Tricky IR control - behind screen?

dmurray14

Hey guys,

Some of you may be familiar with how many big screens have the IR receiver actually behind the screen. This works great for the remote controls, but I can't get my IR emitter to work. How to you guys handle this type of thing? Of course theres no external IR port or serial port...

Thanks guys,
Dan

NMarkRoberts

I've never come across a situation where the RC works but the flasher doesn't so I'd suggest that there may be something wrong with the flasher, its wiring, its location, or the IR file.

Here's a list of faults I've experienced with solutions:

(a) Flasher polarity wrong. Try one that you know works.

(b) Flasher position wrong. Try holding it away from the unit.

(c) IR file absent or wrong. Reload it, and watch the LED while you pulse some of the odd codes in higher numbers.

dmurray14

NMarkRoberts wrote:

I've never come across a situation where the RC works but the flasher doesn't so I'd suggest that there may be something wrong with the flasher, its wiring, its location, or the IR file.

Here's a list of faults I've experienced with solutions:

(a) Flasher polarity wrong. Try one that you know works.

(b) Flasher position wrong. Try holding it away from the unit.

(c) IR file absent or wrong. Reload it, and watch the LED while you pulse some of the odd codes in higher numbers.

Thanks Mark...

Cell phones are getting more handy by the day - using the camera on my phone I can definitely see the emitter blinking. In fact, the same emitter, loaded with a different IRL controls another component just fine. I think the tricky part is that the receiver is actually behind the front screen (it's a rear-projection set) and for some reason the emitter is not powerful enough to get through (which makes sense - an emitter at the same distance as a remote will not work).

Just wondering if anyone had any creative tricks to overcome this if they've come across it before. I'm thinking I'll need some sort of higher power emitter.

Here's wishing I bought the non-Best Buy model with the RS232 port...Doh...

Dan

vining

Niles Audio makes a high output flasher (don't think Xantech does) that's designed to flash an entire rack of equipment. This should be able to do what you want, however you may have a difficult time figuring out where to put it.

glr-fti

This will void the warranty but I have opened up the case and placed the emitter inside next to the IR receiver.

ericmedley

glr-fti wrote:

This will void the warranty but I have opened up the case and placed the emitter inside next to the IR receiver.

I didn't think opening the box to mount an emitter voids the warranty. If you're an authorized dealer it shouldn't be an issue. Perhaps it depends upon the brand...

dmurray14

Thanks, guys. I'll probably give the high output emitter a go first..the TV is brand new and I'd hate to go poking around and break something...

Dan

Chip Moody

I've had to do this with a handful of Samsung projection TVs. Either pop off the front screen, back cover, whathaveyou, and find a spot inside the case to stick the emitter that isn't in the projection path. In all cases is worked really well and kept an unsightly emitter off the front of the unit.

Of course I still despise Samsung and would never buy one of these units for myself for the pure fact that ALL of the units I've worked on have sported serial ports on the back that didn't provide any kind of control function. Samsung support was pretty deplorable as well.

- Chip

dmurray14

vining wrote:

Niles Audio makes a high output flasher (don't think Xantech does) that's designed to flash an entire rack of equipment. This should be able to do what you want, however you may have a difficult time figuring out where to put it.

Got it in the other day, works great - thanks!

dmurray14

Chip Moody wrote:

I've had to do this with a handful of Samsung projection TVs. Either pop off the front screen, back cover, whathaveyou, and find a spot inside the case to stick the emitter that isn't in the projection path. In all cases is worked really well and kept an unsightly emitter off the front of the unit.

Of course I still despise Samsung and would never buy one of these units for myself for the pure fact that ALL of the units I've worked on have sported serial ports on the back that didn't provide any kind of control function. Samsung support was pretty deplorable as well.

- Chip

I may give this a try at some point, luckily the emitter isn't very bothersome as-is. Thanks!