Hello all. Pulling my hair out on this one!

Ok - here goes. Big front pj-based theater, using Dwin's DuoVision. Pre-pro is Classe's SSP-300. MRF-250 mounted in the attic, far, far away from the Samsung SIRT360 DirecTV receiver (A.K.A. RF interference generator) and the rest of the equipment stack.

2 DVD players (Denon 3910 and the client's GoVideo DVD/VCR combo), a ReQuest, and the SIRT360 all working just fine, everytime, via RF from the MX-3000. Output settings for this are "RF" only in the MX-3000 software. Note that all of these devices are working by taking one of the MRF-250's Ir outputs and feeding it into a Xantech amplified block, and then using mini-jack direct Ir inputs into the Denon DVD and ReQuest, and Xantech emitters for the DirecTV box and GoVideo combo.

Here's where the fun starts. The Dwin DuoVision and Classe' pre-pro never worked properly coming off the Xantech block, so I'm using HTM's own emitters plugged directly into the MRF-250. Still didn't work. I then tested both with setting the MX-3000 to Ir only; both units worked fine this way, leading me to believe the Ir codes themselves are fine.

Switched to RF only; the Dwin worked perfectly through countless source switch tests (DVD to Sat to VCR to ReQuest, etc.), the Classe' still did not. But then the Dwin also stopped working on the RF only setting.

The client really was frustrated, so I set both the Dwin and Classe' to use both Ir and RF, figuring he at least could point in the general direction of the equipment stack, and have the system switch properly. But guess what: both the Dwin and Classe' now work perfectly - even when I take the MX-3000 completely out of the room, and definitely not line-of-sight to the equipment! Obviously, the RF is working - but? I can't stand stuff I can't explain, and my confidence is pretty low that it will continue to work.

Yes, I've done the obvious - replaced emitters, replaced mini-jack cables, turned off all fo the lights (potential RF interference source), etc. I've done the HTM troubleshooting steps - although my experience with the MRF-250's has been they are far less susceptible to RF interference than the 200's. Note that throughout ALL of this trouble, 4 of the devices (the 2 DVD players, the ReQuest, and the DirecTV receiver) have ALWAYS worked perfectly, with the MX-3000 and their outputs set to RF only.

Anyone have any ideas at all on this one? I'd actually be happy to learn I've missed something obvious, because I'm at the end of my sanity troubleshooting this.

There was a post recently about the port on the Classe not working without some special adapting... Our experience is that the emitter stuck to the front works reliably, however. Don't know if that helps...

Norm

In which address do you have the MRF-250?. If you have it in 0 change it to another one. I read some info about the MRF-250 where they specified to use the address 0 initially to determine if there was any interference according to the status light and repositioning the base station if was any; and then change the address to a different one.

You are correct, sir.

I have never been able to get the MX3000/RF250 to reliably operate the DWIN in RF mode. I tried everything I could think of. First attempt was in my showroom. Pushing the DWIN's numbers changes inputs - and my testing involved simply pressing numbers on the MX3000, and occasionally the DWIN would change inputs (maybe 30% of the time). It works beautifully in IR mode though, so I know the codes are right. I tried holding the IR emitter farther away from the front of the DWIN processor's IR window, right on top of it, etc, all to no avail. I finally gave up and just set it to IR only. I blew probably 3.5 hours f#*ing around with it. Got every other piece of equipment in the rack to operate on RF (Pioneer & Samsung DVD; Cox/Motorola Cable box; B&K Ref 50; Lutron GRX; Makita drapes) but could not get the DWIN to operate anything close to "reliable". I also experienced the same problem about a month later on a job site with a DWIN plasma (same IR Codes) and was forced to operate it with IR - while the rest of the rack used RF.

I would like to try and resolve this for future jobs, but haven't been able to carve a day out of my schedule to work on it. And I don't have much faith that it is solveable, given the history of the POS 250 RF module. Last thing I want to do is spend a day dinking with it, and still be no better off at the end of a day. The only thing I thought about trying, was to run a lead to a separate Xantech power connecting block and using a Xantech emitter. But based on what I'm reading here, that would not help.

I'll read this thread with baited breath.

Could possibley be ir overload. I had the same problem before with other equpiment. try moving the emmiter further from the ir window.

Thanks to all.

FYI, DJNorm - I'm the same guy and it's the same install that had the Classe' Ir jack problem. Because of that craziness, I'm just using an emitter on the Classe.

The channel is 4, not 0, as I had heard the same thing about channel 0 being for testing for interference.

FPCrazy - thanks much for your post - it helps my sanity! I tried what you did - moving the emitter from on top of the sensor to several diff locations around it, away from it, etc., all with no luck. And it's "funny" that the Dwin would have this kind of trouble, since the remote that's shipped with the Duovision is HTM"s consumer Unifier remote. But you are right that it works with the MX-3000's IR.

But what I still don't understand is how, with the system set to Ir & RF, that I can operate both the Dwin and Classe' reliably far away from line of sight (and far from it working just because of Ir reflections), leading me to believe the RF working. But again, if I set everything to just RF, it will not work. Very odd - I'd love for someone from HTM or an HTM expert to chime in with their thoughts.

Thanks again for the replies.

post in the htm forum - controls remotes might be able to help

Since the later versions of the MRF units have come out all of my problems have come back to the output on the MRF being WAY to hot. Try a 1.5 K resister accross the negative and positive leads on the emitter. You may be suprised at the results. Also it seems that you have defeated most of the IR routing of the MRF. I understand why you did it but routing the IR to each device does improve reliability. Based on the intermittent issues with the projector and the pre my vote goes to the IR input being over driven.
My understanding is that the new MRF will have 3.5 mm jacks and adjustable output. I have not confirmed that with HTM though.