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Infrared device not responding

Infrared devices are controlled via infrared adapters such as the Simple Blaster, Roomie Blaster, and Global Caché iTach products. If you are attempting to diagnose why a device might not be responding via infrared through a supported adapter, please follow these steps:

  1. Make sure the emitter is properly placed directly over the infrared receiver on your device. Hold the emitter in front of the infrared receiver of the target device and send a test command to make sure you’re placing the emitter correctly before attaching it. Some devices such as Samsung TVs can be especially obfuscated with regards to the location of their receiver. A flashlight aimed at an angle around the corners can be helpful in revealing the location. Then, use the physical remote for the device held just an inch or so away from where you believe the IR receiver is and that should tell you the general location when it works.
  2. Make sure the port on your infrared adapter is connected to the correct Emitter Cable. Roomie Remote does distinguish between the 3 ports and must be told the correct one (this note does not apply if you are not using a Triport Adapter, 2 Emitter 1 Blaster Cable, or Triple Emitter Cable). The numbers of the ports are shown in the image on screen in Roomie Remote based on what kind of adapter you’re using. The emitter itself will visually blink when a command is sent from it. This should be used to confirm commands are being sent to the proper port. (Note that only the emitters blink, the blaster does not blink or make any visible change when transmitting as infrared light is outside human visual range.)
  3. If you are using a Blaster Cable on port 3 with a Triport Adapter or a 2 Emitter 1 Blaster Cable, or directly connected to the infrared adapter, make sure the web configuration page of your infrared adapter is set to “Blaster” for port 3. Not setting that and then using the Blaster Cable will cause it not to receive enough power. If you have trouble with an emitter, make sure to try switching between the Emitter Cable and a Blaster Cable or vice versa to rule out any issues with either. A Blaster Cable is very useful in ruling out emitter location issues as the Blaster Cable’s output only needs to be in line of sight whereas an emitter must be placed exactly in the correct location.
  4. Make sure you have selected the correct device in Roomie Remote. Some devices have multiple similar types. Use the Test button when adding a device to make sure you have selected the right type. In particular, some devices have multiple applicable categories such as Lighting or Auxiliary, or Media Players and Set Top Boxes. A very common issue is not trying all the command sets for the same device. For instance Sony receivers have two common sets labelled Code Group 1 and Code Group 2. Group 2 is used on more recent devices, but make sure to try both if you’re having trouble. Another common issue is selecting the incorrect brand name of a Set Top Box between Motorola, Cisco, and Scientific Atlanta. Due to acquisitions, you may want to try similar model numbers listed under a different brand.
  5. Some devices require multiple infrared transmissions for every command. Roomie Remote defaults to sending only one. Even very popular devices sometimes require more than one. Sony products are a common cause of this. The Retransmit Count option on the device configuration in Roomie Remote corrects this problem. Simply increase by one until the device responds. Always use the minimum count necessary. 2-3 should be enough for Sony devices. If raising this count does not correct the issue, set it back down to 1. Note that this item is by far the most common cause of infrared reception issues. Some devices are simply designed to require multiple transmissions of the same command.
  6. If your device is still not responding after checking these items the problem may be related to your local network. Make sure you can connect to your infrared adapter via your web browser using its IP address.
  7. If your emitter is blinking visually as commands are sent, you have tried swapping between the emitter and blaster cable, you have tried increasing the Retransmit Count, you have selected the most appropriate device type and tried similar devices, your device is listed in our Infrared Code Set Library found in the app, and the device is still not responding, you may wish to look in our User Forums for any similar issues.
  8. If your device is simply not listed via the in-app Infrared Code Set Library when adding a device, it is possible to learn the commands for new infrared devices using the infrared adapter’s built-in infrared learning feature. The Infrared Learning FAQ covers that topic.