Most electronic devices nowadays are operated by remote control which come in the form of infra red devices that operate at a short line of sight distance from the equipment being operated. It is possible nowadays to operate an entire range of electronic systems that are concealed in racks or closed cabinets by using an IR extender that permits such operations.
Main Components of an IR Extender
The three main components of an IR extender are the infra red sensor, the main system unit and infra red flasher. All these need to be hard wired with each other using Cat-5 wire to ensure trouble free transmission. This is a twisted pair cable specifically designed for carrying of signals. The infra red sensor will accept the infra red commands from any remote device and send them back to the main system unit. This unit will then translate this information or commands and send them to the infra red flashers.
Installing an IR Extender- Sensor
The most important part of any such installation is finding the right location for the infra red sensor. This sensor will receive the commands from the remote control and has to be placed in such a way that it can easily receive the signals aimed at it by the remote control. Here you will have to decide from where you will normally operate the remote control and this can be from two or three locations in any room. The wire from the sensor has to be able to reach the equipment to be controlled.
Installing an IR Extender- Main Unit
The main system unit can be kept near the equipment to be controlled and can even be concealed behind it. The wiring has to be such that it can reach both the sensor and the equipment to be controlled. You then need to locate the infrared flasher that will send the signal over the infra red eye of the equipment. Connect this to the main system unit and you are ready to go.
Developments in Technology
Technology has further extended the range of operation of an IR extender by allowing the infrared signals to be converted into radio frequency signals. This allows such extenders to work through doors and walls and vastly increase the sphere of operations from the line of sight principle that limits normal IR extenders. So with such systems it is possible to operate any electronic equipment from literally any room in a home. This makes for a lot of convenience. It is also possible to hook up systems that will allow you to use a single satellite box to operate and run multiple TVs.
Extenders are now available that will convert an infra red signal into a radio frequency and back again to infra red. Such extenders are also used to operate laptops, and computers and allow full keyboard and mouse functionality.
