Hi all,

I am presently using a RX-77 Marantz RF adapter with my RC-5400. The problem is that I have run out of outputs from the RX-77 for all my components. I just installed a XBox 360 and have set up the files onto the 5400. Now, here is my real question: Will the Xbox 360 accept signals directly from my 5400? Or is it necessary to have a wire going from the RX-77 to the Xbox?

I am usually confused by the whole IR and RF thing. For instance do the wires going from the RX-77 send an IR signal to the components? The Xbox seems to work with the gamepad, even when the gamepad is facing 180 degrees away from the console. Does that mean it accepts a RF signal natively and therefore I do not need to put on a wire?

The XBox 360 is behind a glass door in a cabinet with an open back. Is it just a matter of trying and finding out, or will I definitely need to wire a blaster to the Xbox? If I need to wire it, is there an adapter that will work with more outputs or some other solution?

Any help and even a minor understanding of what the adapter does would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
John

No, it will not. You will need to buy another RX-77 or an RFX-6000/6500 to use. The RX-77 and the Philips RFX-6000 are the same piece of equipment with a different brand.

Thank you. I have ordered an additional RX-77

If the Xbox has an IR remote, you can set up the 5400 to send an IR signal directly to the Xbox. Two reasons for having the RX-77 are:
the components are behind a cabinet door or otherwise out of sight,
and there is a plasma in the room where you will operate the remote.

You don't have to use RF to get a control signal to the components, but you have to use something.

If the components can "see" the 5400 at all times, you don't need the 5400 at all. If the components are in another room, behind cabinet doors, etc, then the RX77 or an IR sensor can be used to get the commands there.

An IR sensor is placed in the room where the TV is, and you point the 5400 at it, and it relays the commands, via IR emitters identical to those used by the RX77, to the components along a wire from the sensor to a distribution point.

These sensors are quite often unable to work properly if they are in a room with a plasma, as plasmas emit frequencies that go along the wire to the components, confusing the IR commands.

The RX77 avoids the plasma problem by having the 5400 send signals by radio (RF) to the RX77. The RX77 then converts these signals to IR and sends them out of its output ports to IR emitters that are placed on or near the components (almost always ON).


The little skinny wires coming out of the four outputs of the RX77 carry electrical signals that are converted to IR by the IR LEDs at the ends of the wires. Those are the little things you stick on the components.


I'm not sure how you have things set up, so I can't tell you. In my living room, my TV remote must be carefully pointed at the TV to control its volume. I have an RC5200 with the same commands learned on it, in IR mode, and you don't have to be at all careful where you point; the RC5200 puts out such a strong IR signal that it can bounce off the ceiling or even the back wall and still control the TV. Your question doesn't contain enough details to answer it.


Chances are probably 50-50 that IR will go through that glass and you won't have to use any kind of RF for it, but the 5400 has to have the Xbox device properties set to IR to try that out. Is it?


I have had success taking an output from the RX77 and connecting it to a Xantech 789-44, which is a four-output IR distribution block. However, while the RX77 looks like it has four separate outputs, they do interact..hold on to get this...outputs A and B are connected, and outputs C and D are connected (or 1 &2, then 3&4). If you connect a 789-44 to output A and try to drive four LEDs with it, it will work fine, but perhaps only if you don't have any LEDs plugged into output B.

The upshot of this is that, with some thought and planning, you might need a 789-44, but you won't need an RX77. If the RX77 must be bought because you ordered it, it will work well, too. One detail -- don't place the two RX77s too close to one another. About a foot to 18" of separation would be good. I am basing this warning on experience with other radio products, but if you have no problem when you keep these apart, you are way ahead of having to solve a problem if you put them next to each other and this idea doesn't happen to occur to you.

Ernie,

Thanks so much for that concise reply to my question. You certainly did clear up at least one of my confusions. I could not understand why my RC5400 was in fact controlling the XBox360 even though I did not have an IR extender cable connected to it. What I have discovered is that the RC5400 must be sending an IR signal out to the Xbox360 but it will only work if the RC5400 is facing(more or less) a maximum of about 120 degrees away from the Xbox360. Since my LCD is 180 degrees from the Xbox360, I feel for convenience sake that the RX-77 that I ordered will come in handy.

I was not aware that the RC5400 sends out both RF and IR signals. Would it be possible for you to tell me where I find the information about which signal(RF or IR) is being sent? Would it be in the .pcf files that I view through Wizz.it? Can I set the .pcf files up in such a way that some components receive IR and some RF?

Thanks again for all the information.

If you look in the individual device properties under the RF tab, you'll see which devices are set to IR and which to RF. Remember, though, when linking to IR codes, the device the codes are on determine IR vs RF transmission.

RC,

Just for my own edification, I assume you mean that depending on which page(device) I have the RC5400 controlling at that particular moment, is what will determine an IR or RF output? In other words, I could set all my devices to RF, excepting the Xbox360, which I would set to IR, and when I am on the Xbox360 device pages, then the RC5400 would send out an IR signal?

Regards and thanks.

P.S. I just went and checked the file I created for the Xbox360 and, yes, it is set to IR which would therefore account for the fact that when properly aimed, the RC5400 did control the XBox360. Thanks again.

No, it is not the page you are viewing. It is the device/page where the actual IR Code is stored.

The page you are viewing might have a button on it that links to a button on a page in a different device. It is that different device that must be set to RF.