Commercial Install Problem with RF

[ProWire]

I hung a couple flat panels in a pharmacy last week and to keep it clean, I put the DirecTV HD receivers in the back on a rack with all the phone, network, and security equipment. I set the receivers up on RF. TV1 receiver only picks up the remote from less than 5 feet away (I verified it was on RF, and not IR), and TV2 works intermittently from the tv location. The lag is horrible.

- TV1 is in the front about 60ft away.
- TV2 is behind the counter about 25ft away.
- Both receivers are H21-200 (brown box, installed by HSP tech 1 week prior)
- Both remotes are RC64R's which I added.

The only obstacles are 1 cinder block wall and a few metal shelves.

Usually RF goes off without a hitch on the HD boxes. The only variable here is the brown box receivers, as opposed to the retail boxes I normally use. Before they upgrade to a universal RF remote with IR flashers, any ideas why I'm having trouble?

 

[oldford]

WAG- RF interference from an alarm system?

 

[ProWire]

There are about 20 motion sensors surrounding the "good stuff" in the back of the pharmacy. They're all located between the two tv's and the receivers. ADT told me they operate at 340Mhz. DirecTV doesn't publish the frequency on the RF remotes (advanced tech support laughed at me, and even the supervisor said they didn't know, nor did they have any way to find out), so I don't know what exactly they operate on, but I found somewhere on this site (here) that it's 430Mhz. With that many sensors, could that be my problem?

 

[oldford]

That would be my bet. Those are probably part 15 devices, meaning that they may interfere with other part 15 devices (remote controls) and it is the responsiblity of the owner/operator to deal with interference issues (no help from FCC engineering).

You could shut down the alarm system briefly to confirm, if allowed.

Not sure if you could use some sort of hardwire IR extender, if even available.

May the Force be with you!

Regards, Eric

 

[ProWire]

UPDATE:

I relocated the receiver for TV1 to a shelf just below the tv. It's still out of sight and the RF works perfectly. There's no place to put the TV2 receiver and keep it out of sight, except maybe in the drop ceiling, but for now it actually seems to have better reception. It's still a little laggy, but they're satisfied.

TV1 wouldn't work from 3 feet away, and now it's working from 30, just by moving it out of the field.

 

[oldford]

Glad you got it going!