I've got an MX-950 Aurora and I just recently took delivery of an MRF-250 package. It works very well with all of my components except one: my Shuttle SB61G2 form factor Linux box (I am using it to run MythTV), which plays havoc with my RF base station.

With the computer on, I eventually lose all usability of my components via remote control. The status light on the MRF-250 blinks constantly and my MX-950 is rendered utterly useless. As soon as I shut down the computer, the status light stops blinking and I regain control. It's definitely the Linux box that's culpable; initially, I thought (hoped) that setting the MRF-250 to ID 0 might have been the problem, but after switching to ID 1 I still have problems.

(Also, despite setting my various components to mutually distinct flasher numbers in the MX-950 editor, I still see *all* of my flashers blinking when I submit a command via remote control. This is a separate issue, though, and so far it hasn't appeared to affect performance one way or the other.)

I figure it's the front side bus of the PC screwing things up, but whatever it is, I clearly need some kind of shielding. I used to have an aluminum case cover over my Linux box, and I wonder how well that would have worked as a shield if I still had it.

Anyone got any tips? Is there anything I can do to make my MRF-250 work in harmony with my computer? Should I have bought an MRF-300? Help!

You are going to need to seperate the pc from the mrf250. How close are they?

Are you saying all emitters flash on ID1 even though they are set individually?

ID0 is strictly for troubleshooting, It will receive all RF in the 418MHz range and the status light will flash when it does. Also there is no routing active (i.e. All emitters flash) and the front blaster is turned off.

This should happen on ID0, but no other ID.

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Thank you,
Damon DG
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http://www.ProRemotes.com - Authorized Dealer & Remote Programming Services

They're currently on opposite sides of my 50" plasma display, and that's about as far apart as I'm able to put them.



Yes, the MRF-250 is set to ID 1, and all the MX-950-defined components are set to unique flashers, and still every flasher blinks when I issue a command to a component.



Isn't this just the FAQ over at Universal Remote Inc.'s site? There is no MRF-250 information in that document.

Do you have the ability to get a MRF-300 and try that? The benefit to the 300 is the outboard antenna. I have found that to save me in installs where there was interference. I'd hate for yout o buy one and that not be the case. Just curious if there is a way for you to get one to try it out.
chris

No, I don't have that option.

If that's the case even when the computer's not running, you may just have a defective MRF-250. If you can't move the MRF-250 further from the PC, you might want to return it and exchange it for an MRF-300.

Mike
www.SurfRemoteControl.com

__
Milo D. Cooper

Milo, just a thought, the MRF-250 will not support direct IR connection in the back of a component like an A/V receiver. It can only be used with the flashers. The outputs on the 250 are on a Bus, so connecting one of them to the IR in of a component will shunt them all to ground. The MRF-300 will support direct connection to IR in on components.

G

I *am* using it only with the flashers. It isn't directly connected to any of my components.

As I do more research, I'm pretty sure that the MRF-250 can't function reliably near a PC (or near my PC, anyway). I'm probably going to return my MRF-250 and go with the MRF-300, and hope that I can put the antenna across the room without too much hassle concealing the cord. Pain in the ass, this.

Have you tried removing the antenna on the MRF? Also, is there a flasher going to the PC? If there is try rerouting it, I have seen on many satellites where I could not hide the flasher wire due to Rf interference, so I found running them along the side of the unit to help. Try disconnecting the fans on ur PC and then try it, only for a short period of course.

Yeah. Made no difference.


No. There's one going to the infrared receiver coming out of one of my USB ports, but even if I unplug that flasher from the MRF-250, I still get massive interference from my computer (which is about five feet away, and I can't increase that distance much). The MRF-250 just can't function in proximity to my PC; the interference stops completely the moment I shut down the computer, regardless of whether the flasher glued to my PC's USB IR recevier is plugged into the MRF-250.


That's not something that I want to do. Anyway, I'm not going to spring for a liquid cooling refit just to make the MRF-250 useful.

I'm curious, is *anyone* here successfully using an MRF-250 near a computer? If so, what's your cooling system like? What's your motherboard? What's your CPU? Are you using onboard video or audio? Peripherals (slotted and exterior)?

I'm going to try putting my MRF-250 across the room, just to see if I still get PC interference. If not, I'll take that as evidence that an MRF-300 is something that I can use.

How about plugging your pc into a different outlet in the other end of your home with an extension cord? Do you have any wireless devices on your pc? bluetooth? keyboard/ mouse/ router?
Try plugging your pc into a ups.
Try turning the pc 90 degrees from its current position.

That would actually be an expensive operation, given the layout of my living room and the rest of my house in general. (Unless I didn't care about the aesthetics of the situation.)


Both the keyboard and the mouse are wireless Logitechs. I tried removing them and the receiver and using wired input devices, instead -- made no difference at all.


I'll give that a shot, if you're reasonably sure that it might do the trick. I'd love it if someone could give me a scientific reason why that would work.


That had no effect.