I have come across a situation where I need to install multiple IR remote extension systems within close proximity to each other. They operate identical A/V devices. While testing with a run of the mill IR- RF-IR extender pairs I have found some intermittent cross talk and or some sort of com freeze (each extender pair, while only 20 feet from each other, is on the borderline range to other pairs). I would prefer to have some sort of hard wire IR extender setup. Can anyone name something like this that will be in the same price range as your typical wireless IR extenders? To summarize, I need a simple setup that takes in IR, turns it into a simple differntial com signal, send it over, say 75ft to 100ft of cable and then spit it back out as IR. If no low cost solution is available I would even be interested in schematics of a proven system if thats all thats out there. Thanks in advance, D

Im not real sure what you have now. Sounds like maybe you are using MX-850 with rf base. If this is the case try using Xantech emitter shields to eliminate ir crosstalk. If you want all hardwired look at a basic IR system with a Xantech RT-8 ir router.

I think you need to look at Xantech (http://www.xantech.com/).

You're talking about a simple IR extender, I think? Point remote at IR sensor, the signal travels over CAT5, then gets spit out through an IR emitter stuck on the IR window of the remote gear?

i think we need a little more info to help

i think is what hes after is a mx850 with mf250 then hardwire an emmitter to another location. this will give him ir routing the the mx250 is hot enough to push it that far. ORRR - use an mx850 with 2 mf250s. Need more info for clarification though

Im sorry, I thought I would get a notification if and when my post got a responce. I all too often makes posts on various sites and never get any responces.
Anyway, Mark P. got the basic jist of what I was saying. However the problem not being able to install a wired IR extender. At this point wires can not be put in from where an IR reciver needs to be and where the emitter nedds to be. I was asked to keep this task as simple and Lo cost as possible.
To be specific this is for a Digital Post House. We have 5 small private theaters with both mechanical and 2K digital projectors in adjoining projector rooms. The projectors only take 4:4:4 sd video and DVI. The powers at be purchaced 5 DVD players with DVI out and want them to be controlled from the couches in the theaters. Its all secondary to the real purpose to the theaters so it is on a very low priority and budget. The wireless consumer grade IR extenders I have dealt with so far are not suited for this type setup and I run in to all sorts of interference and theater to theater cross talk which is unacceptable.

To put my question in its simplest form, I need a wireless IR extention system or composnent that can have different assignable RF IDs so that multiple TX/Rx pairs can be in close proximity to each other (out of line site in my case) and not interfere with each others signals. Thanks again for any input on this, Daniel I will be checking up on this post for frequesntly now.

This message was edited by dhootem on 06/24/05 22:03 ET.

this doesnt seem to be what your after


this is exactly what hes after but need clarification on what 'low cost' really means. this could set you back $500+. Check it out.

[Link: surfremotecontrol.com]

or use a mx800 with 2 mrf 250s. this will set you back $325. check this too. Look around this site for differences in the 2 remotes.

[Link: surfremotecontrol.com]

Wow, reply before i can even edit my last post..... Well, $100 to $500 for all 5 rooms was the original proposal, but not knowing really what we needed left that open some what. It will basicaly come down to finding something that we can be assured will work in our situation and proposing it it to the big wigs. Ill will look into those leads, thanks. Daniel

The $100 to $500 budget was just for IR extension task. 5 "Universal" URC-100s are already in house. This is the reason I am trying to find an IR system that will alow the use of the remotes. And yes, the URC-100 do have RF but so far I have not been able to get a responce from Universal technical support to see about the possibllity of assignable remote freqs or IDs.
It seems like this would be a fairly common situation when more than one person has a RF based remote system in a commercial or aprtment structure.

The MX-850 looks like it has the right stuff to work in my setup.

Here is how I could see using this. Get 5 MX-850s and 5 MRF-250s. assign each MRF-250 its own address (16 addresses available) and program each MX-850 to talk to one of those addresses. So when Remote A in Theater A sends the RF command to "Play" the only base station to responde would be Base Station A.

Can anyone with experience with this products confirm that this scenario would work? Anyone know off hand if any lower cost remotes or systems have this capabilty.

The price is steep for what this will be used for. It is only going to control one device, a DVD player. Oh well. If nothing else I will have a surplus of URC-100s and a dent in the engineering's contingency budget.

If those 5 remotes and 5 remote bases don't pass the budget, then my friend walk away. That is about as cheap of a set up that I can think of and be comfortable.

Think of this way, How many phone calls are you willing to take to go service this afterthough?

Yes - this will work.


if all 5 dvd players are in the same location, youll only need 1 mrf250.

Thats all I wanted to hear. A more experienced person(s) say that more expensive toys are pretty much the only way to to do it right. Thanks to all of you for your assistance.
One thing just accured to me. With the new cost pretty well established and more than I think "they are going to want to dish out I should anticipate the descision go with a wired system, now with a better idea of my install application above in the thread, any suggestions for a reliable middle to low costing wired extender. I see many retail and home build custom packages out there. A quick point in the right direction with this would be appriciated. Have a good weekend people!