I have a customer who currently uses a Niles IRP2+ infra-red connecting block plus emitters and a couple of Niles equivalent dinky link receivers.

He has had a new Satellite and RF distribution system installed which uses RF infra-red receivers to control it in different rooms.

He is now asking if any of the other equipment can be controlled through these new RF receivers.

I know Xantech produce an infra-red injector that would probably allow me to route the infra-red from other components through to the receivers.
But how do I combine the existing setup, Am I missing something simple here or do I need two emitters on each component! - one for the CAT5 based solution and one for the RF based solution.

Thanks.

1) So, there is a new IR over COAX system installed, and he has an existing hardwired IR system?

2) If you mean RF as in an RF remote control, then no you cannot distribute these signals via a IR system.

3) If it indeed is a Xtralink system from Xantech (IR piggy backed upon the coax cable) then you simply need to use a coupler to pull off that IR signal and insert it into the receiver input on the connecting block. I believe this will work....use signal and ground for the connection.

There is another thread here somewhere where we have discussed the Xtralink system and how to properly wire your distribution for enhanced operation. You must be careful of grounding out the IR signals on the coax by a TV that does not have a Xtralink recevier system attatched to it.

Um. More answers, please.

Since the Xantech system, which has gotten me out of more trouble then a bail bondsman could, injects the ir system onto coax, it is imperative to know whether the satellite lnb voltage is on that coax as well. If it is, the answer is no. You cannot have two discreet voltages injected onto a coax.

If, however, you are simply pumping rf down the coax, you could inject using Xantech cpl products, and extract back at the head end, sending signal and ground over to the connecting block inputs. Remember, you need to contain the ir, so you will put dc blockers, bypass kits and the like in so that the dc signal only goes where you want it to.

Back to you.

Another issue is whether the Niles system's power and ground are electrically connected to any other components at all. The ( - ) end of the Niles LED is not at ground (I think there is a transistor between it and ground), and the ( + ) end of the LED is not connected directly to the power supply ( + ). No matter what the details, if you have such an interconnection, something will not work at some time.

Also, all who read this, including cmo, please note matt's questions! I have seen so many requests for help where the information given is incomplete! Always ask yourself, "is this enough info to be able to help me?" For instance, what is a "RF IR receiver?" If that is an Xtralink, well, some solutions could be offered; if it is a Powermid (RF IR, right?) then other solutions would come to mind.

I once read a column by an engineer where he described getting ready to ask another engineer for help. He thought how he would describe his problem, and over and over had the thought, "wait, he's going to ask me XXX XXX." By the time this engineer had done this three times, he had explored the issues enough to answer his own questions and did not need the help.

I am not implying that any of us can be that good with these head-scratchers, but let's get in the habit of using a few more words rather than a few less to describe what we are dealing with!

Thanks for listening to my mini-rant,

Ernie

Yes it is a new IR over COAX as opposed to RF through the air.
I am still a little unsure of how the two systems can be combined.

Ok....

Where ever the customer has the IRP system, use a Xantech coupler there and pull the IR off the coax, IMMEDIATLY out of the wall. Run that IR signal into the IRP as another IR receiver. Signal and GND respectivly.

At the COAX distribution panel, install a VBC (voltage blocking connector) at the input if your splitter network (splitters must be all port power passive) after the amplification. If you have an amplified splitter, this won't work. What this does is makes the IR injected into the coax line at one TV, available at ALL TV outlets connected to the distribution system. Like Fred and I said above, make sure that any coax line that is not connected to either a coupler or Xtralink reciever have a VBC attatched to it. If you don't do this, the TV itself will ground out the IR signal and nothing will work.

Hopefully this clears things up a little anyway.

Thanks for your help Matt,

The bit that is puzzling me is that the coax cable actually goes inside the Satellite decoder and the infra-red is extracted from inside the unit.

Could I split the coax cable at the satellite decoder end with one run into the decoder and one run into the IRP as another IR receiver.

Or should I simply place an emitter on the front of the satellite decoder like all the other components using your method above.

Hmmm...is it the cable that powers the LNB's on your dish? If that's the case, not quite sure how they are sending IR down that line at the same time. There is a 13-17 volt potential on that line already for the LNB power.

I'd open up your receiver and see what's going on inside....but don't futz with anything too much. Did you have a company install this? If so, maybe you could give a call and ask them what they did....sounds a bit strange to me to be opening up receivers and all.

No the LNB is powered via a separate cable that links the dish to the Sat decoder. The infra-red,decoded signal is then star wired to the other televisions.
The decoder is a standard Sky digital box, this is a fairly standard setup here in the U.K.

Guess I'm not sure if the Xantech stuff will work, is it a standard IR signal?

As far as I am aware it is standard i.e. you can place an emitter on the front of the unit which works fine with the IRP and the decoders remote.

Although the infra-red and signal come out the second Coaxial output on the back of the decoder which is labelled 9V DC 75mA max. (there is no label on the first output which doesnt carry infra-red).

I've never seen that, could be simply the IR's voltage representation and max current. Can't really say, they don't do things like that here in the good ole' USA.

Try it and find out.