I was excited about the potential of using IR for automations. I bought the Smart IR mate and have been testing it with my LG tv using the LG Infrared integration. I was very disapointed to discover that the range of the IR Mate is only 2-3 feet. Interacting with their teach support they confirmed that range in their testing as well. I was hoping it woudl have the same range as the actual remote. Are there better IR transmitters out there?
I have just got this one and the range is about 4 to 5m.
Edit: done some more tests and the range is a lot better 6m
Very impressed with it.
Am using it with HAIR
I have 2 IR Mates, neither is showing such a limited range. The first's target devices are 6-8 feet away, with a couple of those not having line of sight, so the actual path is likely longer. The second's target devices are 10-14 feet away, but all have line of sight.
This article may help you understand how to get more range out of your IR Mate, I'm using mine angled up to 45 degrees at approx. 2 meters with good consistent results
Understand your technology: Where are the Infrared emitter lens pointing? Consult the data sheet as to whether they are upward, or forward facing, or omnidirectional. Are your receiver lens correctly orientated for optimum reception?
Line of sight is best. Light doesn't go around corners well, and won't penetrate solid objects. It relies on an direct optical path, though reflections off nearby objects can often work. Some IR protocols use multiple transmissions of each command and error checking to try and make sure transmission is robust.
Particularly important if you are rolling your own project, and are selecting your parts (usually based on price, not specifications): Are your transmitter and receiver frequencies correctly matched? Different shades of light (a deeper red) may not reliably trigger the receiver. I'm not talking about the modulation, but the carrier frequency of the light itself - how far into the infrared zone you are. This can often be mismatched, especially for cheap Chinese components, where substitution is very common by non-identical parts, based on price rather than testing and conformance, or different vendors use their own frequencies. Sometimes substandard parts enter the supply chain, even on reputed manufacturers production lines, especially when there are chip shortages such as during the recent covid era. Replacing a $2 IR chip can sometimes save a $5000 high end amplifier or TV from being junked if you check the correct functionality.
Are your lens obstructed? Beer, icecream, nail polish? Salt from the potato crisps behind your lounge where it is regularly pulled from? Dog and cat licking it because it tastes and smells like their favorite human? Grime, slime, fur and mould buildup? Breadcrumbs? Body oil stains? Your teenage daughter or girlfriend inserting it into suspect places such as twirling her oily hair around it while bored? Your unwashed hands, caked with food and ketchup? Your teething baby, desperately sucking on the sharp edges and gummy soft keys for relief while you are absorbed in your favorite show? Your mother-in-law or maid, using cleaning spray on it to get rid of the above 'ick' factors, and instead introducing corrosive liquid onto the circuit board underneath which compromises the electrical connectivity?
Your phone camera is surprisingly infrared sensitive. Point your transmitter at it and watch the results when you press a button, moving it off axis to see how fast the brightness drops. [You won't burn it out or zap it, it is not laser level output that will damage your phone.]
Try cleaning the lens with a tissue or cotton tipped bud you use for cleaning out your ears - does it now work better? Do it for the receiver as well as the transmitter, as dust and spiderweb buildup is often an issue.
Does replacing the battery with a new one give you a stronger signal? Even removing and reinserting the existing one, as there may be oxide buildup on the contacts giving you poor performance, and the swipe from removing and replacing them may be sufficient to allow full voltage to pass again.
Given the above, it is surprising how well the infrared technology works and is still routinely used by manufacturers in their latest designs in preference to radio frequency solutions. A few cents saved can add up when you are pumping out devices by the millions.
JFC! Snap back to reality, will you? I've seen you make outlandish claims before, but this one takes the bloody cake.
Women sticking up an IR emitter into suspect places? Seriously? It wouldn't have been an acceptable question if they were using the harry potter wand remote, let alone a flat puck.
Can you please stop with these random off the wall questions?
I see you got the message loud and clear! You haven't worked in a repair workshop, or done insurance claim assessments, have you? These are routine observations, based on experiences. Plastic gloves when handling remotes from customers during disassembly. Clean with expensive sprays, over a sink, not the workbench. Routinely resolder all contacts. Scrape off oxide buildup. Repair corroded copper traces. Throw away the toothbrush after you have used it once for cleaning. Disinfect first and treat same as body fluid exposure. Always wash your hands after handling or inspecting customer remotes. You live a sheltered life. Go on, inspect your remote with a magnifying glass - I challenge you to NOT find any buildup in the cracks where the plastic parts meet.
Reminds me of the famous saying:
"When you hear hoofbeats, remove the zebras from your suspect places & clean them thoroughly."
The point of my post. You got it! Did you read the rest?