C h a p t e r 1

C o n n e c t i n g Y o u r D V R

 

 

 

IR Control cable

This purple end plugs into your Recorder.

These IR emitters send signals to the IR sensor on your cable or satellite box.

IR (infrared) Control. The IR Control cable allows the Recorder to change channels on any cable or satellite box with an IR sensor. See the Start Here poster for diagrams of common cable and satellite boxes, and where to find the IR sensor on each.

Finding the IR sensor. To correctly position the IR Control cable, you need to find

your cable box or satellite box’s IR sensor. To locate the IR sensor, look for a tiny

round bulb behind the dark, translucent plastic “window”—the IR window—on the

front of your cable or satellite box. A flashlight might help you see it. Position the IR

emitters so they are centered on the IR sensor and stick out about 1.5 inches.

Choosing an IR code in Guided Setup. After setting up your Recorder, you’ll

complete Guided Setup (see Chapter 2 for more information). During Guided Setup,

you’ll be asked to test and select an IR code. Each IR code signals a particular cable or

satellite box model to change channels. If none of the codes changes the channel on

®

The small “bulbs” on the IR

emitters do not visibly light up

your particular cable or satellite box, see page 136 for troubleshooting tips. If you find

a code or codes that work, but none of the codes is reliable or consistent, try

when they send an IR signal. If you find

that channels are not changing, see

page 136 for troubleshooting help. If

channels change unreliably or

inconsistently, try the tips on optimizing

the IR Control connection (right).

optimizing the IR Control connection (see below).

Optimizing the IR Control connection. The IR Control cable works better if its

emitters and the IR window on the cable or satellite box are shaded from other infrared

signals. You can create an “IR tent” to decrease the interference from other signals.

This solution may help if changing channels with an IR Control cable is unreliable or

inconsistent, but not if channels don’t change at all.

Test whether an IR tent might be effective simply by draping a magazine, a towel, or a

dark cloth over the front of cable or satellite box, including the IR emitters. (See the

diagram on page 7.) Do not block the Recorder’s IR window. Try changing channels

several times with the TiVo remote. If channels change more reliably this way, you

may want to build an IR tent.

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Image 14
Humax 525p manual IR Control cable, Small bulbs on the IR Emitters do not visibly light up