To work with the XMC-1, or any of our other gear, you need a receiver that includes electronics and amplification.
For example, if you purchase an "IR repeater" you get a sensor ("an eye"; which is a passive photodiode), a little box with a signal buffer and amplifier in it, and a sender ("a flasher"; technically just an LED in a case).
You CANNOT connect the passive eye directly to the IR input on our gear.
You must connect the passive eye to a little box with an amplifier in it.
You must then connect THE OUTPUT OF THE LITTLE BOX - the connection that would normally go to the flasher - to our input.
We need the boosted signal that comes from the output of the amplifier.
We have tried Monoprice's $39 kit some time ago and it does usually work.
The other thing to note is that IR repeaters use a digital signal - sent via a carrier - a square wave that alternates between off and on very rapidly - in the form of a blinking infrared light.
If there is anything in the room making IR light, so that the background "IR light level" is too high, it can jam the system (technically referred to as "flooding").
Some IR motion sensors from burglar alarms are especially bad in this regard...
(Some have their own little "IR LED floodlight" built in.)
Likewise, having the light from certain LED TV screens, certain CF lamps, and even sunlight coming in a window, shining directly on the eye can "blind it".
Sometimes merely repositioning the sensor eye, or aiming it differently to avoid interfering light sources, will make a big difference.
(There are also "special" eyes with little shields or shades around them, or little tubes you can aim, or filters to block extraneous light.)
If you want to test for this sort of thing, try putting the eye, and your hand with the remote, under an upturned cardboard box.....
(If it works under the box, but not outside of it, then you have something in your room making too much "IR background noise".... so start looking for it.)
Also....
The XMC-1 in particular has its own "flasher" on its front panel - which can be used to relay commands to other equipment inside the cabinet with it.
However, sometimes its signal can interfere with other signals.
Therefore, you could try UNCHECKING the box for FRONT IR BLASTER under SETUP ADVANCED.
(DO NOT disable "Front IR In" or the remote control itself won't work.)
I need to put my XMC-1 in a cabinet along with the amps, so I'm looking to find an IR-based solution that will allow me to control the system using the standard Emotiva remotes. I'm not looking for app-based solutions or anything similar. Just good old fashion IR. I bought an IR receiver from Monoprice but it doesn't work with the XMC-1. Does anyone have one that is confirmed to work? thanks!
