[mythtv-users] USB remote

[Doug Young]

On 10/22/07, Michael T. Dean <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
> The difference between an IR blaster and an IR transmitter is
> range/directionality.  If you really have a blaster, you can "blast" the
> signal out to multiple pieces of equipment with only one IR transmitter
> (possibly even bouncing it off walls and back at the components).  An IR
> transmitter on the other hand, may or may not have sufficient range or
> may require too much directionality to do the same (i.e. all IR blasters
> are IR transmitters, but some IR transmitters are /not/ IR blasters).
> Generally, TiVo's and other "controls your other equipment using remote
> codes" components have IR blasters (though some have transmitters with
> multiple leads).


I'll second this.  I have a "MyBlaster", which my kids refer to as a
"shark fin" mounted to my ceiling.  The nice part is that the same
remotes work for both front-ends the exact same way, regardless of
amps, television brands, etc simply by making small changes to the
lircrc files.  As far as I'm concerned, this is a BIG win.  No more
"this is the downstairs remote, I need the remote for this
system"...they -all- work.

Unfortunately, I've heard that MyBlaster is out of business, but I'd
assume the same would be true of whatever "blaster" type product you
bought.
-- 
Doug