On Tue, 18 Feb 2014, whit3rd wrote:

On Monday, February 17, 2014 2:41:50 AM UTC-8, T i m wrote:

We have recently gained a second set top box / personal video recorder
and they are both (technically) the same. The problem then is the two
remotes affect both units (as they are used independently).

There's no reason to replace any LEDs. You could more easily use
two circular polarizers (right hand and left hand) just like some
stereo-TV and stereo movie systems employ. This would require
filters on the receivers and remote transmitters.

Alas, reflections will complicate matters (the mirror-reflection of
such light changes the handedness...).

Many PVRs come with sockets in back for 'other' inputs than infrared,
you could switch one of your PVRs to a UHF remote (there are UHF receivers
that plug into that backpanel socket); this will generally override IR input,
and only requires you to get one of the universal remotes that has
UHF output, like http://www.x10-store.com/unlerepu.html for instance.

You might have to inhibit the IR output from the universal remote (black
tape?).

Since he says one is close to the remote, all he has to do is connect some
fibre optic from the LED on the remote to the sensor on the unit.

Or, take the LED off the remote, put it on a pair of wires long enough,
and then physically mount the LED in front of the IR sensor on the unit.

It's no different from some old remotes for tv sets and VCRs and cable
converters, which did have the remotes hardwired to them.

Michael