Hello, First off, thank you for any help!

I am using the MRF-300 and a Scientific Atlantic HD8300 cable box. I have done searches and read about the issues with this cable box....I have also tried ALL the suggestions. I cannot get the MRF and the HD8300 to work properly. I have tried the tape trick, turned it down (the IR), turned off/on the blast, took the RFX-150 out of the cabinet, moved the IR emmiter to the right side of the clock. Nothing seems to work. I have called Universal and they say to either replace the 300 with the 450 or use elect. tape.

Please let me know if there is anything I am missing and suggestions. It works GREAT with all my other components.

try turning down the gain on the RFX150 a bit (somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2). Or experiment with different gains adjustments on the 150.

Pardon my ignorance, but my thinking is: how does the gain on the 150 make much difference in the way the HD8300 handles the IR? Seems to me that the 150 only handles recieving the signnal from the remote? Am I incorrect? Also, all my other compenents are working perfect. Thank you for your help.

Just try it and see. I've had it make a huge difference on situations similar to yours. Really, just try it and report back.

I sure will....thank you.

I contacted a friend that had a pro help him with his (same problem) and he replaced his flasher with another one. Do you think he used another URC model or a different brand. If so, anyone have a recomendation as to brand and where to get a replacement?

I've never had an 8300HD that didn't work if you adjusted the IR output on the MRF-300.

It sounds more like emitter placement is wrong. Take a bright flashlight and shine it through the front of the unit and look for the IR receiver and make sure you have the emitter stuck right over the top of it then play with the IR emitter level until it works.

When I installed it, I did use a flashlight to find the exact location of the IR receiver. I have it working now (just as I did at the beginning of the week), but its weird: its like the cable box gets "tired" and it becomes sluggish and intermittant as the days (sometimes hours) goes on. I will have to push remote commands 2-3 times before it works. I haven't played with the RFX-150 output yet because its working at this moment; I don't want to mess it up until its starts acting up again.

There are many posts in this forum and others of the same issue with the HD8300. I'm 95% positive its a cable box issue at this point.

When it gets sluggish, try the original cable remote and see if it acts the same way. Unplug the cable box for a few minutes and plug it back in then see how it acts.

Many times when I have customers that complain about remote issues with their cable box I can usually show them that the original remote does it too.

Keep us informed!

Adjust the IR all the way down, use a xantech emitter, crank the RFX150 all the way down. Also play around witht he placement of the emitter. Depending on the Light in hte room, you might have to place the emitter directly over the IR Receiver or move it way.

I did think of this, and the original remote works fine. When I called Universal they seem to think that "the HD8300 gets over-loaded easily." Thats their explaination.

The most reliable way we have found is to leave the IR adj as is out of the box.

Turn the RF all the way down to 0, then turn it up just a tick.

Put the ir blaster right over the ir pickup on the 8300.

keep the rfx box away from the cable box....if you see the "rf" light flicker even a little bit (while there is no remote activity) then move it!

The first sign of a bad cable box (or bad cable signal) is often in how it responds to IR. Think of a computer that's really "busy" or "bogged down" while you are trying to type a document or move the mouse...it reacts sluggishly. I have never had an HD8300 that I couldn't get working flawlessly (and i don't usually have to try to hard or move the emitters or anything) so I'd start with the cable signal, then the box.

I am glad he popped this question because I want to share with you something that happened over the weekend. We always have problems with the Sci Atlanta boxes, but this weekend we saw what they are all about. There are three variables that affect the Scit Atlantic boxes:

1) Where you installing - if it's in the basement its a better chance of interference

2) How close the MRF300 and RFX are to the actual equipment.

3) emitter placement/high frequency/outside interference.

We placed the equipment in a equipment furniture piece, and everytime we even touched the base unit to the closet it started blinking. We shut the box off by pulling out the plug and it was perfect. Those atlantic boxes are painful. Here are some tips that I have found worked in most cases:

1) Keep the unit as far back in the closet/rack as you can so that when the emitter shoots oout IR it doesnt reflect back -it's easily fllooded. For that reason putting a hood on doesn't alwayswork and can in fact , make it worse.

2) Keep the MRF unit as FAR away and as high as possible. Also, keep the RFx as high and far away from the SA box AND the MRF-250.

3) If you can, address the single box emitter seperatly. This will reduce the IR flooding in the closet/reack/viciinity.

4) Search for OPTIMIUM emitter position- it works from a lot of places , but there is one spot that is better than all the rest.

5) Tune down the frequency if you have to.

6) Bring and MRF-300 with you on estimates to check for IR interference issues - put on your customer questionaire if they have any type of alarms or other causes of IR interference.

7) rack placement- place the cable box away from the DVD player and as high as possible in the equipment rack - again, be sure not to place the MRF unit close to the box or other equipment.

I just don't get this thing....today it started acting up a little bit, so all I did to see if it would help is move the RFX150 to a higher spot - now guess what....its not working at all! Everything seems to be functioning properly - all the IRs are attached, no settings were changed. I even placed it back in the exact spot it was before I messed with it. Nothing.