Any home Cinema exp...
 

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[Closed] Any home Cinema experts - IR issues

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I am sure someone on STW will know the answer...

TV in living room, everything else is in the hall under the stairs
Amp
Sky
DVD
BT Homehub
main phone unit (one of 3 cordless)

I am on to my 4th IR receiver as each has gradually got less and less responsive. Latest one was installed 2 days ago and it has already started to fail to change channels/volume etc, is it likley the Wireless router or phone are causing interference with these units?

Phone and Wireless are currently housed in same cupboard due to idiotic new build design and shonky CAT 5 wiring which does not work.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 1:43 pm
 ojom
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Is it a plasma TV?


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 1:45 pm
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No it is an LCD

EDIT: TV remote works fine on the TV, it is the Sky and Amp remotes that i am having issues with through the IR transmitter/Receiver units.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 1:58 pm
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I take it they are cheapo IR blaster units? Maybe they're just crap.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 2:16 pm
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First two were the same and came from the company that installed the system and were decent quality. I think they used a co-axial cable hidden in the walls/ceiling. You could see the signal being transmitted but it was not changing Sky channel, remote works fine if used directly on box.

Third was also supllied by install company but was a different sort of system, i think a wireless IR blaster, to try and cure the problem. Latest one is a similar but a bit cheaper.

EDIT: In all cases the transmitters and receivers can be seen to work as in blink/lightup/etc when a remote is used but the Sky/amp etc do not react. Each does though when the remote is used directly.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 2:27 pm
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Back in the days of the first LCD's, they used to produce a lot of IR interference until they had warmed up properly. Rule this out by testing sky and amp without the TV on, or turning the backlight completely down.

IR transmitter placed correctly and has mains supply, not re-chargeable batteries.

Got any Flourescents? They create crazy amounts of interference, or used to until they changed the frequency.

I also would not keep the phone and WiFi in the same box, wireless phones also have crazy interference with WiFi, not sure if it affects IR.

Have you tried systematically turning things off to rule them out? If not, do that.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 2:32 pm
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hmmm, no idea why there would be a problem with the co-ax cable units, you'd have thought they'd be immune to any interference issues. Have you tried sitting the IR blaster unit directly in front of the amp/sky/etc to see if it works then?

FWIW I have a Logitech Harmony unit and it works flawlessly (plus you only need the one remote!) The IR blaster unit for it has one "master" unit and then a couple of satellite units that you can position to help with any troublesome equipment.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 2:36 pm
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Cool thanks all, will try out your suggestions over the weekend.


 
Posted : 14/12/2012 2:49 pm

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