IR extender?

[myoung84]

I am getting a new TV soon and in the process I will have to replace the TV stand. This is going to move the HDX from about eye level when sitting in the couch to about 1-2 feet off the ground. With my HDX, even with the new faceplate I have to point the remote directly at the box for it to respond. Now this is not really a problem now but when the HDX gets moved down, my table will be in the way and cause line of sight problems. This is mostly from me being lazy and not wanting to lean up to change the channel, but is there some kind of IR extender I could build or buy? Something that could sit under the TV and is more sensitive than the HDX that could replicate the IR command of the remote and send to the extender? This would be a lot like the way USBUIRT operates with an LED taped to the front of the box.

I also want to use this idea when I upgrade TVs in the bedroom. I don't have an HDX there now, but I eventually want the TV mounted on the wall and maybe have the extender in the nearby closet controlled by the same type IR extender above.

Is any of this possible without spending hundreds of dollars?

[CollinR]

Although not perfect there is a device called a powermid (Smarthome, Radio Shack) that was originally designed to relay IR across the home. It also supports stick on emitters so you don't have to see the 2 powermids are a mear feet apart.


http://www.smarthome.com/_/ProductRe...x?Ntt=powermid

[myoung84]

Yeah, I have seen those and don't really care for them. I like this product, also from smarthome, it's a little pricey but has good reviews.
http://www.smarthome.com/59500/Hidde...-System/p.aspx

[CollinR]

If you are willing to put that level of install into it you might look at Buffalo IR, also Zantec has a small kit like that. Once you move to Tulsa, let me know there are local distributors who have some of this stuff and it's much less expensive compared to smarthome.com.

[myoung84]

I am actually in Tulsa now, been here for about 2 months. Please let me know where some of these places are. Thanks!

[myoung84]

I found this too, might work ok.

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-Remo...8MRACSDXCEFC22

[stevech]

Powermid (X10). It and another 400MHz competing product flat did not work. Too much RF noise.

I spend like $60 on stuff to put an IR receiver on the cable TV coax and pick it off again with another device somewhere else in the house. And that feeds an IR diode emitter shining on the device(s) to be controlled. Works well.

this is one of several, not the one I bought though.
http://www.hometech.com/infrared/coax.html