extremely frustrated with HD extender IR receiver

[malbec]

Originally Posted by FMAX

(although I'm a person that doesn't like B.S.)

I don't think the sore point is the B.S., or lack thereof, as much as it is that this quote

Originally Posted by hemicuda

"Concerning the IR issue. We're currently talking with the manufacturer to find out if there's any option we have for repairing the units that have already shipped; but such solution does not seem likely."

implies
1) They have admitted/recognized that there is a problem
2) They seem to think that a lack of a solution is acceptable

Unfortunately, it seems the poor customer service is stemming from their supplier more than it is them. If we could find out who their supplier is, I suppose we could all make their lives hell, but that may put the Sage guys in an akward spot .. a single supplier of a unique product in high demand gives the supplier some power that will make a solution difficult unless the Sage guys can find some leverage on them.

I am a Dutch (bargain focused), Irish (temper challenged), German (humbly challenged) mutt, I don't like the thought of it given how long I have waited for this, but my principles may force me to return this unopened Xmas gift so as to "hold the line" and commmunicate how unacceptable this position is. If the supplier can't sell their product, Sage gets their leverage back.

[flavius]

Just found my 880. Works a lot better. Still. I feel that I'm going to have to drill that hole.

Which makes me think that I will have to hold off with the next one - until this has ben addressed.

[flavius]

Originally Posted by malbec

I
2) They seem to think that a lack of a solution is acceptable

No. They are just being honest.

[95TBird]

I'm using a Harmony 680 & while it is better that the original remote, it still does not correct the off angle problem. Anything over about 15 degees from dead center & it fails.

- Bruce

[FMAX]

Question,
What othe Software with all these capabilities, open source, all the expandability and up to this point the best support and user community, would you use other than Sage.
I've tried them all, (MCE lovers,one word, VISTA!) now that was a flawless change over!
Sage is still the best! look at the poll "Glad to have it +86%"

The last Quote:
Originally Posted by hemicuda
"Concerning the IR issue. We're currently talking with the manufacturer to find out if there's any option we have for repairing the units that have already shipped; but such solution does not seem likely."

I did not see before and I agree, I like the honesty.
This reads to me that the manufacturer is to blame,but probably rushed these out for X-mas. Sage is saying that they are talking-looking for a solution, thats good. They might suggest some kind of mod un-officially through a 3rd party post later. If They threaten the manufacturer then NO second Batch for those Waiting!

good luck to all with the IR issues, and Happy Holidays!

[MeInMaui]

Hey Guys,

I decided to go ahead and do the IR mod to my HD Extender this morning.

As it turns out, I was able to make a couple of small changes to the procedure and I ended up with with no visible hole in the front panel!!!!

I took some pictures, but it will be a little while before I can get them up. Long story short, on my unit there is a smoky-clear plastic panel attached to the front bezel with adhesive. Here is what I did:

1. After removing the front bezel from the unit and removing the attached circuit board, I was able to gently separate the clear panel from the bezel.
2. Using a 1/2" drill, I enlarged the IR receiver hole in the bezel.
3. Using a small pair of diagonal cutters, I removed the metal cage from the front of the IR receiver.
4. I re-attached the front panel circuit board to the bezel and gently adjusted the location of the IR receiver so that it is centered in the newly enlarged hole.
5. Once everything looked good, I re-attached the front clear panel to the bezel.
6. Lastly, I re-assembled the HD extender.

Now I no longer have any of the angle issues with the stock remote. Bear in mind that the stock remote still appears to be pretty weak so I still have to point it in the general direction of the extender, but it now works 1000% better. The best part is you can't tell anything was done to it.

It appears from dvsings' pictures that some units may not even have the hole drilled all the way through the bezel. However in that case, you should still be able to remove the front clear panel and drill out the hole in the bezel and still end up with an undetectable mod. Of course I take no responsibility for any damage and mayhem you may cause. YMMV.

I'll try to get those pictues up soon.

Aloha,
Mike

[bialio]

I drilled mine out personally, but as I was drilling I noticed that before I got all the way through the plastic, I had cleared out most of the tint on the bezel. I went ahead and drilled on through, but it occurred to me that someone with a dremmel press might be able to sand it down and improve performance that way - without actually making a hole.

btl.

[jdamore]

Originally Posted by bialio

I drilled mine out personally, but as I was drilling I noticed that before I got all the way through the plastic, I had cleared out most of the tint on the bezel. I went ahead and drilled on through, but it occurred to me that someone with a dremmel press might be able to sand it down and improve performance that way - without actually making a hole.

btl.

hey.. are you saying the transparency (or lack of) is not consistent through the pastic? In other words, there is a darker side (probably on the inside side of the pastic)?

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by jdamore

hey.. are you saying the transparency (or lack of) is not consistent through the pastic? In other words, there is a darker side (probably on the inside side of the pastic)?

Check my post above. The front panel has 2 pieces: A black panel/bezel and a smoky-clear plastic window attached with adhesive. They can be separated relatively easily (if you're careful).

Aloha,
Mike

[bialio]

Originally Posted by jdamore

hey.. are you saying the transparency (or lack of) is not consistent through the pastic? In other words, there is a darker side (probably on the inside side of the pastic)?

I think that is the case.

[bialio]

here's how mine looks with - 1/4" hole. You can kind of see that the IR sensor isn't centered on the hole. But literally, from across the room you can see that somethings there, but it doesn't look out of place.

[95TBird]

Mike:

Any particular trick to seperating the smoked plastic piece?? IE did you pry it from the edge etc ??

I'm planning on fixing this puppy as soon as I get home , Now that I know that I can do it without putting hole in the front...

Excellent find !!!!

- Bruce

[jdamore]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

Check my post above. The front panel has 2 pieces: A black panel/bezel and a smoky-clear plastic window attached with adhesive. They can be separated relatively easily (if you're careful).

Aloha,
Mike

Mike,
Thanks

I am clear on how the 2 pieces all fit together. What I didn't realize is you didn't modify the smoky piece at all and only made the hole of the bezel larger. I was under the impression the smoky piece of plastic was the culprit. Great Find!

Looking at bialio's pictures the IR module is to high. So people with the hd100 located on TOP of a TV (or in a high location) may have better performance (probably not much).

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by 95TBird

Any particular trick to seperating the smoked plastic piece?? IE did you pry it from the edge etc ??

There is a large opening in the black plastc frame/bezel behing the SageTV logo. I started pressing from behind there and slowly worked my way out. No tools were involved in this step.

Originally Posted by jdamore

Looking at bialio's pictures the IR module is to high. So people with the hd100 located on TOP of a TV (or in a high location) may have better performance (probably not much).

I noticed the same thing. That's why I went through the step of centering the IR receiver in the enlarged hole.

Aloha,
Mike

[zoso]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

Hey Guys,

3. Using a small pair of diagonal cutters, I removed the metal cage from the front of the IR receiver.

So you just cut the two small pieces the cross directly in front of the receiver or the entire metal box surrounding it? Looks like the cage is pinned into the board. Anybody know the purpose of the cage?

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by zoso

So you just cut the two small pieces the cross directly in front of the receiver or the entire metal box surrounding it? Looks like the cage is pinned into the board. Anybody know the purpose of the cage?

Just the two small crossbars.

This is just a guess, but it might be a Faraday cage to prevent plasma interference. I don't have a plasma TV, so it doesn't matter for me.

Aloha,
Mike

[OneThomas]

Hey folks - is the general consensus now that if you expand the plastic hole UNDER the smokey plastic cover, the IR functionality can be vastly improved without drilling a hole through the whole thing? Seems like the discovery now is either the existing plastic whole is too low (or the IR receiver is too high). When you split the smokey plastic away, does the tape seal back securely?

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by OneThomas

Hey folks - is the general consensus now that if you expand the plastic hole UNDER the smokey plastic cover, the IR functionality can be vastly improved without drilling a hole through the whole thing? Seems like the discovery now is either the existing plastic whole is too low (or the IR receiver is too high). When you split the smokey plastic away, does the tape seal back securely?

It worked for me. And the front window sealed back very securely. I'm not sure if anyone else has tried it yet.

Aloha,
Mike

[DisturbedKT]

When I first got my HD extender I was installing it in my entertainment center on the side of my media room. Like most of you here, I saw the IR issues with emitter angle to the unit and general ability for the bundled remote to work reliably with the extender and likewise found them annoying. However, my situation didn't end in the kind of frustration as the general feeling on this thread has shown.

The reason why is because I am already the owner of a Harmony 890 remote. The genius of this unit (and not so for the 880's and earlier) is that it comes with a "wireless extender" which is communicated with over RF (thus can be used to install *inside* of cabinets and other arrangements IR just won't allow). But further, it also has 4 ports in the back which can be connected to independent IR emitters which each have adhesive backing and are for us in attaching directly to equipment in situations where using IR direct from the remote or any other IR "big blaster" isn't practical or wise.

While I was annoyed trying to use it with the included remote at a <45 degree angle from the unit, when I configured it in a "final deployment" arrangement with my 890 and attaching my tiny IR emitter directly to the IR spot on the front of the HD extender, I had zero issues with it's reception and couldn't be happier.

While I realize my situation isn't the norm, I did think that there might be other folks who cringe at taking power tools to a brand new extender, and for whom the prospect of upgrading their universal remote might seem like a better idea. Hell, without this having been a free "win", it'd already validated it's purchase by the fact I no longer use (and count them): projector remote, AV receiver remote, VCR remote, upscaling DVD remote, Xbox 360 remote, streamzap PC remote, room lighting remote, windchaser rotary fan/ionizer remote, satellite STB remote, and PS2 remote. I have an entire home theater armrest storage deal which is filled with these extraneous remotes that I'm quite happy I need not use anymore... One of my best home theater purchases yet, right up there with SageTV.

Aesthetically, in case someone asks, it looks great for my opinion. The fit and finish on my emitters is high-quality OEM, the individual lines are slender and since they have adhesive on the emitter lens, there's nothing ugly (like tape) messing up the presentation to people looking at your media center. My HD extender has it's one emitter line running right up underneath it, invisible from observation, and just a tiny 1/4" of the line and the tiny IR emitter lens itself (small and discreet) is on the front of the unit. Since all of the fit and finish is black/black/black, it's hardly noticeable unless I turn on every light in the room, and even then it looks like professional component integration work as opposed to franken-hackish...

Hope this helps someone who wanted a different option...

[crmartin]

I took the extender apart to make the modification. I pulled the front plastic piece off with no problem, and it went back in seems secure once it is placed back. The only modification I made was to cut the metal crosshair off the front of the IR sensor. It seems to work OK, but not great. I now wish I had looked to see how well the hole lines up with the IR sensor. Lining up the IR sensor may be the key.

Taking this unit apart is pretty simple, so I don't think anyone should be too intimitated. Warranty, schmorinty.

-Craig