IR Blaster used to extend remote range?

[Raichuu]

Hi everyone,

Hoping someone has been able to do this!

i have a surround sound Center speaker sitting in front of the IR sensor on my X8507C, and wondered if anyone else has used the included IR blaster in similar situations to get the remote signal to the sensor.

at the moment, the TV is elevated so the remote can see the IR sensor, but the Tv is abit high. I was hoping to lower it back down. It’s just easier for us to use the normal remote instead of the touch/mobile app.

if this doesn’t work, any other suggestions welcome! 

[royabrown]

I’m not sure what you mean - there’s an IR blaster on the centre speaker?

The IR sensor on these Android sets is famously and inconveniently low down 

My Yamaha YSP2500 soundbar has IR passthrough, and this was needed with my 2015 43in Sony Android TV, even with the feet removed from the soundbar.

But it was a no-brainer to do; turn on the passthrough in the Settings on the soundbar, after which just pointing the Sony remote at the place where the sensor on the TV would be visible if the soundbar weren’t in the way, worked the TV exactly as if the soundbar wasn’t there.

And we never had an issue with the TV accidentally responding to any commands from the remote for the soundbar.

But honestly, just try it, and come back if you find any issues.

[Raichuu]

Thanks for the response!

I wish my Center surround speaker had an IR-pass through like your sound bar 😞

The issue I have is the TV IR port is obscured by my Center speaker, so I was hoping I could use the IR-blaster that came with my TV to overcome this obstacle. My x850c came with this USB blaster:

http://helpguide.sony.net/tv/cusltn1/v1/en-003/04_08.html

[royabrown · Accepted solution]

I sort of feared this was what you were thinking 

The blaster only works off the TV, and the TV only works off the remote (for this purpose), and the remote can’t see the TV IR sensor because of the centre speaker and... there’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza......

But this, or something like it, is hopefully what you want; a little IR repeater where you can put its sensor on, say, the top of or in front of your centre speaker, and its emitter behind the speaker, in front of the TV IR sensor.

Seems to need the USB plug to go into a power supply, but such a thing is equally cheap, and you might even be able to use one of the USB sockets on the TV, depending on the power required.

[Raichuu]

Hahaaaaa! This was exactly what I needed. ordered and setup... bliss.

thank you so much!!