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[steven r]

Has anyone tried the Smart RF Repeater (SR731)?
If so, what do you think about it?

[KDR]

I have window/door security sensors out in the garage about 50' away. My RS49-1000 can see the RF from them but not my CM15A. I got the SR731 and put it in a window looking out towards the garage and that helped. The CM15A now sees the RF from them. However it did not seem to help with the standard RF from the 2 button keyfob or creditcard remotes.

It is working for what I wanted it for but if I could find something better and it would work with the CM15A and AHP I would get it. Not totally happy with its results.

[vhoang]

Got one stuck upsidedown on my home soffit (the roof trim).   My crude test shows that it can pick up signals from four houses down  along the sidewalk when I place it in the front-center-top of my house.

That's about 130ft unobstructed.

I couldn't go very far with it on the ground or tabletop level.

[tom j]

Got one stuck upsidedown on my home soffit (the roof trim).   My crude test shows that it can pick up signals from four houses down  along the sidewalk when I place it in the front-center-top of my house.

That's about 130ft unobstructed.

I couldn't go very far with it on the ground or tabletop level.

Say when you use the repeater is there a lag, x10 already takes a little time to transmit and I heard that with the repeater it's really noticeable. Thanks

Tcj

[vhoang]

The repeater adds about a second delay.

X10 remotes transmits a stream of between 3-7 repeated
complete x10 messages.   The original delay is a matter
of the detection program waiting to get at least 2-3
repeated messages before raising an event.

If a program waits for all messages, then it can take upwards
of about 700ms.   Almost 1 second of messages before a
message gets triggered to the application.  + 1s repeater
delay + 300ms practical transmit delay between HC & UC onto the
powerline can seem like forever.

In the best case, which I've tested with a custom program
and a W800, it's pretty much instant on detection of 1
complete x10 signal with the bit compliment validation.

onto the powerline is sub second for a command.
It seems instant, not noticable between remote and on.... 

except when sent only by repeat message from the repeater.

[bronco]

Watch out for using the Ninja base with smart repeater:
 The date code of 03E22 on a SR731 indicates it will work with Ninjas
   and  Vanguards.  Older codes do not retransmit those commands.
My date codes are all  02K48,   I assume the 02=2002

They are advertised as being able to use 4 of them to extend the range to about 600 ft or so.
The directions are very confusing as to how to do this.
One says ABCD are all the same, so if you had four set one =A, next=E next=i  next=m
Other instructions indicate to set one=A,two=B,three=C,four=4

I spent a lot of time tying this with a Ninja before x10 finally told me that my units were not compatable with the Ninja.
I have three.
One X10 rep says they re-transmit all house codes regardless of what the housecode is set to on the sr731.

[Charles Sullivan]

My SR731 has date code sticker 05I37 and I can't say whether or not it's retransmitting the Ninja Pan/Tilt commands.  There's no indication from the LEDs that anything is happening with these commands as I see with standard and security commands. 

There are other issues as well with range and selectivity so I might possibly just have a bad unit.

[bronco]

First just use the handheld transmitter to try it with. (CR14A)  If its outside go to one side of the house so you can see the sr731 but not the Ninja, from the ninja you should be able to see the sr731.  Then try a preset, center or something and see if it moves.

[tom j]

The repeater adds about a second delay.

X10 remotes transmits a stream of between 3-7 repeated
complete x10 messages.   The original delay is a matter
of the detection program waiting to get at least 2-3
repeated messages before raising an event.

If a program waits for all messages, then it can take upwards
of about 700ms.   Almost 1 second of messages before a
message gets triggered to the application.  + 1s repeater
delay + 300ms practical transmit delay between HC & UC onto the
powerline can seem like forever.

In the best case, which I've tested with a custom program
and a W800, it's pretty much instant on detection of 1
complete x10 signal with the bit compliment validation.

onto the powerline is sub second for a command.
It seems instant, not noticable between remote and on.... 

except when sent only by repeat message from the repeater.

Thanks! I really found the info helpful, thought it would be much longer but I guess we'll just talking about an extra fraction of a second in most cases is that correct, I'm refurring to just one command.

Tcj

[Charles Sullivan]

First just use the handheld transmitter to try it with. (CR14A)  If its outside go to one side of the house so you can see the sr731 but not the Ninja, from the ninja you should be able to see the sr731.  Then try a preset, center or something and see if it moves.

Ahh!  After spending 3 or 4 hours testing this particular unit, I'm giving it up as defective.

[Snoochy]

Unfortunately, I too bought a SR731 and it did not work for my purposes...so it was a waste of $40.  I had a door/window sensor that was too far from the CM15A and did not pick up the signal, but the security console DS7000 did.  Even with the repeater, it did not pass the signal on properly.  On top of that, the repeater unfortunately kept repeating door openings and closings one to many times, so each time I closed the door, it would repeat the signal, therefore making my security believe the door was still open.  It therefore did not let my arm my console properly.  I basically had to unplug it put it away, and just live with the poor reception of the CM15A...too bad it was not as strong as the receiver on the DS7000...now that is a unit that picks everything up...despite the distance!

[Jollydodger]

I had a similar experience, it didn't even test right from the get go.

First just use the handheld transmitter to try it with. (CR14A)  If its outside go to one side of the house so you can see the sr731 but not the Ninja, from the ninja you should be able to see the sr731.  Then try a preset, center or something and see if it moves.

Ahh!  After spending 3 or 4 hours testing this particular unit, I'm giving it up as defective.

[msandi]

Has anyone tried the Smart RF Repeater with Lola on their computer?

I want to run mp3 songs from my computer so I can have lots of music in the backyard and garage, especially in the summer.
I am hooking up the video to a small TV and the audio to external speakers.  This works but I need to be able to use the Lola remote from the garage to control Lola on my computer.

Anyone had experience with this working?   Thanks!

[paulnoel12]

I also tried using the repeater with my security modules and found it did not work. I eneded up taking a 9 1/2" wire and taping it to the antena on the cm15A which helped and then i fould if i would tape another peice of wire to the side of the transmiter for my sensors i could get up to about 200ft of range try to tape the wire to your receivers and see if it helps.

[Walt2]

Watch out for using the Ninja base with smart repeater:
 The date code of 03E22 on a SR731 indicates it will work with Ninjas
   and  Vanguards.  Older codes do not retransmit those commands.
My date codes are all  02K48,   I assume the 02=2002

They are advertised as being able to use 4 of them to extend the range to about 600 ft or so.
The directions are very confusing as to how to do this.
One says ABCD are all the same, so if you had four set one =A, next=E next=i  next=m
Other instructions indicate to set one=A,two=B,three=C,four=4

There are two different versions of the SR731.   

One way to tell the difference, is that one version uses House Code "M" for its test button.  The other version uses House Code "A" for its test button. 

There seems to be other differences too, in terms of using multiple Repeaters.   One version works in a daisy chain sort of configuration ("One says ABCD are all the same, so if you had four set one =A, next=E next=i  next=m"), and one version works in a star configuration ("Other instructions indicate to set one=A,two=B,three=C,four=4").

And as pointed out, one version seems to support Ninja and the other not.

I have no idea which version is newer or "better".

And yes, it is confusing that X10 choose to use a House Code Wheel (saved a penny?) to select one of four possible Repeater ID's.  The Repeaters, either version, works with all House Codes, regardless of the setting for the ID.