question re: tv and dvr

[wopphil]

I am doing some work to my house and have decided to hang my TV on a wall, without any exposed wires. I am going to put my DirecTV box/DVR in another room, but I need to know how I will be able to control my DVR if it is hidden in another room. Is there some sort of wireless sensor I can get that I can attach to my TV, and which will control the DVR? What if I want to also hook up a DVD player or receiver?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[wopphil]

Also, if anyone can refer me to someone who sets up these kinds of things, please message me their info.

[St1ck]

You can get a RF remote.

Edited January 23, 2014 by st1ckboy

[Jobu]

IR blaster is a device that relays your infrared remote signals to another location.

[nate]

By the way, both of those have a delay.  I tried it once and absolutely hated it.

[Thomas]

I haven't tried it but maybe try controlling it via a smart phone or tablet app?

[Adam]

Just did a wall mount for the first time at our new house. We bought a nice piece of furniture to keep the DVDs and Cox boxes underneath. I'll have to take a pic. Anywho, I was hoping the wires would be a bit less visible. Unfortunately, my Sharp Aquos has only 1 HDMI input (Blu Ray), so we use composite for the cable. The inputs are on different sides of the TV, which kinda sucks. 

 

If anyone knows a way for a Blu Ray and Cable box to share one HDMI input, please let me know. 

Edited January 23, 2014 by Adam

[St1ck]

Just did a wall mount for the first time at our new house. We bought a nice piece of furniture to keep the DVDs and Cox boxes underneath. I'll have to take a pic. Anywho, I was hoping the wires would be a bit less visible. Unfortunately, my Sharp Aquos has only 1 HDMI input (Blu Ray), so we use composite for the cable. The inputs are on different sides of the TV, which kinda sucks. 

 

If anyone knows a way for a Blu Ray and Cable box to share one HDMI input, please let me know. 

 

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Port-HDMI-Pigtail-Switch-Cable/dp/B0030AZ44O/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1390503035&sr=1-1&keywords=hdmi+splitter+1+out+2+in

[Adam]

http://www.amazon.com/Port-HDMI-Pigtail-Switch-Cable/dp/B0030AZ44O/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1390503035&sr=1-1&keywords=hdmi+splitter+1+out+2+in

 

Thanks buddy!

[St1ck]

It has mixed reviews, but my brother picked one up a couple months ago, and he says it works great. 

[Adam]

Cool. Last time I looked into this it wasn't a priority because we had a console up against a wall. Someone told me there wasn't an HDMI splitter that worked. I'll need to buy another HDMI cable too, but it should be worth it. 

 

I don't even care if it doesn't auto-switch between devices. I don't use the blu ray very often

[St1ck]

You can get HDMI cables for $2 on Amazon. Or just do as I do, and just take them from Tank's TV when he's not looking. 

[mrwicked]

Just did a wall mount for the first time at our new house. We bought a nice piece of furniture to keep the DVDs and Cox boxes underneath. I'll have to take a pic. Anywho, I was hoping the wires would be a bit less visible. Unfortunately, my Sharp Aquos has only 1 HDMI input (Blu Ray), so we use composite for the cable. The inputs are on different sides of the TV, which kinda sucks. 

 

If anyone knows a way for a Blu Ray and Cable box to share one HDMI input, please let me know. 

 

Dude!  Never use composite.

 

You just need an HDMI switch. I use this one http://www.amazon.com/Octava-Audio-switch-Optical-output/dp/B009B2NCOE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1390509178&sr=1-1&keywords=octava+hdmi+switch

You don't necessarily need that one though, i use it because I want the separate toslink (optical audio) output and i'm a tech geek so I want to pro quality.

These work too (I bought this for my gf so she can use appletv, bluray, cable on her tv): http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-501BN-Premium-wireless-adapter/dp/B0049SCB2Y/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1390509227&sr=1-5&keywords=monoprice+hdmi+switch

They have a 3x version too which is even cheaper. Also monoprice has some as well for the same price but I've found the kinivo work better. They auto-detect input too.

But best to get a programmable remote to control it all so you don't have to deal with tv remote + blu-ray remote + kinivo remote.

Edited January 23, 2014 by mrwicked

[mrwicked]

I am doing some work to my house and have decided to hang my TV on a wall, without any exposed wires. I am going to put my DirecTV box/DVR in another room, but I need to know how I will be able to control my DVR if it is hidden in another room. Is there some sort of wireless sensor I can get that I can attach to my TV, and which will control the DVR? What if I want to also hook up a DVD player or receiver?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have this setup - TV mounted on the wall and all components in an A/V rack in a different room.

Basically run all your stuff into an HDMI switch, and run a single HDMI and cat5 through the wall to the TV.

Where you mount make sure to do it right - ie have an electrician put an outlet directly behind the TV.

Don't just run a power cable through the wall (that is very illegal wrt code).

 

For control, I use this: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-915-000201-Harmony-Ultimate-Customizable/dp/B00BQ5RY1G

 

Works awesome. Has an LCD touch screen, and you program it.

So "watch blu-ray" will - turn on your tv, tell the HDMI switcher to use input 2, turn on your blu-ray. Then the remote knows to control the blu-ray, but volume control goes to your TV/receiver

Setup takes 10 mins - you just program all your components.

 

It's rad. Software can be a little buggy though.

[mrwicked]

There are a ton of companies that do this. Just google for "wall mount tv" and you'll find plenty.

[Vladfan]

Here is mine that I did about 3 years ago. I just put the components in the cabinet below the TV. I get a ton of compliments on the setup.

 

 

 

[mrwicked]

kick ass dude. looks great.

[Adam]

Dude!  Never use composite.

 

You just need an HDMI switch. I use this one http://www.amazon.com/Octava-Audio-switch-Optical-output/dp/B009B2NCOE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1390509178&sr=1-1&keywords=octava+hdmi+switch

You don't necessarily need that one though, i use it because I want the separate toslink (optical audio) output and i'm a tech geek so I want to pro quality.

These work too (I bought this for my gf so she can use appletv, bluray, cable on her tv): http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-501BN-Premium-wireless-adapter/dp/B0049SCB2Y/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1390509227&sr=1-5&keywords=monoprice+hdmi+switch

They have a 3x version too which is even cheaper. Also monoprice has some as well for the same price but I've found the kinivo work better. They auto-detect input too.

But best to get a programmable remote to control it all so you don't have to deal with tv remote + blu-ray remote + kinivo remote.

 

Thanks dude. Picked up the 3 banger

[nate]

Your surround sound receiver doesn't have multiple HDMI inputs?

[Adam]

I don't have a surround sound receiver. 

[Adam]

I only have 1 ear that works. Surround sound doesn't do much for me.

[mrwicked]

Don't get one - wiring for surround sound is unnecessary these days.

I am going sonos all the way - no receiver needed and no wires.

 

For the playbar it has just the one optical input.

And if you run optical out of a TV they tend to not pass through 5.1 from HDMI inputs out of the optical (I haven't checked if my ZT60 does yet, but the vast majority don't because of the way HDMI is designed). So the workaround is to have your HDMI switch also do optical switching - just like a receiver.

So you send the HDMI to the TV and the toslink to the playbar - add some play:1s and the sub and you have a 5.1 setup completely wireless and all controlled by your iphone/ipad.

Plus you get all the other fun sonos stuff like wireless setup to kitchen/dining room/bathroom/outdoors/deck/etc.

[mrwicked]

Ha I have no ears that work. But I was an audiophile in a former life so I still get a kick out of it. 

[Adam]

Dude, we're a combined 1 for 4. 

 

Call us Albert and Josh!

[St1ck]

I only have 1 ear that works. Surround sound doesn't do much for me.

 

 

Maybe the kid might watch to listen to the Teletubbies in surround. Not everything is about you.