IR Repeater issue with Cisco DVR

I can only recommend that the emitter be secured directly in front of the infrared eye (just to the left of the LED display on the 8642HDC. Page 3 of the 8642HDC manual.) Find the best location by holding the emitter in you hand before you secure it. The 8642HDC sensor seems to be more "finicky" than that on the 8240/8300.

I tried moving over ever millimeter of the front panel.  In the manual the receiver "eye" is supposed to be just to the right of the Select text on the front.  I found a post that said he had to locate the emitter directly over the word Select to get his to work, but no joy so far.  But it is a IR receiver and not RF....  Just thinking......  IR should be line of sight and I can get the remote to work the DVR through a magazine, ever directly under the unit....  I don't know what to think anymore.....?

thanks for the reply.....

quiglenj said:

I tried moving over ever millimeter of the front panel.  In the manual the receiver "eye" is supposed to be just to the right of the Select text on the front.  I found a post that said he had to locate the emitter directly over the word Select to get his to work, but no joy so far.  But it is a IR receiver and not RF....  Just thinking......  IR should be line of sight and I can get the remote to work the DVR through a magazine, ever directly under the unit....  I don't know what to think anymore.....?

thanks for the reply.....

Does the emitter you're trying to use still work on another device?

thanks, I just checked and yes it does work on the dvd player....  seems to be unique to the dvr.....?

quiglenj said:

thanks, I just checked and yes it does work on the dvd player....  seems to be unique to the dvr.....?

Yeah, the 8642HDC DVR and the 4642HDC STB have a "weak" IR receptor. It's actually a little below the "SELECT" text on the front panel.

Try a strip of Scotch type tape just below the "SELECT" text, then mount the emitter to that. Or, as a last resort, try one of the multitudes of IR emitter boosters on the market.

I wonder how the 98xx DVR will be?

Curious about the weak IR receptor comment..  Maybe I am a little confused about IR, but I am thinking IR is a line of sight thing. .  I was using the actual remote up very close to pointing to every spot on the front of the DVR and couldn't find any "blind spot", I even went down the side, above the DVR and even below under the shelf and still no blind spot.... what the heck is this.....this is beyond line of sight.  Any chance that remote is actually a RF? and not really IR.....  but Cisco calls it a IR receiver....  Is there different frequencies for IR that my Smarthome system can not reproduce?

quiglenj said:

Curious about the weak IR receptor comment..  Maybe I am a little confused about IR, but I am thinking IR is a line of sight thing. .  I was using the actual remote up very close to pointing to every spot on the front of the DVR and couldn't find any "blind spot", I even went down the side, above the DVR and even below under the shelf and still no blind spot.... what the heck is this.....this is beyond line of sight.  Any chance that remote is actually a RF? and not really IR.....  but Cisco calls it a IR receiver....  Is there different frequencies for IR that my Smarthome system can not reproduce?

No, it's an IR remote. The actual remote puts out a much stronger IR signal than does your IR repeater emitter. Background light is very close in frequency to IR light, that's why the tape trick works for some people. The tape seems to weaken background light while letting IR light through. I take it that it didn't work for you, though.

Your only recourse is to use a stronger emitter for your repeater and/or install a shield to block all other light. Smarthome has this stuff, as do other vendors. Or use the IR repeater input on the back panel (connects directly to the remote IR sensor.)

Domino said:

quiglenj said:

Curious about the weak IR receptor comment..  Maybe I am a little confused about IR, but I am thinking IR is a line of sight thing. .  I was using the actual remote up very close to pointing to every spot on the front of the DVR and couldn't find any "blind spot", I even went down the side, above the DVR and even below under the shelf and still no blind spot.... what the heck is this.....this is beyond line of sight.  Any chance that remote is actually a RF? and not really IR.....  but Cisco calls it a IR receiver....  Is there different frequencies for IR that my Smarthome system can not reproduce?

No, it's an IR remote. The actual remote puts out a much stronger IR signal than does your IR repeater emitter. Background light is very close in frequency to IR light, that's why the tape trick works for some people. The tape seems to weaken background light while letting IR light through. I take it that it didn't work for you, though.

Your only recourse is to use a stronger emitter for your repeater and/or install a shield to block all other light. Smarthome has this stuff, as do other vendors. Or use the IR repeater input on the back panel (connects directly to the remote IR sensor.)

You need this (or something similar.)

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/video/at_home/Cable_Accessories/78-4014665-01_D.pdf

This looks like a good solution.  Looks like there are two frequencies to choose from38kHz and 57kHz, any idea which frequency to get?

thanks for the tip....

quiglenj said:

This looks like a good solution.  Looks like there are two frequencies to choose from38kHz and 57kHz, any idea which frequency to get?

thanks for the tip....

Dunno. I've got a call into Cox engineering for some answers. Try calling your local Cox CSR and see if they can provide you with one.

I also found one at Amazon that is supposed to work with Cisco boxes. The Infrared Resources IRP-2

http://tinyurl.com/bze9cfs

Domino said:

quiglenj said:

This looks like a good solution.  Looks like there are two frequencies to choose from38kHz and 57kHz, any idea which frequency to get?

thanks for the tip....

Dunno. I've got a call into Cox engineering for some answers. Try calling your local Cox CSR and see if they can provide you with one.

I also found one at Amazon that is supposed to work with Cisco boxes. The Infrared Resources IRP-2

http://tinyurl.com/bze9cfs

UPDATE: I have confirmed with Cox and Cisco that the 8642HDC uses 57KHz. I found a seller on Ebay that is selling new 38KHz models (IRE3812M, p/n 4022323) for $25. He swears he has one on his 8642HDC and it works great. He says he was told that Cisco made that model a dual-frequency model, and didn't produce the others. He is offering a full guarantee including shipping costs. Your decision.