Need remote control advice

I've heard about some mind of infrared repeater device that the Theater hobbiests like to use for whole-house remote capability, but sure dunno what it's called or where to get one. That ought to do the trick wherever you can find one?

The best remote on the market, in my opinion, is the Home Theatre Master MX-500. One of its many impressive features is the strength of its signal. My gear sits behind a couch and the MX-500 works it without fault. But definitely try before you buy. Bob is right about the fact you may have to use a repeater, but it tends to clutter the room, spray copious amounts of RF around the place (even when you are not using the remote), and can be incompatible with some equipment (One I have will not work with either my Placette preamp or an AMC preamp in my daughter's system).

Go to remotecentral.com to check out what remote is best for your situation.

Even crutchfield carries those little pyramid infra-red relay devices. As bob said they're designed to control components from another room altogether, but if you got one of those it wouldn't matter what remote you got then (as long as its not an rf one.)

The Theater Master SL-9000 learning remote is supposed to have a very strong IR signal. I have a Marantz RC2000 mk1, myself. But considering how expensive it was ($250 new, $75-100 used) I can't recommend it over the SL9000, which seems to cost farless than the RC2000. But if you are looking for something with the features of the RC2000, but a higher WAF, check out the Marantz RC1200. It has a slim "cell-phone" like profile, witha jog wheel to control the screen.

The RC2000 is big, heavy (although I don't think so, myself), has a medicore IR signal, and crew thru batteries relatively quickly (2-3 weeks on 4 AAs). Of course I should play with the backlight sensitivity and timeout thresholds. Since obviously its the backlight that's chewing up the juice (i.e., it aint the IR strength folks!).

http://www.audioreview.com/Remote,Controls/Universal,SL-9000,Pre-Programmed,Remote,Control/PRD_123474_2770crx.aspx

http://www.remotecentral.com/sl9000/

http://www.hometheatermaster.com/htm/products/sl-9000.html

Try putting up a mirror at 45 degrees and give it a try. I have a similar problem with my bedroom system, and I get decent results just aiming the remote at the wall, near the ceiling, opposite the components, which are 90 degrees from my bed. Not even a mirror, in my case. Cheap, simple and perhaps all you need.

I like the Marantz line of learning remotes, we use them in almost all of are installs.

Judd