IR or RF Remote Controls?
Nearly all home theater components are either controlled solely via IR (infrared) or have the ability to be controlled via IR. IR is commonly used for remotes because it is cheap, easy to implement and doesn’t require government licensing. Its downside is that it requires a clear line-of-sight between the remote and the component. For some home theaters, this is not a problem, but with many, components are in a dedicated cabinet, closet or even in another room (i.e.: a single cable box feeding multiple rooms). Also, with a front projector, its location is often above and/or behind the seating position, making it difficult to control via IR. Bouncing the signal off the projection screen usually works, but can be a problem in a large room or when using a drop-down screen. Article continues below this advertisement: ‘); //–> To get around the inherent limitations of IR, many universal remote manufacturers are using RF (radio frequency) transmitters in their remotes. These RF transmitters
