. What kind of remote control do I need to control the cable box, DVD player, etc, behind the wooden doors of the Highboy? They will not have any fancy sound system for the TV.

Mike

 

[nakulak]

an ir repeater ?

 

[MJW]

Harmony has some remotes that will do what you want. I think models 900 and 1100 have both ir and rf and will work for you. Model 890 is an older model that you might be able to get a little cheaper.

 

[mkgrady]

Harmony has some remotes that will do what you want. I think models 900 and 1100 have both ir and rf and will work for you. Model 890 is an older model that you might be able to get a little cheaper.

Thanks, I'll look for one on the Web. Hopefully it will explain how it works and how to hook it up.

 

[rt66electric]

Add a mirror

Add a mirror

Add a small stick-on mirror. I drove my roommate nuts by using a spare remote via mirror in an adajacent room.

 

[mkgrady]

Add a small stick-on mirror. I drove my roommate nuts by using a spare remote via mirror in an adajacent room.

Not sure what you are getting at. I assume you can point a remote control at a mirror and control something around a corner, but these components (cable box, dvd player) will be behind a wooden cabinet door in the dresser. What will the mirror do for this set up?

 

[mkgrady]

Thanks, I'll look for one on the Web. Hopefully it will explain how it works and how to hook it up.

I looked up the Harmony 890 and read up on it. Hear are a few more questions that reveal how little I know about these things.

Do every day remotes work with IR and need to see the device being controlled?

I take it the remotes that work on RF will work around corners and through cabinet doors and I assume through walls.

How can a remote that functions on RF control something that is meant to be controlled with IR?

THe Harmony 890 lists computer operating systems that it is compatible with. What does a computer have to do with operating A/V components?

Maybe I need to go to some A/V forums but there must be a few electricians in my boat that would like to learn about this stuff.

 

[iwire]

http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/blog/setup-infrared-repeater-extender-system.html

 

[e57]

http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/blog/setup-infrared-repeater-extender-system.html

Good advice there.... I have an AV receiver in my attic all controlled by either remotes or programable IR keypads in each zone. IMO it is the key secret to AV control - the right sequenced programing is essential. (On = ON - not OFF...) Otherwise the remotes can confuse themselves into full disaster.... So beware....

 

[hurk27]

Radio Shack used to have what we called the IR pyramid, it would change the IR to RF and then change it back to the same IR signal at the unit, no programing needed.

 

[mkgrady]

Good advice there.... I have an AV receiver in my attic all controlled by either remotes or programable IR keypads in each zone. IMO it is the key secret to AV control - the right sequenced programing is essential. (On = ON - not OFF...) Otherwise the remotes can confuse themselves into full disaster.... So beware....

I'll check the site posted by Bob (thanks Bob) but E57 you are making it scary for this A/V rookie!

Are there some do's and don'ts to this A/V thing?

It's funny to me. Because I'm an electrician all my friends assume I know everything about how to hook up TVs and sound systems. I wish that were true and I'm determined to get better at it.

 

[mkgrady]

Radio Shack used to have what we called the IR pyramid, it would change the IR to RF and then change it back to the same IR signal at the unit, no programing needed.

THat sound like a good, simple and inexpensive product. Too bad it is not available any longer. I wonder why.

 

[hurk27]

Heres another IR repeter system:

INFRARED REPETER

 

[hurk27]

And here is a whole list of them at SMARTHOME.COM

 

[hurk27]

Well that didn't work.

heres one of the models I have used, but you can go to the above link and do a search on "Infered Repeaters" and find many differant ones.

 

[dbuckley]

Xantech are the leaders in this stuff; however the Buffalo connection blocks thrash the pants off the Xantech jobs (Buffalo's are active).

 

[LarryFine]

And here is a whole list of them at SMARTHOME.COM

Their Hot Link Pro is about the easiest-to-set-up-and-use repeater there is for the neophyte.

 

[hurk27]

yea I just saw I forgot to put the link to it in post #15

http://www.smarthome.com/59501/Smarthome-Hidden-IR-Repeater-System/p.aspx


This is one I have used, not to bad once you get the emitters to stick to the IR receiver on each unit, good rule of thumb, if make sure you clean the plastic they stick to first.

 

[sparks2000]

I thought this was about that old tv game show on MTV with adam sandler "remote control"! my bad!

 

[JFletcher]

A customer wants to hang a TV over a Highboy Dresser in a bedroom. The cable box and DVD player will be placed behind the dresser doors as they do not want to see them. They also want the TV to swivel out 90 degrees so they can also watch TV in bed.

With only the TV exposed I will be able to control volume and ON/OFF. What kind of remote control do I need to control the cable box, DVD player, etc, behind the wooden doors of the Highboy? They will not have any fancy sound system for the TV.

Mike

You may not need anything extra. Both my Wii and DVD player are behind closed wooden doors, and the remote and wii controllers work fine.