Your Universal Remote Control Center
RemoteCentral.com
General Consumer Remotes Forum - View Post
Previous section Next section Up level
Up level
The following page was printed from RemoteCentral.com:

Login:
Pass:
 
 

Topic:
[Take Control] Help with IR range problem
This thread has 11 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Wednesday January 6, 1999 at 15:12
Charles Ledbetter
Historic Forum Post
This is for those of you that actually OWN a Madrigal or HK remote. I say that because I have no intention of turning this thread into yet another Microsoft bashing discussion. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. etc are all irrelevant.

At any rate, I've owned the Madrigal IRIQ for about two months now and I probably have as much experience with it as anyone. Having lived with it for a while, I've noticed that the IR emitter "shoots" at a pretty high angle. This is a little hard to explain, but bear with me. Set your remote down on the coffee table and look at it from the side. Notice that it sits lower in the back than the front. The IR emitter seems to shoot from the front mostly streight out and up with very little in the "down" arc.

During the first couple of weeks, I was pointing my IRIQ directly at my components and getting some "misses." One day it was sitting on the arm of my couch and I just reached over and tapped the volume control. The remote wasn't pointed any where near my receiver but it worked!

Since then I've noticed that if I aim right at the center of my TV, everything works every time. When friends come over and pick it up, the too tend to aim directly at the component and get some misses. It seems to work best if you aim a little lower.

Charles
OP | Post 2 made on Wednesday January 6, 1999 at 15:34
htnut
Historic Forum Post
will give it a whirl
OP | Post 3 made on Wednesday January 6, 1999 at 15:44
HTnut
Historic Forum Post
You are ABSOLUTELY correct sir. The problem is NOT line of sight. I tried what you said and that is the case. Still weird though. Hole it straight or perhaps a lil down and i have no prob whatsoever. THANK YOU
OP | Post 4 made on Wednesday January 6, 1999 at 19:50
George Mills
Historic Forum Post
I can point the Pronto in ANY direction, ceiling, side walls back walls and I get a hit. I don't have to give a guest aiming lessons to use it.

Besides there are many more issues with the IRIQ than just the IR range.

Nobody should be commenting on how good the IRIQ remote is until they have experienced how good a $400 touch screen remote CAN be. I assure you it CAN be MUCH better.

Just as you stated please IRIQ owners only.. I wish to say please go and check out a Pronto sometime when you next visit your HT dealer.

Even if I loved the IRIQ I had every intention of checking the Pronto. It is beyond me why anyone wouldn't at least check out both before their final commitment.

Doesn't it seem just a bid odd that so many who have indeed bought an IRIQ didn't like it and returned it.
OP | Post 5 made on Wednesday January 6, 1999 at 21:30
HTnut
Historic Forum Post
I can comment on how good "I" think it is. Besides it was surely not 400.00 under 300.00 may not make a diff to you, but a hundred bucks does to me on such a frivolous (sp) toy anyway. I have been using the Marantz RC2000 for a year and happen to like that one too. :)
OP | Post 6 made on Thursday January 7, 1999 at 13:06
George Mills
Historic Forum Post
Stick with list prices. They both offer discounts.
It's also supply and demand and if the demand is high for something you generally pay more.

If you have not seen a Pronto you have no reference of what good or bad is. And most folks didn't even see a Pronto before they realized the IRIQ has serious problems. What you don't know won't hurt you I guess.

And your right the IRIQ is a toy, but the Pronto isn't !!!
OP | Post 7 made on Thursday January 7, 1999 at 20:54
Charles Ledbetter
Historic Forum Post
"Aiming Lessons" George? Now even you have to admit that sounds ridiculous. How in the world could "point it at the TV" be equated with "lessons?" I have never understood why Internet newsgroups and forums prompt rational people into the most bizarre exaggerations. I suppose the lack of voice tone, facial expressions, and body language makes one feel cramped and therefore promotes such embellishments.

Also, I'm theorizing that you're on this board only to antagonize IRIQ owners. All you ever say is "the Proto is better." This thread has absolutely nothing to do with the Proto, but here you are bashing everyone over the head with it. Wouldn't you find a more receptive audience on the Pronto board?

I must be missing the constructive threads you've posted. Could you point me to them?

Charles
OP | Post 8 made on Friday January 8, 1999 at 01:33
George Mills
Historic Forum Post
I'm trying to save folks some grief, that's all.

I'm not the only one either.

Yes I exaggerated, I can have some fun while doing it.

What I am about to say however is not an exaggeration.

The IRIQ sucks compared to the Pronto.
I have no doubt about that and not a thing to gain or lose by saying it. And I'm not the first to say it either.

Jack Shields more politely tried to warn me but
I still did not listen and had to see for myself.
And he did not even get into the range issues.
The range issues are only a small piece of it.

I have not seen one person that has used both choose the IRIQ and many have seen both.

I have not heard one person want to return their Pronto yet many have reported wanting to return their IRIQ.

I guess I'm just too stupid to use an IRIQ because I could not get it to work more the 6 feet away from my Meridian 561. I guess us dummies will just have to suffer with the Pronto.
OP | Post 9 made on Friday January 8, 1999 at 10:27
Jay
Historic Forum Post
Tell ya' what...it's pretty clear that Charles and HTnut are very satisfied with the IRIQ. Each has stated that it *is* the solution for him, and that's great.

But it's positively absurd to accuse George of going overboard in his praise of the Pronto. All you need to do is go back and search (thanks for the capability, Dan) his earlier posts in the Pronto forum to see how drastically his opinions changed once he had actual experience with each of these remotes.

I was searching for other things, but in post after post, George was very skeptical about the Pronto (before ever seeing one), and he really seemed to have his heart set on getting an IRIQ. Obviously, his final conclusions are not unique, and you'll have a hard time finding disappointed people in the other forum.

Without question, this is a lot of money to pay for a remote. But I wonder what percentages of these product owners think they got their money's worth. Maybe IRIQ 50% and Pronto 90%? Before you flame me for such random generalizations, I think I'm being extremely kind considering what I've read in both forums.
OP | Post 10 made on Friday January 8, 1999 at 18:54
George Mills
Historic Forum Post
I appologize if I've looked like a jerk here.

But Charles your review is great and I think it can lead a lot of folks into a disappointing experience as so many have gone through. Some will be happy and live in the same isolated world (isolated from Pronto and that's not meant as an insult).

And I really, truely believe it would be a damn shame for anyone to live with the IRIQ when the Pronto exists for very close to the same price.

By the way there was nothing bad said about the IRIQ when I bought mine. The very day I got it the sh%^t hit the fan on this forum before I posted a word.
OP | Post 11 made on Saturday January 9, 1999 at 08:22
David
Historic Forum Post
Thankfully, this is a Madrigal IRIQ and the Harman Kardon/JBL Take Control board, so hopefully we can have a little less evangelising for the Pronto.

I came here to hear about the HK Take Control and there seems to be much praise for that device. As a result, I'm keen to check it out myself.

However, I too would appreciate it if those ex-users would stop using this board as a vehicle for their negativity and for their Pronto sales pitches.
OP | Post 12 made on Sunday January 10, 1999 at 16:09
dave a
Historic Forum Post
Geeez....Why would George pitch for pronto?
He isn't a retailer.

All he is trying to do is to save some disappointment for some folks and tries to show a better (in his mind...and mine too) solution to people who are not 100% satisfied with the IRIQ.


Jump to


Protected Feature Before you can reply to a message...
You must first register for a Remote Central user account - it's fast and free! Or, if you already have an account, please login now.

Please read the following: Unsolicited commercial advertisements are absolutely not permitted on this forum. Other private buy & sell messages should be posted to our Marketplace. For information on how to advertise your service or product click here. Remote Central reserves the right to remove or modify any post that is deemed inappropriate.

Hosting Services by ipHouse