I even hesitate to ask about this since it makes me sound nuts. I have a MX-850 and it is sending RF to a RFX-150 / MRF-300. I have a Oppo 971, Onkyo 797, DirectTV HR10-250, Sanyo Z4 and Gefen HDMI 1x4. I am using codes from the URC database for the most part, there were a few buttons that I learned. The remote works almost perfectly for everything other than Oppo. With the Oppo it either works or it doesn't, more often it doesn't. Further it seems that the attempt to control the oppo makes nothing else work for a while. I will attempt to control the player and it won't work and then I can no longer control anything else for 5-15 minutes. Then everything else starts working again. The meantime I do nothing it just starts working again. With the oppo it works fine at times in controlling a DVD interface and then other times it simply doesn't work at all. I am not sure what to do to troubleshoot since it works sometimes without issue? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

First, make sure that the Oppo remote works reliably with the Oppo to eliminate the player's IR receiver as the problem. If it does, try using IR directly from the MX-850 with the Oppo. If it works reliably, then you've got an issue with the MRF-300. If it doesn't, try using learned commands (if you're currently using the IR database commands) or vice versa. If you're stil having a problem using IR directly, then it may be an issue with the 850. If direct IR works, then check the output level on the MRF-300 for the Oppo emitter. Adjust it up and down to see if either direction improves reliability.

Mike
www.SurfRemoteControl.com

Thanks for the pointers. I have found out some further details which even further confuse me however. Using the remote in IR mode is 100% so it doesn't appear to be the codes. After doing IR I then did some other testing by first adding a ferrite core as mentioned on this forum, didn't seem to help. I then tried adjusting the output level both up and down and it didn't seem to make any difference either.

As I mentioned before when using the oppo it seemed to disable or cause a malfunction in the control of other devices. The most obvious of this is the punch through to the reciever. When controlling the tivo or xbox the volume would work reliably with repeating control up and down and such. When controlling the oppo the volume control would be spotty to not working at all.

At this point it seemed that using the oppo was causing the interference. I then did some testing with the oppo on and off and found with oppo off the volume control was 100% and with oppo it was spotty again. This was very reproducible. I then tested leaving the oppo on and changing the HDMI switch to a different input. It had the same effect, if oppo was selected input there were problems if another input either with something active or empty the problems went away (with volume since I can't see the oppo).

This lead me to believe that somehow the signal going from the oppo to the hdmi switch itself was causing interference. I can't explain this however, it is a DVI-HDMI of 2 M in length that I got with the switcher from gefen. I was able to make the volume work by simply unplugging the cable from the oppo. However this is where it gets even more confusing, it continued to work fine even after plugging the cable back in?

End result is that at least for now it appears to be working. It seems the the connection from the oppo to switch is (was) causing some type of interference to the MRF-300. Assuming the problem comes back (voltage build up over time or something) any suggestions on long term solution? Thanks again.

That's all very odd. I've never had a problem like that with any of the Oppos (I'm a beta tester and reseller for Oppo so I have them all). Is either the RFX-150 or the MRF-300 near the Oppo? Also, if the problem returns, you might try turning down the sensitivity on the RFX-150.

I have a rack that is movable in and out of wall. The space for the rack is enclosed with plywood. At the back of the plywood box is where the MRF-300 is. When the rack is retracted the oppo is within 2 ft of the MRF-300. The RFX-150 is about 10 ft away from both items. I could try moving the MRF-300 farther away from the oppo? Also I tried a different DVI-HDMI cable and it seemed to improve things to a degree. I also noticed that the problem seems to almost totally go away as I pull the rack out (and away from the MRF-300). As I push the rack in the problem begins to show up about 50% in and by about 30% I no longer have any reliable control. I can still only assume it is the oppo due to the fact that the problem never happens with any other sources. I will try to move the MRF-300 farther away and keep all the flasher cables as far removed from other cables at the same time.