I am putting a tv on the wall and will have the dvr behind the wall and I don't have one of the big cable companies that has an app to control the dvr. I have looked at IR repeaters which will get the job done, but I will still have to have a device within site of the remote to change channels. Is there a way to convert the IR signal to go over wifi and operate the dvd with an iPhone or iPad via an app? Any other advice on repeaters is appreciated.
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Controlling DVR With Iphone/Over WiFi
- Thread starter jwc6160
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Roomie Remote and IR Tach
Roomie Remote is an iOS app that runs on iPhone and iPad. The app allows your iOS device to become a universal remote control. RoomieRemote app can connect directly to devices via IP or can connect to IR Tach device that will "translate" commands to IR. Check out their website for more background info and better explanation.
http://www.roomieremote.com
Roomie Remote is an iOS app that runs on iPhone and iPad. The app allows your iOS device to become a universal remote control. RoomieRemote app can connect directly to devices via IP or can connect to IR Tach device that will "translate" commands to IR. Check out their website for more background info and better explanation.
http://www.roomieremote.com
Check out Logitech's Harmony stuff, I think they have what you're looking for. It can get pricey but I LOVE the ease of switching "activity" using the programmed settings.
I BELIEVE the Home Hub unit connects to your wireless and uses IR blasters to manipulate the devices so everything can be hidden.
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/harmony-remotes
I BELIEVE the Home Hub unit connects to your wireless and uses IR blasters to manipulate the devices so everything can be hidden.
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/harmony-remotes
Exactly! This will do what the OP wants. I have the Harmony Smart Control from that page and the hub or IR extenders can be put in a cabinet and controlled wirelessly from either the Harmony remote or the iOS Harmony app.
Thanks
Still not sure. I've looked through the harmony FAQ's and still can't figure out how it hooks to my DVR. It seems to be for other wifi enabled devices but I don't know. The Roomie seems like it will do what I need it to do though, but it is more pricey.
I basically want something that will sit on my DVR (behind the wall) that I can plug in and then broadcast the infrared signal over wifi and allow me to control the DVR with my phone.
Thanks for the replies and if anyone has any other suggestions or opinions, please let me know.
Still not sure. I've looked through the harmony FAQ's and still can't figure out how it hooks to my DVR. It seems to be for other wifi enabled devices but I don't know. The Roomie seems like it will do what I need it to do though, but it is more pricey.
I basically want something that will sit on my DVR (behind the wall) that I can plug in and then broadcast the infrared signal over wifi and allow me to control the DVR with my phone.
Thanks for the replies and if anyone has any other suggestions or opinions, please let me know.
The Harmony device does not physically attach the the DVR. When you setup the Harmony Hub it is logged on to your wifi network. Then you use other the Harmony remote or your the Harmony iOS app to send commands to the hub over wifi. The hub then repeats those commands over IR. So if you put the hub in the AVR closet or wherever your gear is, it will be controlled over IR by the hub. IR blasts directly out from the hub, so you may not even need one of the IR blasters that come with the hub. But if you want you can set the hub at the back of the closet then just place the blaster in from of the DVR.
The Harmony hub is designed exactly for what you are trying to do here.
I see. So the hub gets the transmission from the DVR by being in front of the sensor on the DVR then transmits back and forth from the APP via wifi. Have you found that this works pretty good for you? I am planning on framing a tv to put above my fireplace so I want no wires at all showing. If this works like you explained, it sounds perfect. Thanks.
edit- the reviews on this thing have made me nervous. Is it really a "disaster" to set up?
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Not exactly... the IR hub and remote IR blaster both just send out IR signals like your normal DVR remote control does. The DVR does not communicate anything back at all. It just sits there and receives the IR commands from the Harmony hub or blaster.
It is very easy to setup. Once you get it plugged in and all your just run through a setup wizard on the iOS app to select your brand DVR etc. Very easy.
The iOS app talks to the hub over wifi, then the hub sends the commands out to the devices (DVR) over IR like your remote does now.
How far is the cabinet where the DVR will be from the TV on the wall? I as because you might be able to use the Harmony hub itself to control the DVR, then run the remote blaster up to control the TV. That way you could control everything with the Harmony device.
Maybe 5ft at the most and behind the wall. It is new construction so there is a tube that will take the wires to the closet behind.
Overall, the setup process should be pretty simple. While I don't have this exact product, I found the initial set of my Harmony One remote to be easy. I've had to do some tweaking since the initial setup but that's only to get everything working EXACTLY right for activity startup. Adding and removing devices is easy and it was simple to update my remote when I bought a new TV. I think the trickiest part of the setup is finding the setting to delay a certain part of the activity setup (delaying input selection so it can happen after the TV is ready to accept the request) and figuring out how long to set the delay for.
One thing that will help tremendously is to do an inventory of all the equipment with model numbers and what input/output will need to be in use for each "activity" so you can program the activity to automatically configure the equipment, this is the BEST feature of the Harmony line of remotes.
One thing that will help tremendously is to do an inventory of all the equipment with model numbers and what input/output will need to be in use for each "activity" so you can program the activity to automatically configure the equipment, this is the BEST feature of the Harmony line of remotes.
What I would do it put the hub in the closet with the AV gear and let the hub control those devices with its own IR output, then use the IR blaster to run through that tube to the TV to control it also.
You could use the blaster that comes with the hub, or get an aftermarket blaster that sticks on the TV where the IR sensor is.
I had the One and the hub setup is very much the same. Good advice to make a list of devices and which input/output each uses. Makes setup much easier.
How would the blaster hook to my tv? What kind of input is it into the tv? I wouldn't want to use an aftermarket as I assume the sensor is on the front of the tv and I would to stick the blaster on the front and a wire would show. Thanks for all of your help and suggestions. I am leaning this way. The roomie seems to operate in a very similar manner so I am deciding on which.
The IR blaster is an IR transmitter, just like is in a remote. The remote MAY have an IR transmitter in it so it can interact with the TV directly and not need the blaster. If needed, the IR blaster usually goes right on/near the IR port on the TV. You should be able to wrap the cable and do a decent job hiding the wire. The alternative is if it's a smart TV and you can use an app on the phone to control functions of the TV, I can do it with my LG TV that I bought last year. Maybe the Harmony software/remote can interact with the TV directly but I have no experience with that.
I have the Harmony Home Hub and control it via iPhone or iPad. Works fine. But, I control a DVR, AV receiver, Apple TV, Amazon FireStick, and DVD player so a single remote (the IOS application) seems to be best for us.
The Harmony series seems to be directed at a single controller for ALL of your AV equipment. It is a slick solution.
If you are ok with your existing two remotes (TV and DVR), an IR extender for the DVR might be a solution. Google the brand and model of your DVR and find a compatible IR extender. You will need a way for the extender's IR receiver to poke into the room where you will sit though. The other end seems to plug into a port on the back of the DVR that is made specifically for IR extenders.
Bottom line. I would recommend the low tech solution of IR extender.
The Harmony series seems to be directed at a single controller for ALL of your AV equipment. It is a slick solution.
If you are ok with your existing two remotes (TV and DVR), an IR extender for the DVR might be a solution. Google the brand and model of your DVR and find a compatible IR extender. You will need a way for the extender's IR receiver to poke into the room where you will sit though. The other end seems to plug into a port on the back of the DVR that is made specifically for IR extenders.
Bottom line. I would recommend the low tech solution of IR extender.
The blaster does not really need to attach to the TV, it just needs to be somewhere where the IR signal emitted from the blaster can hit the TV.
This is how I have mine setup and I don't even use a wired blaster. The hub sits under a table across the room and controls everything from there.
What you might to is have the hub itself across the room and the IR from that can control the TV, then run the wired IR blaster into the cabinet where the DVR is.