Difference between RF & IR?

[tylerbonezjonez]

I have a R22 Receiver and I was wondering what the difference between RF & IR remote was? Before I had my R22 replaced, the remote seemed to work better with the old receiver, now it seems like I have to actually point the remote at the receiver before it will do anything, before I didn't have to do that. Any suggestions?

 

[Ronnie-]

RF is radio frequency, meaning it will work out of the room.
IR is infrared, meaning you have to point it at the box.

What did you have before, a different R22?

 

[kjlued]

IR = Infer Red
RF = Radio Frequency

IR has to have a line of sight
RF will work from another room

The R22 is both IR and RF capable, the question is if the remote is.

If it the remote has the letter "R" after the numbers it is.
Examples

RC65 = Basic IR remote (no RF capabilities)
RC65R = both IR and RF capabilities

Other distinction letters after numbers are
X = self programing (only works with 24 series receivers)
B = Back lit

If your remote is not RF capable, pm me and I will get you cheap.

 

[tylerbonezjonez]

RF is radio frequency, meaning it will work out of the room.
IR is infrared, meaning you have to point it at the box.

What did you have before, a different R22?

Yes I did

 

[BobStokesbary]

Other distinction letters after numbers are
X = self programing (only works with 24 series receivers)
p.

What does "self programming" mean?

 

[tylerbonezjonez]

IR = Infer Red
RF = Radio Frequency

IR has to have a line of sight
RF will work from another room

The R22 is both IR and RF capable, the question is if the remote is.

If it the remote has the letter "R" after the numbers it is.
Examples

RC65 = Basic IR remote (no RF capabilities)
RC65R = both IR and RF capabilities

Other distinction letters after numbers are
X = self programing (only works with 24 series receivers)
B = Back lit

If your remote is not RF capable, pm me and I will get you cheap.

Mine says RC65.. wouldnt u know I have 3 spare ones and they are all the same lol

 

[kjlued]

What does "self programming" mean?

When you go to program the TV in to the remote, you only have to point it at the receiver and it will enter the codes in itself.
Pretty cool when it picks the right code the first or second time (which it usually does on newer TV's) but a PITA when it does not.
That feature will currently only work with the H24 and HR24 and the both come with X remotes.

 

[kjlued]

Mine says RC65.. wouldnt u know I have 3 spare ones and they are all the same lol

The only receivers that come with RC65R remotes are HD/DVR's

If you want one or more, let me know.
I have a few brand new ones w/batteries laying around.
I will give them to you for $10ea + $5 flat rate s&h ($5 no matter how many you buy as long as I can fit them in a flat rate box).
D* will charge you $20+ ea.

 

[tylerbonezjonez]

This is a HD Receiver an R22

 

[kjlued]

No, an HR22 is an HD receiver.
The R22 is the same receiver but lacks the HD programming.
However, it can be upgraded with HD programming making it HD.

However, the original purpose of the R22 was standard def which means it came with an IR only remote.

 

[kjlued]

Direct TV has seemed to be unifying their model numbers better

H = high def
R = recorder (standard def)
HR = HD Recorder

 

[dishrich]

The R22 is both IR and RF capable

But NOT at the same time - except for one kind of R15, ALL other D* receivers can only do either IR or RF at one time...

Needs to be metioned, because it WOULD be nice if it worked both ways.
This way you could get by with an IR only remote in the room where the receiver is located & RF in the secondary rooms.
And most folks assume that it does...like other RF/IR receivers do...

 

[Mr Tony]

so I've got 2 different remotes for my 2 HD R22's
one say RC64...one says RC65

wonder what the difference is?

 

[wildbill129]

so I've got 2 different remotes for my 2 HD R22's
one say RC64...one says RC65

wonder what the difference is?

1

 

[dishrich]

The only difference between those 2 particular IR only models is just a new model# w/more codes.
However, there are actually FIVE variations of the RC65 remote currently available:

RC65 - IR only, replaces RC64
RC65R - RF version of RC65, replaces RC64R
RC65X - IR only, but adds 2-way prog from the H/HR24 series receivers (normally comes standard w/H24 receivers)
RC65RX - RF version of RC65X (normally comes standard w/HR24 receivers)
RC65RB - backlit version of RC65R, replaces RC64RB (NO 2-way prog)

 

[kjlued]

But NOT at the same time - except for one kind of R15, ALL other D* receivers can only do either IR or RF at one time...

Needs to be metioned, because it WOULD be nice if it worked both ways.
This way you could get by with an IR only remote in the room where the receiver is located & RF in the secondary rooms.
And most folks assume that it does...like other RF/IR receivers do...

Yeah, I know not at the same time which really sucks.
I wasn't even aware that there was a R15 capable model of doing both.
Every time I programmed an r15 to RF it knocked out the IR capability.

I can certainly understand why some would want the capability to knock out IR but you should be able to choose.

That being said, if you choose to do an RF set up in order to Mirror the TV to another room, then plan on buying 2 RF remotes
You also need to program the codes in both before closing the screen out or you will have to take the receiver back to IR and then go back to RF again to program the remotes.
Just saves you a couple steps this way.

 

[dishrich]

Yeah, I know not at the same time which really sucks.
I wasn't even aware that there was a R15 capable model of doing both.
Every time I programmed an r15 to RF it knocked out the IR capability.

Well it was ONLY 1 manufacturer of an R15 (the last 3 digits of a receiver's model# tell you who actually made it - there is a list somewhere on this site of which manufacturer each digit stands for) so it was only a subset of R15 models. AND, I believe the way it worked is - you did NOT actually switch the receiver to RF, but JUST the remote, & it would still respond to IR remotes.

I can certainly understand why some would want the capability to knock out IR but you should be able to choose.

Truthfully, I really don't - DISH has ALWAYS had both enabled & I've never seen anywhere where anyone wanted it otherwise...

You also need to program the codes in both before closing the screen out or you will have to take the receiver back to IR and then go back to RF again to program the remotes.
Just saves you a couple steps this way.

Not true at all - once the receiver is in RF mode, & as long as you already know the programming sequence on the remote portion, (the RID #'s, & the rest of the prog sequence) you can even do it to add or replace RF remotes. (you DO know the RID# is on a sticker next to the access card behind the front door) I've done DOZENS of RF remotes w/out ever needing going into the receivers menus...

 

[Edmund]

As for the R15's, it wasn't just one manuafacturers unit that can both do IR & RF, the majority if all not All the R15's could do it. Along with R16's too.

 

[kjlued]

Truthfully, I really don't - DISH has ALWAYS had both enabled & I've never seen anywhere where anyone wanted it otherwise...

I have been in some houses where the receivers were close enough that an RF remote from one room would effect on in another.
Even hooked up receivers in the same rooms for PIP or to different TVs (like in a game room) so somebody could watch 2 different football games at the same time.

Not true at all - once the receiver is in RF mode, & as long as you already know the programming sequence on the remote portion, (the RID #'s, & the rest of the prog sequence) you can even do it to add or replace RF remotes. (you DO know the RID# is on a sticker next to the access card behind the front door) I've done DOZENS of RF remotes w/out ever needing going into the receivers menus...

Ok. but I am trying to put it a layperson standpoint of where they understand it and not the tech tricks that we need to know to get by day to day.
If this was the installer forum, I might explain things differently.

 

[kjlued]

As for the R15's, it wasn't just one manuafacturers unit that can both do IR & RF, the majority if all not All the R15's could do it. Along with R16's too.

Definitely not all as I have tried it with some and no luck.

Can't say I have tried an R16 though.