Marmitek Powermid XS not working with Arcam A85 amplifier

[brookheather]

I have just bought a Marmitek Powermid XS remote control extender to control some equipment in a cupboard. It is working fine for all my boxes (including WDTV Live, Humax HD FOX-T2 and Sony BDP-S370) but it isn't working at all with my Arcam A85 amplifier - the amplifier isn't responding to any IR commands.

When the Marmitek transmitter is plugged in I can't even use the original remote control pointed directly at the amplifier. When I disconnect the Marmitek transmitter my remote control works fine. The transmitter seems to be interfering just with the Arcam A85 amplifier. Has anyone got any advice?

I also noticed that the red light on the receiver is frequently on even when I'm not using the remote control - I've tried positioning the receiver in different places but it doesn't seem to make much difference.

 

[makitamark]

Hi, I've found cheaper IR distribution systems display problems such as that you're facing.
They introduce a delay that means the source component cannot pick out the original remote command if by chance it sees both commands at the same time.
Also cheaper IR systems do not have the filtering capabilities sometimes required, your "red light" which is "frequently on" could be due to the system picking up IR from other equipment (Plasma/ LCD/ Sunlight) all these things are filtered out to a large extent by the more Pro kit.

 

[brookheather]

Thanks - I've come to the same conclusion - would this kit from Keene be any better?

Keene Retail Ltd

I'm thinking of returning the Powermid to Keene and paying the extra for this. Any more and I may as well just get the Harmony 900 instead.

 

[logiciel]

What yoiu actually need are the small wired emitters that plug into the extender and get fixed immediately over the devices' IR receptors.

 

[brookheather]

What yoiu actually need are the small wired emitters that plug into the extender and get fixed immediately over the devices' IR receptors.

Yes I've tried that - I have an emitter plugged in and it is directly over the Arcam IR receiver and has a black out sticker over it - but it still doesn't work. The emitter is working with the other equipment fine.

OK - found a solution. The Arcam A85 has a "remote in" socket so I simply connected a regular stereo cable directly between the Marmitek Powermid and the Arcam A85 - it now works perfectly. The blaster still has a single IR LED active which is enough to control the other equipment.