In common with all wireless equipment, the DigiEye can be upset by local interference. This comes in two ways. 1. The LED on the DigiEye should flash when it "sees" a remote control handset signal. However, it can be blinded by sources of infra-red such as sunlight and electric fires. If it doesn't flash when you operate the remote control then move a little closer. Its range is limited because we don't want it to respond to signals coming through the window from your neighbour's remote control! However infra-red radiation can reduce its range even further so check this if the range seems too short. Also make sure that the battery cells in your remote control are up to scratch.
2. The wireless signal can be swamped by electrical interference. This can come from a DECT phone, a mobile phone, a microwave oven, fluoresent lights and "energy saver" lights, Plasma screens, LCD screens, as well as less common transmissions such as a "Snooper" radar defeater as fitted in some cars by people who like to drive fast! Also LAN computer connection systems working on 2.4GHz.
In addition, other electrical equipment such as your TV set or computer monitor can affect the DigiEye if it is too close.
3. If your equipment seems to be responding to remote control signals from a neighbour, select a different "channel" using the switches on the rear of the units.
99% of all reported problems turn out to have a logical cause such as those mentioned above so please read these paragraphs again. Switch off anything that might be causing a problem and move the DigiEye systems away from other electrical equipment.
The magic eye needs to be 6-12 inches in front of the box to be controlled.
The DigiEye remote control extender was built as part of the Digisender range of products. All these products use magic eyes which are designed to be placed directly in front of the source device. With a DigiSender the limiting factor is that the unit needs to be attached to the satellite box etc. via a scart lead and thus the unit will need to be close to the equipment.
With the DigiEye system the magic eye lead is used for 2 main reasons:
1: The device has been designed for a specific application - changing channels on previously unsupported PACE cable boxes on NTL and TELEWEST which utilise an IRDA protocol for the remote control.
2: Due to the high speed of an IRDA signal it is more susceptible to interference and degradation due to range. What the DigiEye does is to receive a signal from your remote control (basically a series of high speed IR flashes), converts this to a radio format to be transmitted to the receiver and then the signal is reproduced by the magic eye. The further away you are from the receiver, the poorer the signal that will be picked up and the performance of the system will be reduced. Also the further away the magic eye is from the source device, the poorer the signal will be that is received by the source device. However, you will find that a VCR (for example) uses a standard RC5 protocol which is lower speed and less affected thus giving a longer range. Occasionally some equipment may not like a signal that is sent via a remote relay but this is extremely rare and can sometimes be caused by varying tolerances in source equipment IR remote systems.
On the DigiSender range we supply multiple magic eyes (one for each input). I believe that I have spoken to one other customer with a similar setup. Experiments with our DG200X2 magic eye (2 eyes) and the DG400X4 magic eye (4 eyes) showed that the 2 eyes could be used with the DigiEye but unfortunately the 4 eyes can not (I believe that the DG400X4 has a slightly different drive circuitry for the 4 eyes). I would need to confirm this as this was some time ago that I tested this.
The overall limiting factor regarding the range is the high speed of the signals used not the output power of the system.
Some houses are built with internal plasterboard that is backed with aluminium foil. This will effectively block all radio signals. You can check your plasterboard with cheap a "pipe locator" device.
Some older houses use a type of lath and plaster combined with steel "chicken wire". This will effectively block all radio signals. You can check your walls with cheap a "pipe locator" device.
Symptom:
The receiver has the power LED on & a light green LED pulsating gently. The transmitter just has the power LED on (sometimes you need to move it to get that to come on). Whatever you do (i.e. point remote controls at it) no other lights come on.
Cure:
This is a known issue when Digieyes are sent through the post. The PCB sits in a socket & it shakes out in the post. Unscrew the 3 screws & put the PCB back in place.
When the digieye is working (and a remote is pointed at it), all 3 LEDs light up.
If you need more help, click HERE to visit the manufacturer's web site where you will find a discussion forum. Click on the link "Technical Support". If you have any problems we would be pleased to hear from you with the symptoms and solution to publish here.
(Tech Support Forum not there at present so please click on orange Forum tab at the top of this page, instead. We have an AEI section in our own forum).
