I have a Harmony 720 and a fairly new home theatre set-up. My question is not strictly about the remote itself, but options for better IR communication with my devices.

Due to the oddball layout of my house my home theatre gear is unavoidably in the corner of a room. Recently I built-in bookcases along the wall, right into the corner, incorporating a TV cabinet. My LG 42LBX TV is on an articulated wall mount inside the cabinet, along with the receiver, digital cable box, DVD player and Wii. The TV's mount allows it to be angled towards the viewer when in use, or flattened inside the cabinet and out of sight when not. The components, however, are on a shelf facing outwards.

Here's the problem: I'm typically seated at a 45 degree angle from the front faces of the components. As a result the remote's IR communication is spotty, particularly with my Sony tuner. There's not enough space on the shelves to angle the components towards the room's seating. As a result, often only half the remote's commands make it to the devices I'm trying to control.

I imagine I could get an IR extender or repeater, but would I need a different one for each component? I would be grateful for any advice on the options available to me here, or on how others have dealt with similar issues. Thanks in advance.

Dave

Harmony 720 remote
LG 42LBX tv
Motorola DST-6412III pvr
Sony STR-DG720 receiver
Philips DVP-642 dvd player
Wii

I use an extender that can provide four unobtrusive wired miniature transmitters which are attached to the devices close to their receiving points.

Standard mirrors are also good IR reflectors.

I second the mirror approach. I used that while I was waiting for my IR repeater. In your case you would place it on the wall opposite the equipment and aim your remote at the mirror. That should bounce it directly to the equipment.

For IR repeaters you can get flood emitters that can control an entire rack of equipment but you need somewhere to mount it directly in front of the equipment - 3-4 feet away. Otherwise you'd run separate emitters to each device. Hot Link Pro would work.

I second the extender.... one would be enough.

I can envision the conversations when company is over now...

"Why, that's an oddly placed mirror...?"

"Oh that's so my remote control works... :>/ "