I did not write this but it helped me so I thought I would share it.
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Universal Remote Control had provided me with this RF troubleshooting tip sheet after speaking with their tech support. Thinking I had already tried EVERYTHING, I followed this tip sheet exactly as it was written (the support agent was very convinging to do so)...bottom line...IT WORKED! This saved my butt and it could save yours too!
Enjoy! Here it is:
= = = = = = = Trouble Shooting the MRF200 and MX800 The three steps for troubleshooting are:
1) Does the MX-800 work the system with the MRF-200 Base Station UNPLUGGED with all the devices set to IR line of sight operation (from the Program Menu, Step 9 RF Control)?
a. If learned codes are not working line of sight, try learning disconnected from the PC (see Stand Alone Learning in the manual)
or
b. Use the pre-programmed code sets in the database (many users ignore the generic code sets, try them). Once ALL of your commands and macros work perfectly line of sight it is time to move to step 2. Don’t skip step 1.
2) Plug in the power supply to the MRF-200 base station and test the RF
a. DO NOT plug it into a surge suppressor strip with other A/V components.
b. DO NOT plug in any FLASHERS.
c. From the Program Menu, select step #9 RF Control
d. Set each device to RF Only operation
e. Select a specific flasher output for the most troublesome 6 devices. If you are planning to use the front blaster for some of your components, we will troubleshoot those later. Leave those devices set to all. f. Save the file and download to the MX-800.
g. Turn on all of your A/V components.
h. Observe the MRF-200 base station, not the A/V components, and press a button with a command not a macro. Hold it down. The right hand status LED of the base station should stay lit while you press it. Release the button, the LED should immediately go out. If it stays lit or flickers, move the base station farther away from the components. Typically, 3 feet away is fine. The flasher cables are ten feet long for this reason. In some extreme cases, if the base station has to be moved farther away, you can extend the cables with any 24-gauge or better two conductor wire later.
i. Concentrate on getting the status LED to light with a press and go out with a release even if you have to move the base station outside the cabinet/closet with the gear. Once this is working correctly, go on to step 3.
3) Test the MRF flashers with a component
a. Hook up one emitter to the base station (extend the wire if necessary). Make sure you plug it into the correct jack for the component you are going to test.
b. Test that with the emitter wire stretched out and connected, there is still clean RF.
c. If the emitter is acting as an antenna to increase RF interference, go back to step 2 and repeat the positioning until RF is clean.
d. Test commands for that particular component while moving the flasher to different test positions. Start with the flasher about 3’ away from the front panel. When a position gives 10 out of 10 commands good operation, note the spot and repeat the process with the same emitter (plugged into the correct jack) until you have noted the correct front panel spot for flashers on each component.
e. Route all of the flasher cables to the base station, labelling the plugs for the correct jack #. Reconnect and test.
The key elements are: A) You must have reliable RF, before you test Flasher Positioning.
B) Engaging the IR routing of a device to a specific flasher eliminates the possibility of IR saturation from too many flashers doing the same thing. When operation is buggy, engage IR routing.
C) Even when only one flasher is outputting IR, the flasher can over power or saturate a component’s front panel sensor. Sometimes, the flasher has to be mounted an inch or more away from the front panel IR sensor.
Trouble Shooting the MRF100 and MX600 The steps for troubleshooting are:
1) Does the MX-600 work the system with the MRF-100 Base Station UNPLUGGED? a. If learned codes are not working line of sight, try the pre-programmed code sets in the database (many users ignore the generic code sets, try them). Once ALL of your commands and macros work perfectly line of sight it is time to move to step 2. Don’t skip step 1!
2) Plug in the power supply to the MRF-100 base station and test the RF
a. DO NOT plug it into a surge suppressor strip with other A/V components.
b. DO NOT plug in any FLASHERS.
c. Turn on all of your A/V components.
d. Observe the MRF-100 base station, not the A/V components. If the status light flickers, move the base station farther away from your components. Typically, 3 feet away is fine. The flasher cables are ten feet long for this reason. In some extreme cases, if the base station has to be moved farther away, you can extend the cables with any 24-gauge or better two conductor wire later.
e. Concentrate on getting the status LED to light with a button press and go out with a release, even if you have to move the base station outside the cabinet/closet with the gear.
Once this is working correctly, go on to step 3.
3) Hook up all of the emitters to the base station (extend the wire if necessary). a. First test that with the emitter wire stretched out and connected, there is still clean RF.
b. If the emitter wires are acting as an antenna to increase RF interference, go back to step 2 and repeat the positioning until RF is clean.
c. Now, test commands for each component while moving the flasher to different test positions. Start with the flasher about 3’ away from the front panel. When a position gives 10 out of 10 commands good operation, note the spot and repeat the process with the next emitter until you have noted the correct front panel spot for flashers on each component.
d. If a component still acts buggy, try masking the flashers (or if it is close - the front panel blaster) on nearby components with IR opaque blocking covers to prevent over saturation from too many flashers in one cabinet. If you are using black electrical tape, test it on the front of the MX600 to see how many layers are necessary before using it. Often black electrical tape is very inefficient at blocking IR. REMEMBER, each flasher is as powerful as the flasher on the MX600 remote control!!!
The key elements are:
A) You must have reliable RF, before you test Flasher Positioning.
B) Even when only one flasher is outputting IR, the flasher can over power or saturate a component’s front panel sensor. Sometimes, the flasher has to be mounted a long way away from the front panel IR sensor. I have personally installed systems that required that a flasher be placed on the side of the component not the front panel.
