IR Repeater problem

[Andrew Pratt]

Ok my turn to ask for help

I set up a Terk IR repeater the other day so that I can control my Rotel and CD jukebox from the second zone. I installed the receiver in the livingroom and its working fine but I'm having a problem at the other end. What I wanted to do was plug a mono mini plug into the back of the other Terk unit and into the Zone two IR input on the back of the Rotel then run an IR blaster from the IR out to the Sony Jukebox. The problem is it won't control the Rotel at all. I can plug the IR blaster into the Terk and it will control the jukebox from the livingroom but I have yet to get it to work if I plug it into the Rotel. I thought my cable was faulty but last night I plugged it into the power amp trigger and it worked fine triggering the power amp so I think the cable is ok...any suggestions?

[Kevin D]

Andrew,

I'm not familiar with the Terk unit, but the Xantech models should work in the same situation although I have never tried it. The only things I can come up with are the following:

In automation systems when I run a cable from the IR-out card to the plug on the back I have to disable the carrier (the intial IR signal that is assigned to the model). Basically the front receiver needs 1101101 to listen and then the actual code (all loose examples here). The back input is just looking for high/low pulses and doesn't need the carrier signal.

Like I said it should pass through, but maybe the way the Terk spits the signal out is confusing it. It also might be sending out too much power, overloading the input. Some model repeaters boost the output so that most consumers that can't find the eye on the front can pretty much put the blaster anywhere.

Try moving the blaster to the front of the Rotel and see if it works it then. Might be another problem all together.

Kevin D.

[Andrew Pratt]

moving the blaster into the room works fine as does moving the IR blaster from the IR out on the Terk to infront of the Rotel so I don't think the issue lies with the Terk unit...unless as you say the voltage is to high.

[Kevin D]

Try putting a resistor in series with the 1/8" cable. Not sure which you might need, but try a 100, 480 and 1k.

Strip the wire open and find out which one ine positive (tip I believe) and splice the resitor in the middle of that wire. Should knock the voltage down, if that's the problem.

Kevin D.

[Andrew Pratt]

I'm going to see if the problem's still there when my 1098 shows up..if it is I'll measure the voltage from the terk unit and see what Rotel's tech's have to say about it.

[ejfiii]

Andrew, please update us on whatever you find with this. I have been around the block for two months troubleshooting my ir (now rf) system and trying to use a wired connection to the back of the 1065. I finally gave up yesterday and am using a ir flasher on the front of the 1065. I have a feeling your problem is that the miniplug uptput is not compatible with the Rotel gear.

I started with a Sonance IR system which DID control the 1065 through the cable - about 60% of the time.

Then I switched to a cheap rf remote and that did not control the rotel at all.

Now I am extremely happy with a HTM MX800 remote system with rf basestation. Its pricy, but for me, its all that worked. Seems my plasma emits enough interference to divert incoming air traffic, so a weak ir system never had a chance. But, the base station for the 800 only has 2.5mm ouput jacks (the rotel is 3.5mm input) and using an adapter did not work. So I am now using the supplied ir flashers on all my gear. Works fine, I just wanted to use the internal ir functionality of the 1065.

So please let us know what you find out.

Thanks,

E. J.




My HT