I like your idea, but guessing another (upgraded) dock with blaster capabilities would be more expensive than just a blaster add-on. But I think we can all agree more power/range from the existing wouldn’t hurt.
For me, the combination charging dock that you store the remote in at least sometimes, and IR emitter, is less than ideal in the first place. A “blaster” that you plug into the dock could be super-cheap to build, and give you more flexibility in positioning the dock. One that worked by wi fi would give you the ultimate in flexibility, provided it had some oomph, unlike the Sewell wireless thing. But yes, more power would be great.
The point with the Harmony Elite hub is that you can basically place it anywhere and IR just works. No direct line of sight required, the emitters are strong enough that the signal bounces off your walls etc. So placement is a non-issue, and that’s what I expected from the Unfolded dock as well…
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Can I suggest the Global Cache IP to IR or RS232 devices that is on the R2 | Unfolded team roadmap for integration in Q4 2023.
I use the Global Cache device and it works very well. I use it to control an IR TV about 60 feet away from my AV | Networking rack in a closet. I output the 3.5MM to a coax RG6 cable that runs to the TV and then a adapter from the RG6 to female 3.5MM and plug a emitter and attach to the IR port on the TV. Works well no issues at all. I also use another one of three Global Cache 3.5MM outputs to directly connect into an AV Receiver for control over my Wifi | IP network.
Since the Global Cache integration is on the R2 | Unfolded roadmap, I think this is the best route.
I think it is technically possible to plug the Harmony Elite blaster (3.5mm plug) into the Global Cache 3.5mm socket for wider dispersion and use of your previous infrastructure.
How exactly are you telling R2 to send IR commands to the Global Cache? Without (yet) an integration? Do you simply use the codes GC emails you and edit the headings appropriately? The “sendir” entries in the table are obviously appropriate, but how do you get the R2 to execute them?
I’m interested eventually in using the RS232 device that I bought previously for controlling devices and, hopefully, reading state information back from the device. Right now I have little idea of how to do that. I was able to send commands and receive confirmations to/from my Parasound pre using a terminal, but that is obviously not a final solution. The IP2RS232 is not something discoverable by R2, at least not yet.
But, yeah, for UC to market a networked IR emitter would be sort of reinventing the wheel.
I can tell you that it is possible to plug the Harmony blaster into the UC dock. But to get a “blast” you need something more. I’m thinking a simple transistor circuit would be all that’s required, but right now it’s off my radar. Whether the GC device, by itself, would have the oomph to drive the Harmony to “blast” levels remains to be seen. Anyone who tries it should report it here.
Also, you’re saying the IR emitter output from the GC directly into the external IR input of your AVR works? A lot of variables there, so I wouldn’t expect it to in every instance.
I can confirm Wotan’s experience. I have tried the Harmony blaster (with an adapter from 3.5mm to 2.5mm). The transmission power was not good. I then used the adapter to connect the blaster to an IR multiplier (to cover my concealed compartments in the cupboard. It is one from Marmitek, one receiver, 2 own blasters), here too the blaster of the Harmony works worse than the original ones from the multiplier.
I conclude from this that the Harmony blaster is electrically controlled differently and needs something like an amplifier stage to control it with the right voltage and power to get the full performance.
I have now connected my projector to the network via a small WLAN router in client mode and control it from the Remote 2 via Home Assistant and IP control.
So far so good, now I’m waiting for the firmware updates for the Remote 2, which will solve the connection interruptions and bring the on/off logic for the groups - only then will I dare to put it in my wife’s hands. As the saying goes: the WAF is crucial at home 
. And only when she gets to grips with it can I say “RIP” to the Harmony, which is currently still running in parallel.
Hey all, I figured I’d share a few products I’ve ordered to try and address the wimpy IR output power (Unfolded really needs to address this).
They haven’t arrived yet, but I’m hoping to throw the “kitchen sink” at it and see what sticks - items linked below!
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BAFX Products Infrared IR Remote Control Extender Repeater Kit - This is an amplified IR repeater with 3.5mm inputs and 3.5mm outputs.
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3.5mm cables - while the IR extender-repeater comes with a receiver “head” that I could use in a pinch, the dock outputs are 3.5mm jacks. Since the repeater has 3.5mm inputs, I’d prefer the cable to eliminate a potential spot for shenanigans, but hey…seems like I have a fallback with the IR receiver!
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3.5mm Male to 2.5mm Female Headset Adapter Cable - I already have the blasters from my old Harmony well-positioned, I’d like to be able to reuse them, I may not be able to based on the experiences from others in this thread.
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HDTVHOOKUP Multi-Device IR Emitter - Should my Harmony emitters not work as anticipated with the powered repeater, these appear to offer similar functionality.
This has honestly been my biggest pain point about the product. I have it all set up but cannot go “live” until I have reliable IR. I backed the product with two docks expecting that one could be in my media cabinet and then one could be kept table-side for charging. I am extremely displeased at the prospect of needing to put one dock right in front of my TV, another 12 inches below it in the cabinet, and still getting “sketchy” service.
I hope that some combination of the above purchases resolves my issue, but I would really like to see Unfolded release an updated dock (and possibly an upgrade program, either DIY or as a service, for Kickstarter backers).
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Nice. Thanks a lot for sharing!
I bought this IR kit from Amazon and it’s working great!! I have one cable going into the input of the repeater from the dock. Then I’m feeding about 6 blasters to my cabinet compartments. My devices are responsive enough and work perfectly. I can use my phone camera as well to see the IR emitting. I do also have my Harmony Pro 2400 hub, which uses 3.5mm cabling versus the elite and all others that use 2.5mm. I would assume those work too, but I just ended up using the blasters that came with this repeater kit.
ENSIGEAR IR Repeater Kit, ir Repeater System, IR Remote Control Extender,Control 1 to 18Devices.IR Extender 100 Feet, Dual Sensors Receiver https://a.co/d/isPKjPS
A lot of “repeaters” on the market today, that take an IR signal, typically from a handset but could be the UC dock, and send it out to multiple “emitters” that you stick on the IR windows of the devices you want to control. One issue with using these is that you often have to block the IR windows of the devices so they’re not accessible by any other signals. Another is that under certain conditions feedback loops can occur.
I think what a lot of us here would like is something you could plug into the 3.5 mm jacks of the UC, amplify the wimpy signal, and send it directly to our old Harmony “blasters” with the strength we’re used to… It’s very hard to get detailed technical information that could be used to that end. The main issue for me is knowing how much current the original Harmony main blaster or hub supplies to the mini blasters. Too little and you end up with the wimpy results everyone is getting from plugging directly into the UC dock. Too much and the diodes could be toast. The only thing accessible to easy measurement is the forward voltage drop of the diode unit, which I haven’t done yet but should be straightforward with the diode test function of most multimeters. The difference between that and your supply voltage, and the current limiting resistor, sets the current. I made an attempt to measure the open circuit voltage of the hub, intending to load it down to determine the effective series resistance, but could not get my oscilloscope to trigger on the resulting output. I will try another approach.
The trouble with repeater kits like the Ensigear described by sodepop is that even though the IR “input” is typically a 3.5 mm jack, they are designed not to take in an active signal but an “eye” that picks up the incoming IR signal. It may or may not work with an active input and according to sodepop it does. But there’s going to be DC on the “eye” input that could, under some conditions, cause problems. The other issue is if you want, instead of sticking multiple “emitters” to each device you wish to control, to just “blast” IR so that it covers everything you want to control, like the Harmony we are used to, the “connecting block”, “hub”, or whatever, may or may not put out enough current to do that. I’m not buying any more repeater kits until I am sure I can do that. I could easily build my own given the information described above.
Early in my UC experience I had stuck an emitter on the IR window of my projector and upon pulling it off to figure out why it wasn’t working, managed to pull the diffuser window off the projector. In order to glue it back on without dropping it into the innards of the projector I will need to take it down from the ceiling mount, a PITA. I am spoiled by the non-necessity of sticking emitters on windows the Harmony provided.
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Hey, sodepop, great that this is working for you using the active IR signal from the dock instead of an “eye”! What kind of phone camera are you using to see the IR flashes? My iPhone 2nd generation SE is not seeing them. My old Canon point and shoot does see them. Also, surprising to me, my Nikon Z6, any lens for which has lots of glass elements, which I thought would absorb most IR wavelengths. I guess it’s all a matter of the imaging device in the SE. In any case, seeing IR light with a digital camera is a useful trick to know.
I’m just using my pixel phone. Any phone camera should see an IR sensor light up. Also, to the other comment…I could definitely plugin my Harmony blasters. It would have the same effect, but I’m instead using the blasters that came with my repeater. I am also NOT blocking any IR sensors. My blasters are sitting in the cabinet area, just like I would use with the harmony.
Thinking out loud for a moment (still waiting on my “kitchen sink” gear to arrive) - I wonder if something like a powered headphone amplifier/splitter would work. Take for example this little Fosi Audio PH04. It takes a 3.5mm line in signal and splits it to up to 4 outputs. Each output has a volume knob, and the amplifier is powered by a 12V 1.5A power supply. So, in theory, plenty of beans for the task.
Now the more logical side of my brain is stating this probably wouldn’t work. The IR signals are 36,000 Hz or higher. Given that this is a consumer audio product (where signals are really going NO HIGHER than 20,000 Hz), it wouldn’t surprise me if the Fosi product attenuates signals over a certain frequency…but what if it doesn’t?
I’ll tell you what: if my first kitchen sink approach (a mix of adapters, cables, and an IR repeater) doesn’t work, I’ll bite the bullet and give this a go.
Why wouldn’t any IR repeater work?? IR works on this device, period. If you buy something that adds more outputs, like I did, then it just works. Nothing is going to amplify the signal I don’t think though. Either way, my setup works for every single IR device I have behind closed cabinet doors.
sodepop:
I just ordered the ENSIGEAR IR repeater from Amazon you got. Did you put the IR receiver right next to the hub or is it a little distance away so that the two sensors in the receiver can pick up the signal?
Gerry
Nice. I have it on the floor behind my entertainment console. It doesn’t need any line of sight or anything like that. Just AC power and then the cabling feeds the dock and blasters. Hope it works out for you!!
Oh also, the LED lights on the AC adapter and unit are pretty bright. Just put some black electrical tape over them and should be good.
sodepop:
Thanks for the info! I’m finally making some progress but the included IR blasters have way too short cables and seemingly rather weak signal. So I’m holding off any more working with R2 until the repeater comes in which should be on Thurs.
Thanks again,
Gerry
Hello,
if it is still of interest and the weak IR-output a problem:
I measured the UCR2 dock, looked into the Harmony blaster and built an very simple own “blaster”, which is functioning very well.
The full (German) document is located here.
The history is in the thread “Deutsches Forum”
Scroll down the chat, please, for the actual version.
Cheers, tiki
edit: updated links
I’d be interested in reading that. My German is rusty but more important, when I click on the link to download the PDF I get a 404 error. When I get it I think I can manage to either translate it or get it translated (if it’s an optical PDF the latter may be more challenging).