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Assuming you have a way to turn on the TV, you could use MusicCast to then send the video/audio to the receiver (which would wake up the receiver if it isn’t already on). But there may be an even simpler solution if all you want is to cast your video or audio from your iPhone. Hi Al, if I were doing something like this, I’d be looking at controlling my music with my smartphone, not with a PC. That way I can be anywhere and manage the music playing.
Try each setting and then go to a video on the Firestick and start playing it. One of the audio settings on the Firestick should work for you. If you intended to place a repeater of some kind 4 feet in front of the components, is it possible to place the RF basestation itself in the same location?
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I know that connecting home theater equipment can be a daunting task, but it sounds like you’ve conquered the majority of the issues, and have a sweet system (or two!). Connecting new pieces of equipment to your existing setup can be frustrating. The MX series remotes can be cloned (basically have one remote 'learn' ALL of the commands in the other remote at one time).
The repeater should be installed in the approximate center between your X10 RF transmitters and receivers. With an RF setup, the controller works from any room in, or outside of, the house. It beams a signal — picture your controller as a cellphone — to an RF hub — the cellphone tower — which then takes the signal and translates it into IR. Let’s take a look at the Niles RCA2 Remote Control Anywhere kit while discussing how a remote-control signal is sent to a hidden central setup. My job is to translate geek-speak into clear and concise advice and give you easy-to-understand how-to's and instructions about your consumer technology products and services.
IR & RF Home Theater
You would just need to plug the IR cables into the ports on both the emitter and receiver. An adhesive backing is including on the IR cables to mount onto the source and display. The RF setup works best for houses that have a variety of receiving devices in multiple rooms. For homeowners who have a simple central setup in their main living room or media room, the IR sensor-repeater-blaster system is the most economical and efficient way to go. RF is beneficial because it gets rid of the hassle of hardwiring individual sensors in each room on the house.
It does this wirelessly, allowing customized setups, while expanding the IR range up to 490 feet . X10 began manufacturing home automation and security products in the late 70s, establishing X10 as a smart home standard. X10 utilizes powerline technology to transmit control signals anywhere in your house over your existing electrical lines, so you can control lights and appliances throughout your home without running new wires! Have complete, automated control over lights and appliances from anywhere in your home with X10. Hidden home theater components might be just what your decorating scheme needs. With the help of infrared devices that let you re-route remote control signals to areas that would otherwise be inaccessible, such a decorating scheme is a distinct possibility.
IR-EXT-RF Wireless RF IR Repeater Kit
Just plug the Firestick into one of the HDMI IN ports (#7 on page 10 of the manual) and connect the microUSB cable from the Firestick to the included wall wart power supply . If all goes well, the device follows through on the command. This is much easier than trying to remotely control a PC and a stereo system. Either way you’d still have to manually turn on the stereo system, select the correct input source and set the main stereo system volume control. Your smartphone’s volume control would then be able to reduce the music volume, or increase it up to the level the stereo system is set at. The components receive the signals and act accordingly.
The Fire TV Blaster is needed only to convert Echo/Firestick RF commands into IR signals to control other devices that use IR. So you’d mount the Fire TV blaster in the closet so it can send IR signals to your receiver (for volume control, source switching, etc.). If you also wanted it to control the TV/projector, you’d need a 2nd Fire TV blaster in the theater room . In a typical point to point setup that is done locally, the IR devices you want to control are in a closed cabinet or not within line of sight, but placed in close proximity to your television or receiving device. This type of setup only requires one unit to be used as it does not need to be used wirelessly.
It works the same way as learning individual commands from your original remotes, except there is only button to press. Why it works I don't know but none of my equipment has the Harmony 890 repeaters connected to them. Now, your individual theater components don’t operate on RF.
My utility closet upstairs with Yamaha RX-V4A in there aprox 50′ from the living room behind probably 3 walls. Current setup is wired and the small ir unit on tv wired through the walls up to the utility closet. If you do not hit the small unit perfectly with the remote it does not work. Am I understanding from this thread above that a Blaster is what I need? New tech out there, there might be something better. The IR blasters repeat the IR signal from the theater room to the closet.
Zone control allows you to set different groups of devices for control. A switch is included in the back of the unit, allowing you to set up to 10 different zones. This allows you to specify unique groups of devices for control, useful for cases where you don't want to accidentally control two devices in the same space. A less labor intensive method for controlling a central component rack comes via radio frequency . Instead of installing IR hockey puck sensors all over the house, an RF device lets you control all of your devices with one remote.
The wireless IR repeater lets you control your home theater devices from different rooms or areas wirelessly. Simply place the IR emitter by the source (such as a DVD or Blu-Ray player) and then place the IR receiver next to the display or anywhere where you want to point the remote control. This wireless IR repeater can extend up to 656 feet in an open space.
Running an optical cable from the TV back to the receiver simply adds another audio source (whatever’s playing on the TV). Since the Firestick is connected directly to the receiver that’s unnecessary. The optical cable would be needed if you had plugged the Firestick into the TV. I have a Yamaha RX-V375 AV receiver and a Panasonic TC-58LE64 tv. I’ve tried connecting a Firestick to the receiver but I don’t get sound from my surround sound speakers. I’ve used an hdmi connector from tv to receiver and also an optical cable but neither work.
I have recently moved some of my equipment around in my rack which required me to pull the repeaters off some of my equipment and now I cant get them to re-stick. Download this FREE guide for installation advice, automation control options, options for every window and a planning checklist. Just like that, your components can be tucked into a rack or closet. I provide all the above, supported by my readers who find my answers valuable .
Harmony RF to IR repeater question.
I should say that just about everybody has complaints about how closely they have to aim their remotes to get them to work, and complain about how unreliable IR control is in general. Your Yamaha receiver doesn’t have a direct IR sensor jack on the back for a wired connection, so you’re dependent on the front IR sensor and a some kind of an extender/repeater system. Hi Linda, you should’ve had no problems connecting the Firestick to the receiver and playing video out to the connected TV and audio out the connected surround sound speakers. The only thing you might have needed to do was adjust the Firestick’s audio settings to match what the receiver needed. The Dolby Automatic setting should work, but you may have to try one of the other settings.
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