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Topic:
MRF-300 in the "Twilight Zone"
This thread has 15 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Sunday October 29, 2006 at 20:27
vbova27
Super Member
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All I do lately is see an d hear of RF problems with the MRF-300. I myself, have 2 MRF 300's in my family room, 1 MRF-250 in my bedroom, and 1 MRF 250 in my pool-room and never ever had a problem. In fact, I could change the channel on my TV from down the block.

Now that's changed. Starting on Friday, my MRF-300's in my family room stopped working. I have them connected to an RFX-250, which was blinking wildly. I tried everything from changing the channel, moving it, unplugging it, etc. EVERTHING. After about 40 minutes this inteference stopped and the box worked fine. Yesterday, same problem a half hour here, a half hour there. I could not figure it out. Blinking like crazy, than fine. Tonight it's bee going on for well over 2 hours now. Okay, bad box, something wrong, etc. but NOW my neighbor (who lives across the street and one house over approx 300 feet away) is compliaing about the same problem. Major RF interference. He hasnt realized it as much as I have over the past few days, but he was not home much.

What in god's name would casuse something like this to happen? Another neighbor down the block is not complaining about any problems. He lives about 3 houses down. What outside force could cause this to happen, and so intermintantly? I am going crazy here and the neighbor who called me justified that there is not much I can do. If anyone has any ideas please reply.

Thank you,
V
Post 2 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 00:48
AnthonyZ
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Any new HAM operators in the neighborhood? Big brother?
"Just when I thought that I was out they pull me back in"
Post 3 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 08:40
vbova
Long Time Member
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On October 30, 2006 at 00:48, AnthonyZ said...
Any new HAM operators in the neighborhood? Big brother?

I live in a very rural area - there is a large tree farm behind me, but that is well over 300+ feet. There are trucks in there often, but this in-activity occurs randomly, and last night it was later than working hours, plus it was Sunday. What other phehomena could affect this? It's very strange, but more fustrating.
Vincent
Post 4 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 09:46
Dave E
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282
Start recording the time of day and day of the week and duration. Keep a log to see if there is a pattern. You may have a CBer with an illegal amplifier in the area. Turn the sensitivity on the receivers down to the minimum needed to make your system work. You do not need to control it from down the block. Turn it to minimum. If it works there, leave it there and track the interference. You should contact URC after you have gathered more information.
When you have interference, you could try turning off one circuit breaker at a time at your electrical panel to make sure that the interference is not coming from inside your home. If you or your neighbors have ionization type air cleaners, they may put out random RF. Think of Marconi and his spark gap transmitter. I have seen problems with some older security system wireless receivers caused by the spark type pilot light starters on some furnaces, although this should be of short duration, only while the furnace starts.
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
Any wire cut to length will be too short.
I must be a near GENIUS. All my teachers told me I was at the very PEAK of the bell curve!
Post 5 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 10:45
vbova
Long Time Member
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On October 30, 2006 at 09:46, Dave E said...
Start recording the time of day and day of the week and
duration. Keep a log to see if there is a pattern. You
may have a CBer with an illegal amplifier in the area.
Turn the sensitivity on the receivers down to the minimum
needed to make your system work. You do not need to control
it from down the block. Turn it to minimum. If it works
there, leave it there and track the interference. You
should contact URC after you have gathered more information.
When you have interference, you could try turning off
one circuit breaker at a time at your electrical panel
to make sure that the interference is not coming from
inside your home. If you or your neighbors have ionization
type air cleaners, they may put out random RF. Think of
Marconi and his spark gap transmitter. I have seen problems
with some older security system wireless receivers caused
by the spark type pilot light starters on some furnaces,
although this should be of short duration, only while
the furnace starts.

Thanks Dave, very helpful and good advice. I will try and log the events. I did notice a positive difference when I turned down the RF, but not enough to make the problem go away. Someone between me and my neighbor definately has something going on that is causing this... I will ask around.

Thanks gain
Vincent
Post 6 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 11:01
oex
Super Member
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4,177
look for new wireless devices. weather stations and other off the wall stuff
Diplomacy is the art of saying hire a pro without actually saying hire a pro
Post 7 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 12:04
ljckbailey
Long Time Member
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285
I have the same thing happen when my blender is in use. I know of this occurring with a coffee maker also. Anything running now that was not running in the summer months? Furnace, humidifiers, florescent lights, etc. When it occurs start going around the house and turning things off one at a time and re-testing.
Post 8 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 13:32
vbova
Long Time Member
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384
On October 30, 2006 at 12:04, ljckbailey said...
I have the same thing happen when my blender is in use.
I know of this occurring with a coffee maker also. Anything
running now that was not running in the summer months?
Furnace, humidifiers, florescent lights, etc. When it
occurs start going around the house and turning things
off one at a time and re-testing.

Believe me when I tell you that I have racked my brain trying to figure out what elements have been introduced in the past few days. When a guy on my block (lives about 300-350 feet away started complaining about the same thing, I started to think it may be something outside. But I live in a very rural plain area, I can't imagine what the hell is going on - certainly the landscape did not change, its not like there are new machinery laying around. Maybe aliens?
Vincent
Post 9 made on Monday October 30, 2006 at 21:34
briremo
Senior Member
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1,374
If you have flourescents, double check them. I had a client with a MRF-300, worked fine for months. Then all of a sudden he's bitchin' the remote works no more. I get there during the day everything's fine. He gets home that night and it's OK then starts acting up, no control what so ever, then late at night it's OK again. I came out again to more times, with no problems, then later in the day each time he has no control.

After going out late one evening to isolate the problem (under warranty) I come to find out his daughter is home from college and in the evening she comes home and hangs out in her room. She flips on her bathroom light which is flourescent (and right behind his AV cabinet) and wham he losses everything. we go from perfect coverage throughout a 5K sq ft. house with one antenna to zilch.

He had an electrician come in and replace the ballasts with low EMI ballasts. under $100.

Expensive lesson.

Brian @ Connect Source
feed a dog and he will not bite you. this is the principal difference between a man and a dog. Mark Twain
Post 10 made on Tuesday October 31, 2006 at 00:06
netarc
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1,348
good tip, thanks for sharing that!
Post 11 made on Tuesday October 31, 2006 at 01:03
Steve Garn
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1,319
Had the same problem Saturday night at a client's house. Perfect reception thruout the 3500sq/ft home. Now it's time to demo the system. Poof. Everything works but the SciAtlantic 8300HD box. Then just that emitter (to the cable box) STAYS on and I havn't done any discrete routing.

Shortly thereafter, the the entire RF is RalFing. The RF sniffer is going nuts. I called it the night and set it all the IR untill I can go back with my hair glued back in. It's a $5k job with a $100 problem.

I'm pretty good at this stuff by now with over 200 850's out there that work all day. Is this place built over an ancient indian burial ground? And why would that really matter??
Manuals?! We don't need no stinking manuals! a.. er..
OP | Post 12 made on Tuesday October 31, 2006 at 08:58
vbova27
Super Member
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2,987
On October 31, 2006 at 01:03, Steve Garn said...
Had the same problem Saturday night at a client's house.
Perfect reception thruout the 3500sq/ft home. Now it's
time to demo the system. Poof. Everything works but
the SciAtlantic 8300HD box. Then just that emitter (to
the cable box) STAYS on and I havn't done any discrete
routing.

Shortly thereafter, the the entire RF is RalFing. The
RF sniffer is going nuts. I called it the night and set
it all the IR untill I can go back with my hair glued
back in. It's a $5k job with a $100 problem.

I'm pretty good at this stuff by now with over 200 850's
out there that work all day. Is this place built over
an ancient indian burial ground? And why would that really
matter??

Actually, that's not strange at all. The Sci Atlantic boxes give off interference and are the worst for doing configs. I have seen many work, and many not work. But the ones that do not work are a pain in the ass. It all depends on how you stack the equipment. If it's in close quarters, chances are your going to get interference. I have found that RFX-250's and an IR hood combat the problem well. But its the box that is causing your problems.

The light theory is intersting and I thank you for that, but the fact that it is happening t my neighbor who lives across the street and one house over makes me think it's something in the vicinity of my house rather than inside it. My neighbor lives about 375ft away....
Post 13 made on Tuesday October 31, 2006 at 09:54
Steve Garn
Senior Member
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1,319
I'll unplug the cable box and re-sniff. Thanks. I've had that problem a few times. It was just the end of a very long day.

If you have overground electricity, note where the transformers are. If they are old, they emit RF like crazy. When we used to do antenna systems they would manifest themselves by adding static to VH Low (ch's 2-6). Anyway, not sure what you could do about this other than prayer, calling the power company and removing the rf antenna.

When the transformers get so old they explode, so if you're in an older neighborhood, the power company doesn't mind knowing when they start to hum or buzz.

My worst problem rf homes are near rusty old power transformers on utility poles.
Manuals?! We don't need no stinking manuals! a.. er..
Post 14 made on Tuesday October 31, 2006 at 17:26
briremo
Senior Member
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Vbova, are you anywhere near area 51?
feed a dog and he will not bite you. this is the principal difference between a man and a dog. Mark Twain
Post 15 made on Wednesday November 1, 2006 at 15:12
BenOKC
Lurking Member
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Posts:
October 2006
3
On 1162306456, Steve Garn said..

If you have overground electricity, note where the transformers
are. If they are old, they emit RF like crazy. When
we used to do antenna systems they would manifest themselves
by adding static to VH Low (ch's 2-6). Anyway, not sure
what you could do about this other than prayer, calling
the power company and removing the rf antenna.

When the transformers get so old they explode, so if you're
in an older neighborhood, the power company doesn't mind
knowing when they start to hum or buzz.


My worst problem rf homes are near rusty old power transformers
on utility poles.

You have just described my neighborhood to a tee. My theater is in an extra room in my attic. I am having a terrible time with RF interference. I do have an old rusty transformer on a pole in my front yard! Any ideas on what I can/should do to try to get better RF performance in this situation. Will the RFX-250 help?

Ben
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