I read in a review (see review at [Link: remotecentral.com]) that the MX-700 suffers from a narrow IR beam width. Have other users found this to be true?

I have two component racks with a 65" widescreen TV between them. That means the racks are about 8 feet apart. The main seating area is about 12 feet directly in front of the TV.

Am I going to have problems controlling all my components with the MX-700? I have macros which control multiple devices (not all in the same rack).

Ken

P.S. This is my first posting to this forum. I stumbled across remotecentral.com and it has become one of my most heavily used "Favorites." Very useful with all it's info well laid out and accessible.

Head on beam width is no problem on probably any remote.

My angle is more like 30 degrees.

Jim

If you're having problems at 30 degrees, it looks like I'm in an even worse situation at about 40 degrees. Assuming that I do have IR beam width problems, I guess I have a few options (in no particular order):

1) Return MX-700 (hopefully Surf Remote Control has a good return policy in situations like this)
2) Move racks closer to each other (not easily done)
3) Use IR repeater (never having used one, I'm assuming that they can re-direct IR beams).
4) Don't use macros that span both racks (a pretty significant limitation for me)
5) Are there passive gizmos that can attach to the MX-700 to "widen" the beam? (Not a very pretty option, even if such a beast exists)

Any other options people can suggest?

Ken

Do what I do, get up out of the seat. :)

Jim

Ken -

I have an equipment rack, with smoked glass doors, to the left of my 55" RPTV and there's no problem with the IR from my MX-700 working with all the components. The 700 (like the 500) has one of the strongest IR outputs of any remote out there (see Daniel's review of the MX 500 for the MTFB test here). I usually don't even worry about which direction I'm pointing it.

However, if you find it to be a problem, you can return the remote.

Mike
Surf Remote Control

As my review should have said more clearly it is also device dependent as with my Sony AV preamp doesn't work whereas most of the other units do.

I also have used the Best Buy dome shaped IR repeaters, one at the back base of the HDTV pointed at me and the other behind the center speaker pointing at the devices.

RF (maybe from the TV) interference impacts them in my setup.

Jim

Oh yeah, one more thing from my new review...

4. Remote Central has a superb comparison of different remotes IR strength at [Link: remotecentral.com] and the way they test IR strength is called the “Menacing Thick Fluffy Blanket (MTFB) analysis” which is not real world, in my opinion, as he puts the remote under a blanket.

I think any remote works "head-on" whatever the in-front-of-you distance.

I’d like to see an angle spec in his reviews that shows the angle a unit would respond to.

This message was edited by Jim Christian on 05/31/02 13:35.15.

The MX-700 has virtually the same IR strength as the MX-500.

I can still go 5 feet down the hall behind my HT system wall, point it a the back wall of my living room (18 feet long) and have it bounce off the back wall and controll all of my components, including a Cable Receiver with a poor IR receiver.

When in the living room, I never point it at my equipment. I just have it in my lap, and push buttons at whatever angle is convenient for my hand. Usually that is pointing toward the left of the room, which would put it at a 90 degree angle to that same Cable Receiver.

As Jim points out, the odd components has such a bad IR receiver or is so recessed into the component, that it has difficulty with any remote.

The MX-700 should be fine with your set up, as far as I'm concerned.

... Greg :-)

Thanks for all the replies. I should receive my MX-700 very soon (by Monday). I've already setup my screens using the MX-Editor S/W so now comes the hard part: learning all those IR codes. When I'm done, I'll post my mxd file so other people can benefit like I have from this site.

By the way, my setup includes:

SharpVision XV-H37U LCD front projector
Toshiba TW65H80 widescreen HDTV
Yamaha DSP-A1 integrated amplifier
Dish Network Model 6000 DBS receiver
Dish Network Model 301 DBS receiver
Toshiba SD-5109 DVD Player
Sony CDP-X333ES 300-Disc CD Jukebox
ReplayTV 3060 PVR (upgraded to 240hr)
Sony SLV-785 VCR
Sony MDP-333 laserdisc player

Ken

Jim,

I take it you're refering to the TA-E9000ES preamp? I have to say I have no such problems with mine. I can aim the MX-700 more than 90 deg off axis with no problems. Could be the command library you're using. God knows the ones included for the SAT-T60 DSS/Tivo totally sucked in response - I almost returned the remote based on their performance, then I learned my own commands and the difference was night and day.

Try the ones I uploaded and see if you get improved coverage (if indeed you have the 9000ES).

Cheers,

DJ

FYI - I find the coverage on the MX-700 at least twice as good as the remotes that came with the source components..

My MX-700 is at least as good as my MX-500 and it was/is the best I've ever owned. No problems whatsoever here.

Jim: While I see where you're coming from, I find the MTFB to be a fairly useful test. I have had at least one remote that was well reviewed but really had poor coverage, even head on (the much vaunted Marantz RC-2000 and 2000 MkII.) Remote-wise, it's been my experience (with the several that I've owned & tried) that the stronger the output signal, the less trouble I've had, angle-wise or other.

Example: I use Xantech IR repeaters to go between rooms and solve other problems. I have a Sony TV that responds so poorly to any remote that I put a repeater on it.

This seems pointless since it is directly in front of the remote when used and the sensor is usually about the same height as the remote. You'd think you can't get a better setup. My Xantech sensor is a few feet higher, therefore typically at a worse angle than the TV sensor in relation to the remote. But it works just fine. So, having the repeater on the TV to increase the IR seen by the TV sensor (it receives from the repeater and from the remote directly) helps it work much better.