Remote extender for RF mini box and DVR remotes

I'm not sure why Cox Chat told you they are RF.  I have an Evolution minibox & a Cisco Contour DVR and both use IR.  I can control both with my Harmony 650 IR remote.  There is also an IR extender available from Cox for the minibox.

There is a RF adapter used by Cox, but I am not sure it works with the mini box. 

As for the IR extender, can you get the remote to work with the TV without it? 

Last, what model or type of IR extender do you have?

AllenP: Cox Tech support chat told me that they only have one type of mini-box and it uses RF remote technology. (Maybe they meant only one type available in my area. I don’t know my model number at this time.) They also told me the remote for the Motorola DCT 3416 DVR is RF as well.

To: Tecknowhelp

Re: RF adapter… According to Cox tech support the mini box uses RF remote technology. I don’t need to convert RF to IR at the mini-box itself.

I can get the TV (and the Cox boxes) to work the supplied and universal remotes in the same room but not one floor up. I was hoping the Cox RF remotes would work upstairs without an extender but that didn’t happen.

My old extender is X10 Model Number: VK82A It’s a wireless AV transmitter-receiver combo with an IR-RF-IR remote extender. I have purchased a Terk LFIRX extender kit hoping it will do the job. I have read where others had luck with it.

To: Becky

Hi Becky. :)

My extender is a X10 Model Number: VK82A It’s a wireless AV transmitter-receiver combined with an IR-RF-IR remote extender.

Mini box model: unknown at this time

I’m using the remote that came with the mini-box. The IR remote extender works with all my older equipment (TVs, stand alone DVRs, VCRs, DVD player, AV switch) using the remotes that came with them. It also works with a Sony universal remote programmed to control all the above. The only pieces of equipment it won’t work with are the mini-box remote and the Motorola DCT 3416 HD DVR (both Cox units.)

The perplexing thing is that both my Cox units also function using the universal remote in proximity, but won’t work through the IR remote extender.

In the meantime, my info search of forums and other places lead me to believe that my Cox boxes simply won’t work with the older extender. I’ve since purchased a Terk LFIRX extender kit. It should arrive today and we’ll see what happens.

scooter2 said:
ccording to Cox tech support the mini box uses RF remote technology. I don’t need to convert RF to IR at the mini-box itself.

This is a misunderstanding. The mini boxes are "RF capable" but that doesn't mean it uses it. It's a feature that may one day be used, but for now it's disabled. It still uses IR technology. The RF adapter plugs into the IR input plug on the back of the mini box. They also have IR extenders that plug into the back as well.

scooter2 said:
X10 Model Number: VK82A

Yea, wireless AV is a whole different onion then IR repeaters. Im going to have to tap out on this one. Have no experience with wireless analog video transmission.  I did find this thread over on their forum that may be helpful. Good luck.