IR control with Buffalo components

[PaulD]

I have some components (DVD player and cable box) located where they have trouble seeing IR signals. To address this problem, I have hooked up some IR repeater items from Buffalo and the performance has been dissapointing to no help at all. I have an IR-250 repeater picking up the IR signal and passing via 4 ft of Cat5e wire (2 wires per connection) it to a IR-100 which then feeds the signal via wire to individual IR blasters stuck on the front of the IR received for my equipment. The unit appear to be working because when I use my remote, each of the individual IR blasters blink a small light they have on the front of the unit which tells me they are receiving and re-transmitting the signal OK. However, my components do not respond as expected. The cable box will not respond at all and my DVD player responds less than half the time but only if I hold a button for 4-5 seconds on my remote. The performance suggests that the IR signal is too weak to drive my components into action.

Anyone else had a similar problem with this equipment? How did you address it?

 

[Len12121]

I have some components (DVD player and cable box) located where they have trouble seeing IR signals. To address this problem, I have hooked up some IR repeater items from Buffalo and the performance has been dissapointing to no help at all. I have an IR-250 repeater picking up the IR signal and passing via 4 ft of Cat5e wire (2 wires per connection) it to a IR-100 which then feeds the signal via wire to individual IR blasters stuck on the front of the IR received for my equipment. The unit appear to be working because when I use my remote, each of the individual IR blasters blink a small light they have on the front of the unit which tells me they are receiving and re-transmitting the signal OK. However, my components do not respond as expected. The cable box will not respond at all and my DVD player responds less than half the time but only if I hold a button for 4-5 seconds on my remote. The performance suggests that the IR signal is too weak to drive my components into action.

Anyone else had a similar problem with this equipment? How did you address it?

Paul,

This may or may not help but I found that with sending IR via cat-5 you must wire the connections different then you would think. I have a Russound IR sensor and reicever and it would not work reliably until I wired per the instructions for using cat 5. It involves some doubling of wires and using other wires as a shield and connecting one end but not the other. I do not have the diagram right now but try searching or if I locate it I will post it. Hope this helps.

 

[Len12121]

I have some components (DVD player and cable box) located where they have trouble seeing IR signals. To address this problem, I have hooked up some IR repeater items from Buffalo and the performance has been dissapointing to no help at all. I have an IR-250 repeater picking up the IR signal and passing via 4 ft of Cat5e wire (2 wires per connection) it to a IR-100 which then feeds the signal via wire to individual IR blasters stuck on the front of the IR received for my equipment. The unit appear to be working because when I use my remote, each of the individual IR blasters blink a small light they have on the front of the unit which tells me they are receiving and re-transmitting the signal OK. However, my components do not respond as expected. The cable box will not respond at all and my DVD player responds less than half the time but only if I hold a button for 4-5 seconds on my remote. The performance suggests that the IR signal is too weak to drive my components into action.

Anyone else had a similar problem with this equipment? How did you address it?

Paul,

This may or may not help but I found that with sending IR via cat-5 you must wire the connections different then you would think. I have a Russound IR sensor and reicever and it would not work reliably until I wired per the instructions for using cat 5. It involves some doubling of wires and using other wires as a shield and connecting one end but not the other. I do not have the diagram right now but try searching or if I locate it I will post it. Hope this helps.

Paul,

Found this info on Russound site. Look in manual for where it describes how mto use cat5 for connecting ir sensor to receiver.
http://www.russound.com/pdf/manuals/860%20Manual.pdf

 

[aehusted]

Nice tip.
This might help me as well.
Thanks

Paul,

Found this info on Russound site. Look in manual for where it describes how mto use cat5 for connecting ir sensor to receiver.
http://www.russound.com/pdf/manuals/860%20Manual.pdf

 

[CollinR]

Also just because it has to be said, make sure the flasher is actually over the IR reciever on the device. I have been there and done that!

Also I electrical tape mine so all light goes into the sensor with none wasted out the front. I do it as mine is zoned but in general it's a good idea.

 

[PaulD]

Found this info on Russound site. Look in manual for where it describes how mto use cat5 for connecting ir sensor to receiver.
http://www.russound.com/pdf/manuals/860%20Manual.pdf

I will try the Russound approach. Looks like they are trying to use one ground wire as a shield for the signal wire. Currently I am using a twisted pair (both wires) for each of the 3 connections. However, after looking more closely at the instructions from Buffalo, I see that they are suggesting one pair so be split between V+ and SIGNAL and another pair (both wires) to be used for ground. There may be some significance in using a shared pair between V+ and Signal but I fail to understand why that approach makes a good setup. I will try both ways and see what happens.

 

[bfisher]

One other possibility is that you have other devices flooding your signal. LCD and Plasma TVs for example can spew tons of IR which would hide your signal. Sunlight and florescent lights can be other culprits. Sometimes repositioning the receiver helps. If it's real bad, you can buy special receivers that are immune to this noise (this is what I've done).

 

[PaulD]

I think my problem was 2 fold. I have it working but still is somewhat inconsistent. First, I did not have a good ground because the wire was not firmly connected. Second, the mini transmitters mounted on the front of the components seem too small to me. The IR emitter only has a tiny hole to sent a signal thru ...just a pin point of light. I think it needs more robust light source to hit the received with a good signal. I will experiment with that next.

 

[SteveQ]

Also just because it has to be said, make sure the flasher is actually over the IR reciever on the device. I have been there and done that!

I agree with this. The stick on emitters will often move after a period of time. A lot of problems can be solved by just changing their position.

Steve Q

 

[aksor]

You can use a flashlight to locate the IR sensor on the devices!

 

[fcwilt]

It's also possible to have too much IR signal.

 

[SteveQ]

Stick on emitters are designed to attach directly to the panel directly in front of the IR receiver. I don't think they will ever be "too powerful". However IR Blasters are designed to flood an entire room with the IR signal. If you attach a blaster directly to the sensor on the TV, it will likely swamp (overload) the detector and therefore it will not work.

Steve Q