Next Generation Remote Control Extender
by Next Generation
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List Price: Our Price: $39.54 You Save: $25.41 (39%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Next Generation Remote Control Extender
Customer Review: Awesome Remote Extender!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just bought at ln52a750 Samsung LCD flatscreen a couple months ago and moved everything from an entertainment center to on top of my corner fire place. I put all the components (reciever, cable box, blue ray player) behind the tv and knew I would need an IR extender of some kind. I bought one at Radioshack for 40 bucks, got it home and installed it. Worked great until the LCD tv came on. At that point, it was jammed by IR. Apprarently, the modern LCD TVs put out a lot or IR and since that recieved IR signals from remotes, it wouldn't work. I took it back and looked for something else that worked differently. I found that with the next gen remote control extender. It simply installs in place of a battery in your remote but still supplies power with a small rechargable battery that is coupled with a transmitter. It picks up a faint RF signal from the remote when it sends IR, and amplifies and rebroadcasts it to the UFO looking receiver. That can then be aimed at as many devices as you like (blueray, cable box and receiver in my case). It can also use IR "eyes" that stick to the front of components. It hooked up in a couple minutes, and after the little batteries were charged by the UFO reciever (there are two batteries, one for backup) which took 24 hrs. it worked flawlessly. I can go outside of my house and change everything. Worthless I know, but cool to show people. THIS THING IS AWESOME!!. No need to point at anything anymore. I can be in a different room with my reciver playing music and change volume or channels. I used the universal remote of my Comcast DVR to control everything. One button from anywhere in the house turns everything on and one to turn everything off. Amazing! The only drawback, is you need an additional transmitter for each remote you want to use. If you use a universal, you only need one. Enjoy.Customer Review: Great gadget!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Next Generation Remote Extender because we were putting in built-ins, and I wanted my TIVO HD to go inside of the bottom cabinet, and I didn't want to have to open the doors to control the remote. I had no idea that a product like this existed until searching on Amazon.com. We initially had some issues. Well, not at first. We charged the battery for over 24 hours, put it in the TIVO remote, and it worked great. I could control the TIVO from outside in the garage. Well, after a few days, it stopped working. I wasn't sure what the problem was. I jiggled the batteries, moved the controller, etc. and it started working again. Only for a day. I couldn't figure out exactly what the problem was, but it was very frustrating. For a while, it would only work if the door was open. Then it stopped working altogether. I tried the spare battery and that one wouldn't work at all. I kept switching things out, attempting to troubleshoot the situation, but I couldn't get it working again. Finally, I called customer service and they were very helpful. The gentleman thought that I wasn't getting a good charge on the battery. I had been a little confused about the charging, because sometimes lights were lit, and then they would go out. He told me to make sure that the batteries were installed correctly in the charger, and he told me which lights should be lit. He told me if that didn't resolve the problem, he'd mail me another unit. I went back and charged the battery correctly for 24 hours, and I haven't had a problem since. Works perfectly! We've had it installed correctly for around a month and have not had any more problems. I would give this four stars, because I think that the directions need to be clearer, but I gave the star back for the great customer service. Thanks for a great product!!Customer Review: Finally a IR repeater that works!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had tried several IP extenders, including the Radio shack and X10 `pyramids' both failed to fully control my Mediacom cable box. So I was skeptical at first. When I first got it, I let it charge the batteries (you get 2 - I assume you leave the extra one in the charger until you need it) for 24 hours as it said, before I tired it.
By putting the saucer in the front corner of my cabinet, and pushing my cable box and DVD player back, it was able to `see' both of them, even at a 30 deg. angle.(as shown in the video in another review) I then attached the extension IR cable to the Audio receiver on the shelf below, and its controls all 3 devices. I can now close the cabinets. I am using a Phillips `learning' remote to control all 4 devices (TV, Cable box DVD player and Audio sound system). It's nice you don't have to point the remote at a box for it to work (Nor do you need to have a `box' or `pyramid' sitting out on display). The only thing which would have been nice is that they would have put the power supply as a separate box, so it did not take up so much room on the power strip. I would defiantly recommend this.
Update: I have been using this item fow a while now, and the only concern is that the re-chargable battery does not last long (perhaps two weeks). It would stop working after a while, or would be intermittent. It turned out that you have to change the battery and it would start working again. So while they give you an extra re-chargable battery to swap out. I wonder how long they will last, knowing they dont hold a charge for longer then a week or two. I See you can buy new re-chargeable batteries for this. If they could make the battery last longer, this would be a perfect item.
Customer Review: A working solution to a real problem.
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, it does look like a flying saucer! But it fills a nagging void handily.
Essentially, this device allows you to control audio/video components (e.g., TV, satellite receiver) from remote locations other than the room where they are installed. Why, you ask? Consider having a satellite receiver with its output split and distributed to various rooms around the house. Instead of having to install a receiver in each room/location, you can distribute the signal from one receiver all over the place. (Oh, c'mon, sure you do! Sorry DirecTV). But, how do you control the receiver to change channels, check schedules, etc? Use this gizmo.
I also have an X-10 Powermid transmitter/receiver to serve this same purpose. It works well. But, it's not easy finding a separate transmitter only (not a transmitter/receiver set) to permit sending signals from different locations to a single central receiving unit. And, when you can find one, it's expensive. Enter this remote control extender.
Amazingly, this system works by replacing one of the batteries in the hand-held remote control unit you are using in the viewing room with a combination battery/transmitter. This built-in transmitter sends an RF (not IR) signal to its receiver, which then converts the signal to IR directed toward the operating component. Very cool! And, since most remote control units can switch between multiple controlled devices, you are able to control (e.g., On/Off, volume) the local device and the remote component with the same hand-held unit.
And, it works flawlessly. This is one of those "I wish I had invented this" products which I highly recommend.
Therck
Customer Review: It WORKS!
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased an inexpensive digital converter box, to upgrade my analog sets into the digital age. The converter is in the den, and is supplying a signal to three sets, two of which are in other rooms, out of remote control range...not a convenient setup.
I needed some sort of remote control extender, and decided to give this one a try based upon the price and the many positive recommendations.
Simply put, this unit deserves the praise that it has been getting! It's functioning flawlessly...the remote for the new converter now works in any room of the house, with no stumbling or hesitation.
One caveat to keep in mind--the supplied batteries (one of which has to be inserted into the remote that you wish to use) do come with a charge, and as such the instruction sheet didn't recommend charging them before the initial use. That initial charge that these batteries come with may not be strong enough to work with all remotes, as I quickly found out. The converter box remote, which uses a single battery, would not work at first, unless you were in the same room and pointed it directly at the converter. A VCR remote, which uses two batteries, would work though. This led me, initially, to the erroneous conclusion that the converter box remote was somehow incompatible with this product.
If you're anxious to start using the remote control extender upon receipt, and if you find that your remote isn't functioning properly with it, don't give up immediately. Charge the supplied batteries for a few hours and then try again...that's all that was needed over here.
Excellent, affordable, and so tiny that it's unobtrusive...am VERY happy!