CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Darren Wadsworth]

I need to get one. My arm falls asleep reach backwards to flip cable channels.
The prices for these things have a great range. I am looking for good quality, but not have to pay through the nose. I need to control 4-6 devices depending.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you
Darren

[Z-Photo]

On a similiar not - anyone use a RF plug in remote with the Samsung TS 360???

After I hooked up my wired IR remote (Onkyo) I noticed that the Samsung was RF (the bastards) I thought I had gotten lucky.


Darren - I had a wireless from BB that sucked (I returned it)

[emdawgz1]

Goto xantech.com

Look for the micro link or dinky link.

They work well and are easy to install.

8)

[Darren Wadsworth]

Not Sure what you mean? My Samsung is IR..

What Im looking for doesn't necc. have to be wireless.

Thanks
Darren

[Person99]

I'm using two IR systems!

In the theater, I use a conventional one, but that requires cable to be run from the sensor to the blaster distribution block. OK during construction, could be a pain afterwords. The advantage is you can use any remote you want.

xantech or buffalo systems work fine (can get buffulo at Parts Express).

Now, I'm a home theater master remote guy (Harmony remotes are for girls ), so downstairs, I use an IR/RF system with a base. One of these:
http://www.buy.com/prod/Universal_Remote_Control_MX_600_10_Device_IR_RF_Home_Theater_Master/q/loc/111/90129813.html

The way these work is that it sends both IR and its RF to its base station. If you have a multipath issue (the device can get both the direct IR and the IR from the blaster), you can sometimes have issues. But, it the components getting the blast won't get the bounce from the screen (just the PJ), then you are OK.

The other great thing about the RF is the ability to use it anywhere. So downstairs controls the whole house music, so the remote can be carried to the back patio and used to control the CD playing, etc.

Dave

[Chuck27]

Mine can be seen here:

http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=181

It's all Speakercraft equipment, and it consists of:

AT-1.0 Amplified Terminator
PS-2.0 Regulated power supply
IRC-1.0 IR Receiver
2 each IRE-5.0 IR Blasters

The receiver is mounted in the ceiling in front of the screen; the rest of the stuff is in my equipment rack at the back of the room. I can report it has worked perfectly the entire time I've had it; in hindsight the only thing I'd do differently is cut back to a single IR blaster because all my IR-controlled equipment is in the same rack.

I picked this setup because the terminator gives you the option to run either IR emitters or blasters, a choice most systems do not give you. And because I'm a mechie and not an electron-head, I went with the brute force approach of a blaster instead of the more elegant emitter setup.

I'm using a Pronto Pro TSU 700 for a remote but this setup will work with any IR-based system.

Hope this helps...good luck!

Chuck

[kal]

I've been using the Xantech 291-KIT for almost 6 years now to 'blast' IR to all my devices which include:

- Preamp/processor
- HTPC
- ExpressVu 6000 HDTV receiver
- Zenith 1200 CRT PJ
- Lutron IR dimming lights
- 200 CD changer





The little receiver box sits above the screen and the emitters are all over the place. Most are in the rack where the equipment is, but one is the projector and another in an IR light switch half way around the room. I extended some of the IR emitter leads with plain old telephone cable (POTS).

The 291-KIT comes with everything you need (see pic above) to do 4 IR devices but you can easily add dual emitters if you need some extras like I did. They're cheap too.



Best part is that the 291-KIT was dirt cheap. Around $75 back when I bought it for everything. Though I see PartsExpress is selling it today for $126. So shop around! I bought from a small Yahoo store which isn't around anymore.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=182-458&CFID=2998025&CFTOKEN=97879556

Works flawlessly. If I had to do it again, I'd buy the exact same thing. Parts are easily replaceable if anything breaks. No need to buy the whole thing again. Though given the technology involved, about the only thing that would ever go is the wall-wart transformer. The rest is all solid state.

Kal

[kal]

I've been using the Xantech 291-KIT for almost 6 years now to 'blast' IR to all my devices which include:

- Preamp/processor
- HTPC
- ExpressVu 6000 HDTV receiver
- Zenith 1200 CRT PJ
- Lutron IR dimming lights
- 200 CD changer





The little receiver box sits above the screen and the emitters are all over the place. Most are in the rack where the equipment is, but one is the projector and another in an IR light switch half way around the room. I extended some of the IR emitter leads with plain old telephone cable (POTS).

The 291-KIT comes with everything you need (see pic above) to do 4 IR devices but you can easily add dual emitters if you need some extras like I did. They're cheap too.



Best part is that the 291-KIT was dirt cheap. Around $75 back when I bought it for everything. Though I see PartsExpress is selling it today for $126. So shop around! I bought from a small Yahoo store which isn't around anymore.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=182-458&CFID=2998025&CFTOKEN=97879556

Works flawlessly. If I had to do it again, I'd buy the exact same thing. Parts are easily replaceable if anything breaks. No need to buy the whole thing again. Though given the technology involved, about the only thing that would ever go is the wall-wart transformer. The rest is all solid state.

Kal

[emdawgz1]

I only suggested the micro or dinky because of the Stealth factor.

as opposed to the black box that comes w/ the kit.


They all work the same way by plugging into the distro block and blasting to the ir repeaters.

[Darren Wadsworth]

Kal,

Looks good.

How long is the cable from the ir receiver to the connecting block? I need to run that about 25'. Is there a way to extend that if I need to?

Thank you
Darren

[kal]

[kal]

[Darren Wadsworth]

Kal,

Im going to order that one right now. I found an online dealer that happens to be in Bellevue, WA (about 40 miles away) for 71.00!

Thank you.
Darren

[Z-Photo]

Darren,

The samsung has an mini jack on the back panel - that one is for RF plug ins. The front panel is IR.

I have a cabled remote senor (IR) that I wanted to use.

[kal]

[kal]

[Heywood Jablome]

I have a little pyramid system that works reasonably well (HD STB in HT sends S-VIDEO to BR so I needed IR!) and was obscenely cheap. It's too insensative, tho, and is a pain to to get pointed at the IR receivers.

Seventy-one bucks for a Xantrex 291-kit? That's less then the going eBay rate when I found the pyramids... Hmmmm I smell upgrade!

[Darren Wadsworth]

Heywood,

I got it here:

http://www.garrett-smarthome.com/proddetail.php?prod=291-KIT%2FRP

Darren

[stefuel]

I use the Xantech 291 also. It works great but soon to be replaced by a much cheaper Crestron system if I can ever get time to finish programming it. Ahhh, a nice 11 inch full color table top touch screen to control the whole house from the best seat in the house, MINE.

[Heywood Jablome]

[Brian Hampton]

I use a $40 radio shack IR repeater that I got on sale for $30 I think.

I bet it's not the best but it works.

The receive-ing unit is in my rack with my other stuff (but on a different shelf) so I put a mirror on the opposite wall and that bouces the signal back at the gear.

-Brian

[kal]

Moved to the new "Home Theater Accessories" forum.

[kal]

Moved to the new "Home Theater Accessories" forum.

[GEBrown]

I use Optilinq gear which appears to be a direct knock-off of the Xantech equipment, but a little cheaper.

Their website is here:

http://www.sonance.com/subs/products.php?category_id=41&option=get_category&thread_one_cat_id=30&thread_one_cat_name=Accessories&thread_two_cat_id=&thread_two_cat_name=

My 2 cents