IR Extender recommendations

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tr3v

234 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 5

Topic # 25817 2-Sep-2008 15:48

I would like to hide an IR receiver behind a wall, and I was thinking that I would be able to just get a cable that I could tape to the receiver at one end, and poke through the wall to "talk" to my remote. The maxium distance required to extend the IR is 1metre.

All of the solutions I have found seem to be for extending over much greater distances, and for multiple 'control' points, which seems to be overkill for what I need, not to mention more expensive than I expected.

Is there a simpler solution? I guess I could always make a larger hole and use a mirror :-)

cyril7

6191 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 250

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 161663 2-Sep-2008 19:18

Most IR solutions come in north on $100, although you can get Jaycar kit ones for less, but lots of messing about. I have been using the Blue-eye units, work very well, you can get them in long haul over structured cat5 cabling or just local repeating in nearby cabinets like what you want, PM me if you intereseted in pricing.

Cyril

Karnage

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 162412 5-Sep-2008 11:03

Hi tr3v,

One avenue you might want to check out is controlling units over HDMI. I am looking for a new LCD and will have the same issue (dvd etc all located behind the wall the TV is on). I have narrowed my TV search down to Samsung and Panasonic and it seems that both have this capability. Samsung calls it Anynet+ HDMI - CEC and Panasonic call it VIERA Link.

From the Panasonic site:

How does it work?

VIERA Link works as a controller for your HDMI cabled componentry. As long as you have HDMI cables connecting your equipment, the VIERA Link remote carries the commands through the system, to the appropriate unit.

Your DVD recorder could be in another room and you could still control the unit’s functions with your TV remote.

You get universal control of your HDMI home theatre equipment. Just point the remote at the one IR on your TV, and the signal will travel over the HDMI cables to the right piece of equipment.

Of course this all assumes that you can connect all of your equipment via HDMI cables!

As I don't have this setup myself you might want to test it in a store to make sure you are happy with it.

Any Geekzoners tried this type of setup?

Karnage

stuzzo

534 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 5

Reply # 162416 5-Sep-2008 11:09

I doubt that would work with My Sky, wouldn't be compatable. Vieralink only works between Panasonic products. HDMI control is great in theory but manufacturers generally aren't cooperating with device control.

Karnage

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 162478 5-Sep-2008 14:32

All of the various brands are using the HDMI-CEC spec and therefore brand shouldn't matter. Unfortunately it does. Sony will only talk to other Sony devices (no surprises there). In theory the other manufacturers should be interconnectable, but from the articles I could find this sound a little hit and miss as well. The number of functions you can control also sounds very limited so it looks like it is mainly marketing hype.Here's an article if you want to know more.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/hookmeup/208hook/