Well,
I think that the so called weak output and or intermittent IR functionality is mostly a function of how the codes were captured. One example I will site is the Ecostar satellite codes. The default repeats in the remote is set to one. When using these codes in a macro they don't work at all, and when using them as hard buttons they only work if you should happen to hold the buttons down long enough. Solution: Open up the remote in the IR library and increase the minimum # of repeats to 3. Works flawlessly everytime. Another issue that I have found is that people rarely capture their codes in a dark room following all of the guidlines layed out in the manual. This is not an issue for 90% of the remotes out there. It did prove to be an issue for Harmon Kardon remotes though.
on the topic of the IRF-6 this unit is wonderful. RTI also has some guidlines that rarely get followed. For instance: Your stack of equipment puts out RF frequencies that may or may not interfere with you IRF-6 There is two considerations, where you mount the box and or where you mount the antenna.
All TV's put out RF interferance as well as magnetic fields in the case of CRT's . Also Plasma screen TV's put out a high amout of IR signals of the face. This is no joke, we had a zantech repeater system and a lesser remote and that tv put out a signal that some peice of equipment understood about every 5 min. We used an RTI to fix that. It was tricky because the room it was in was covered with mirrors. this is a problem because mirrors us an aluminum film for the reflective surface. It was like trying to get rf signals into a feraday box.
I am not trying to get anyone to retract anything, I honestly feel bad when someone has a bad experience with a product like this because with that kind of power comes a higher level of troubleshooting. I try to contribute to this list whenever possible to help others with this. have fun with your entertainment system though that is what its all about.