IR Extenders

[MrGibbage]

I have an RCA D935/D40 IR Extender that is probably 20 years old... or close to it.
http://www.amazon.com/Audiovox-Remote-Cont...r/dp/B00009W3AU

I have been trying to get it to work with my USB UIRT and it does work... sometimes, but not reliably at all. I can tell that it is "working" because I see the lights flashing on both the sender and receiver when I press a button on my remote control. But most of the time, it does not seem to be sending the right thing to the USB UIRT. I can see the codes coming in using a variety of programs (power home, eventghost, etc), and I see that the codes change pretty much every time I press the key again. In other words, if I press play, I may see one code. But if I press play again, I get a different code. Shouldn't the code be the same every time? So, my question is, do these things work well with the USB UIRT? If I get a newer model, will this work the way it ought to? Is anyone out there using one of these to forward IR signals to the UIRT reliably? I'm about to get a new Windows Media Center remote which comes with its own receiver
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16880121003
Do these play well with IR extenders?

 

[fwd03]

I think the IR extender may not sending all the codes over. Some of the new IR codes may not understand by the older extender. I have a few IR extenders and none of them work reliably.

 

[Dave X10]

.....So, my question is, do these things work well with the USB UIRT? If I get a newer model, will this work the way it ought to? Is anyone out there using one of these to forward IR signals to the UIRT reliably?

I use a USB-UIRT on my HA PC. Then I resend the IR signals from the USB-UIRT using the IR extenders/resenders. I actually use three models of the IR sending devices (phillips, Jensen, and X10's PowerMid) and interestingly... they all communicate with each other fine (via RF).

Range seems to be the greatest limiting factor with the extenders in my setup. I thought the RF range would be longer. Other factors that can limit the usefullness (or cause errors) are TV's, PC monitors, sunshine and other bright light. I also.. at one time.. had a receiving unit too close to the sending unit (across the room) and that caused problems as well. Dust on or shiny objects near the USB-UIRT can also cause problems.

I have a YouTube Video that shows a little about of my IR setup

 

[JonW]

Do some remotes work reliably while others don't? Some remotes use higher IR frequencies that older receivers/repeaters may not understand. This could also account for you seeing different codes for the same button as the sampling rate is different so the receiver only picks up part of the transmission each time.

 

[Dave X10]

.... This could also account for you seeing different codes for the same button as the sampling rate is different so the receiver only picks up part of the transmission each time.

I would think... as it's been my experience.. if it works it works. Otherwise it doesn't. But the code is repeated/repeatable unless interfered with by other light (during the program processing or when the sending) or by RF interference.

There are only three ways to test this that I am aware of. Blocking light sources from the original extender-sending unit and the USB-UIRT (placing them in a box). Then ether carry whatever object your attempting to control... closer. Or move the controlling PC closer to the object you wish to control. Or... just breakdown and buy a new IR extender pair. The price on those have dropped.

 

[MrGibbage]

I solved it by getting two USB-UIRTs and setting them up so one is basically receive-only and the other does the transmitting. Unfortunately, every once in a while Bill Gates like to rearrange them so PowerHome doesn't know which is which. I wish there was a DIP switch on the UIRT so we could assign device numbers to them permanently and address them that way in the software. It doesn't happen too often, so I just deal with it.