Wireless Remote Extender

[LeAnn B]

I was wondering if someone might help me in choosing a wireless remote extender for our two sanctuary projectors. We need to be able to freeze/black the screens in certain situations but the remote will not 'reach' from the sound booth. The projectors are Eiki but I'm not sure of the model number. Would really like it to be wireless and I'm not sure of the distance but I know it's less than 100 feet to the furthest projector. They do not need to be controlled independently. Everything I've looked at looks like two big boxes (transmitter/receiver) but there is no way we're going to mount that big box up on the ceiling next to the projector. Need something small and easy to install. Any suggestions?

[yagabu]

Do the projectors support network communication via cat 5 or wireless?

That might be an option if they do. We control ours via cat 5 network cable. Unfortunately right now I think our cable got damaged or something cause we are experiencing intermiten connection problems. The next time we get scaffolding or a tall ladder I will be testing the cable.

Greg

[Chkurgrnd]

I don't go here that often except for ends in a pinch but this has never failed me.

[LeAnn B]

It does have support for networking but if that involves running wires then it's out of the question. Things move slowly in my church and it would never get done (it took several months just to get the purchase of the extender approved

LeAnn

Originally Posted by yagabu

Do the projectors support network communication via cat 5 or wireless?

That might be an option if they do. We control ours via cat 5 network cable. Unfortunately right now I think our cable got damaged or something cause we are experiencing intermiten connection problems. The next time we get scaffolding or a tall ladder I will be testing the cable.

Greg

[LeAnn B]

I saw that extender but wouldn't it involve mounting that large device up near the projector? Do they make anything smaller or is that size of device what I'm stuck with?

Originally Posted by Chkurgrnd

I don't go here that often except for ends in a pinch but this has never failed me.

[mrozman22000]

What kind of cabling to you have going to the projectors? If you have a coax (rf/cable e tv type) cable going to it you could use this
"http://xantech.com/Infrared/Infrared/IROverCoaxKits/17294RP/"

[wogster]

Originally Posted by LeAnn B

I saw that extender but wouldn't it involve mounting that large device up near the projector? Do they make anything smaller or is that size of device what I'm stuck with?

I think you would end up mounting that big thing near the projector, and running extra power to it. The problem with remotes is that they are low power devices and not only distance but the angle can be an issue. For example, most IR sensors are designed for remotes to hit them pretty much square, and they lose power as the angle moves off square. Take a small mirror, say 4" square, mount that to the ceiling above the control booth at a 45 degree angle so that the mirror is aimed at the remote sensor, aim the remote at the mirror, the IR signal will bounce off the mirror and hit the sensor square. This may be enough to make it work. People will see the mirror, and probably wonder what it's for, but it will not be an ugly intrusion to the service.

[Chkurgrnd]

The Radio Snack extender is barely visible, perhaps 2 inches high for the base and then 2-3 inches for the antenna. We have a 75' expanse that works great and is in the line of sight (only drawback) but yes you would need someone to climb a ladder to plug it in and plug the projector into it.

[bpalermini]

You don't need to connect the extender to the projector or have it at the projector.

You put the receiver where you can point at it with the remote and you put the receiver somewhere in the room, up to 20' (I've seen it work farther away) from the projector, where it has a line of site to the projector. The transmitter sees the IR signal, converts it to RF, transmits it to the receiver which converts it back to IR which the projector sees. The transmitter and receiver can be 100' apart.

It's easy and it works.

[Ebroach]

Lean, I have used a lot of these IR repeaters from Xantech

You do have to run Coax (standard cablevision cable will do) from sound booth to the projector.

The units that convert the signal from IR to coax is smaller than a pack of cigarettes.

Cost was about $120 for 1 pair the last time I purchased..

http://www.xantech.com/Infrared/Infr...xKits/17294RP/

[LeAnn B]

Can anyone else confirm this is how it works? If so that would be awesome.

Originally Posted by bpalermini

You don't need to connect the extender to the projector or have it at the projector.

You put the receiver where you can point at it with the remote and you put the receiver somewhere in the room, up to 20' (I've seen it work farther away) from the projector, where it has a line of site to the projector. The transmitter sees the IR signal, converts it to RF, transmits it to the receiver which converts it back to IR which the projector sees. The transmitter and receiver can be 100' apart.

It's easy and it works.

[agentsmitty88]

Yes, they work exactly like that. We use an older version of that same unit in our church. We have the "send" unit in the sound booth and the "receive" unit at the front of the sanctuary. On ours, the "receive" unit has an extension cable about the size of a pair of earbuds to further extend the signals. This allows us to control both front projectors at the same time. (They are a matched pair.)

Hope this helps you with your decision!