IR Blaster

coL

I recently upgraded to a smart tv and it came with an IR blaster. I realise that this is a very rookie question and I am not sure if this is the right forum for it but what is the practical purpose of the IR blaster and what do I use it for? Would be very interested in practical examples of what people use them for.

Stoner

I had one on a Media pc. I stuck it over the ir receiver on the sky box it allowed my PC to change the channel on my sky box

It allows one device to control a device that has an ir control

You can get them as an extender so if your device was in a cabinet and the ir receiver was blocked, some devices have a port to connect a receiver on a lead and you place head outside the cabinet so I can be picked up


An infrared blaster (or IR blaster) is a device that emulates an infrared remote control to autonomously control a device that is normally controlled only by remote control key presses. The most common use of an IR blaster is to allow a recording device such as a DVR or VCR to change the channel on an external tuner such as a cable box or satellitereceiver. This way, the recording device can automatically select the correct channel to record before starting the recording process. Another common use is to extend infrared signals in order to place remote controlled products behind closed doors.

Homer

Your remote for your TV can be setup to operate your set top box or satellite box etc.. by plugging in the IR receiver it would allow you to put that box away behind closed doors so only the TV is on display.

coL

Homer wrote: »

Your remote for your TV can be setup to operate your set top box or satellite box etc.. by plugging in the IR receiver it would allow you to put that box away behind closed doors so only the TV is on display.

That’s what I am struggling with, will my tv remote work these other devices by just plugging in the blaster and without any additional programming?

Homer

No. I know with my Samsung smart tv I had to tell it what make model of set top box I had in order for the TV remote to control the box. I never tested whether the IR blaster was also a simple pass thru for the IR signal. I would suggest trying that out first. Place your device you want to control out of sight of the original remote, install the IR blaster and then try the original remote pointed at the TV and see does it pass the signal though the TVs IR receiver and out through the blaster? If not you will have to use the TV remote and program it according to manufacturer guidelines.