Ramsey Electronics manual Using the RR1

USING THE RR1

The beautiful thing about it is that there really is no secret to using the RR1. The only option you may need to change is the jumper configuration of J2, the ‘Data Restore’ enable header. By default, leave the jumper header ’IN’ or on the pins. This will tell the micro-controller to automatically correct any errant IR data that is received. Should you have trouble with some remotes, simply re- move the jumper for straight through operation.

We thought this might be a good spot for some mounting ideas that may help with the usage of your RR1. Primarily you will want to put the RR1 in a discrete location that isn’t too obtrusive. It should be where you can easily point your remote control’s IR data in a fashion that is unimpeded by other ob- jects. One idea would be behind the speaker grill (if it isn’t completely opaque to IR) or under the coffee table. In my case, I found it would still work when positioned behind the curtains on the window sill (the IR detector was that sensitive). Now I can beam the remote control in the logical direction of the TV screen instead of behind the couch!

The real trick is how to get the IR emitting LED mounted so that all of your components can see it. The optimum way would be to use a coat hanger to suspend the LED out in front of the components and have it shine back at them. Unfortunately this is quite ugly and could poke out too far to be able to close the doors of a cabinet. If it will be inside of a cabinet, you can conven- iently bounce the light off of some small pieces of aluminum foil mounted to the back sides of the doors and reflect the IR down to the components. With a little work, you could even permanently mount the IR LED on the inside of one of the doors. This configuration might take a bit of wire however in order to discreetly snake the hook-up from the RR1 receiver down through the cabinet and along the door. So far the longest piece of wire we’ve tried was about 750 feet… no problem!! You will probably find the output of the IR LED is intense enough that it will probably activate all of your components just by reflecting around inside of the cabinet.

If you do not have doors to reflect the IR signal from the RR1 emitter, an- gling the light from above somewhere will work well also. In my case my com- ponents are currently sitting on a coffee table behind the couch until we save enough pennies to buy a cabinet. In this case I can actually mount the IR LED in a crack in the couch to aim it at the components. This worked out quite well for me since the IR LED is now all but hidden from view. Hopefully it doesn’t get yanked out the next time I’m scrambling through the cushions for change to tip the pizza delivery guy!

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