[mythtv-users] USB dual channel IR blaster?

[Brian Wood]

On Monday 22 February 2010 10:45:23 am Mike Holden wrote:
> Mark Knecht wrote:
> > On Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 9:35 AM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> > <SNIP>
> >
> >> There are also USB solutions like the MCE units, but i don't know much
> >> about them.
> >
> > <SNIP>
> >
> > I bought an MCE unit on Ebay but couldn't get it to work.
> 
> I bought an MCE model, and it works fine.
> 
> The problem I have is that the transmitter seems way too powerful for my
>  cable box. I have to place the bud about 4-5 inches away from the box, and
>  at a very precise angle, help in place by a large bulldog clip, rather
>  than sticking it to the front of the box. This makes it very susceptible
>  to minor movement of either the box or the IR, so it's never been 100%
>  reliable.
> 
> I may look into a serial solution, though this would mean an add-on card.
> 

Perhaps you could put a gel or filter of some sort over the receiver lens to 
attenuate the IR energy and then fasten the emitter in place with tape or glue 
over it? It's the "precise angle" that worries me though.

My MyBlaster puts out a lot of IR energy, it works fine from the next room, but 
my DISH receiver is not sensitive to where the emitter is located.