How Does an IR Repeater Work?

Clients want the cable box, streamer and amplifier out of sight, but an infrared remote only works when it can see the equipment. An IR repeater solves that by catching the remote’s signal in the room and delivering it to gear in a cabinet, closet or rack. When a client asks "How does an IR repeater work?" this guide has the answer, plus what is in a kit, how to install one, and what to check when commands go missing.

Why hidden AV equipment needs an IR repeater

Infrared is light, so it behaves like light. It bounces off walls and ceilings, but it does not pass through a solid cabinet door, a wall or a closet. Once the equipment is out of sight, the remote has nothing to talk to.

Many clients still want the familiar handheld remote. A repeater lets you control hidden AV equipment without changing the remote, the sources or the client’s habits. It is often the simplest fix when a TV is wall mounted and the sources move to a credenza, a closet or a rack in another room.

How does an IR repeater work, step by step?

A remote does not simply switch its LED on. It flashes the LED on and off very fast, creating a carrier, and turns that carrier on and off in a pattern that encodes the button. A Cornell University ECE 4760 project on infrared remote control describes a common 38 kHz carrier and a receiver with a built-in band-pass filter and demodulator, which lets it ignore ordinary light.

The repeater copies that pattern from one place to another:

1. The remote sends its modulated infrared burst toward the TV area.
2. The receiver, sometimes called the target or eye, detects the burst and converts it to an electrical signal.
3. The signal runs over a cable to a connecting block, or straight to an emitter in simpler kits.
4. The block powers the system and splits the signal to several emitter outputs.
5. Each emitter, a tiny IR LED on a thin lead, flashes the same pattern into the device’s IR window.

The repeater does not need to understand the commands. It passes the pattern along, which is why one kit works with many brands of equipment.

What is in an IR repeater kit

Most kits include the same core parts:

• Receiver: surface mount, flush mount in a wall plate, or a small eye on a lead that hides under the TV.
• Connecting block or hub: joins the receiver line to the emitter ports, takes the power supply, and usually has a status LED that blinks with each command.
• Emitters: single or dual heads with adhesive backs, one per device.
• Power supply for the block or receiver.

Some systems also accept more than one receiver, so the same equipment can be controlled from two rooms.

IR repeater options compared

IR repeaters are one of several ways to reach equipment the remote cannot see. The table compares the common approaches.

If the run to the TV is long, our guide to HDMI cable length limits and long runs explains extenders that can carry IR alongside video.

IR repeater kit installation

A clean IR repeater kit installation starts at rough-in. Plan the receiver position, the cable path and the location of the connecting block before the drywall closes.

1. Pick a receiver spot near the TV where the remote naturally points: below the screen, in a wall plate, or at the front of the furniture.
2. Pull the cable the kit specifies from the receiver to the equipment location, and leave a service loop.
3. Mount the connecting block in the cabinet or AV equipment rack close to the sources and a power outlet.
4. Connect the receiver and plug emitters into the block, one per device.
5. Power up, press a remote button and watch the status LED blink.
6. Test every device and every common command before you stick emitters down permanently.

For closets that hold a full system, see how to choose an AV equipment rack for layout and ventilation. Low-voltage cable for the receiver run is in the security and control wire category.

Placing emitters on hidden equipment

The emitter has to sit directly over the device’s IR receiver window, which is often hidden behind dark plastic. Check the manual, or shine a flashlight at the front panel to spot the sensor behind the window.

• Use covered or shielded emitters when identical devices sit side by side, so one emitter does not reach both.
• If a device responds erratically, the emitter may be too strong. Move it slightly off center or use the block’s level adjustment if it has one.
• Route emitter leads neatly and leave slack so a device can slide forward for service.

Troubleshooting interference and missed commands

If the status LED flickers or stays lit when nobody touches the remote, the receiver is picking up noise. Sunlight, compact fluorescent lamps, some LED lighting and some flat-panel displays emit infrared or electrical noise near the remote’s carrier. The repeater then repeats that noise and blocks real commands.

• Move the receiver away from the screen, windows and lamps, or aim it away from them.
• Use a receiver designed to reject fluorescent and display interference.
• Check that the kit’s carrier range covers all the equipment; most remotes use about 38 kHz, but some use other frequencies.
• Confirm the power supply is connected and the block is not overloaded with emitters.

Choosing an IR kit from Bursma

The IR repeater kits in Bursma’s IR category cover the common jobs. The RSSIRJ4 surface mount IR kit suits a single cabinet. For a stack of sources, look at the VAN280731 1×6 IR system kit and the VAN280732 one zone, two source IR kit, and check each listing for the parts included.

Browse the wider Security, Surveillance and Control division for control and automation products. Dealers see their own pricing and stock in Shop Online after logging in, and you can open a dealer account with Bursma to order online.

Frequently asked questions