X10 IR Range Extender no longer working ...

[jff]

Over the last several months I have noticed that I am no longer able to control devices thru the IR Range Extender. The distance between the sender and receiver is only about 15 feet with no walls. I can only contol the devices on the receiver side if I hold the control within about 5' of the sender. Also - both sender & receiver lamps are on continually .. no longer blinking when remote control buttons depressed. I have had the unit for about 5-6 years. Could this have gone bad? How to confirm?

Thx

[dave w]

Over the last several months I have noticed that I am no longer able to control devices thru the IR Range Extender. The distance between the sender and receiver is only about 15 feet with no walls. I can only contol the devices on the receiver side if I hold the control within about 5' of the sender. Also - both sender & receiver lamps are on continually .. no longer blinking when remote control buttons depressed. I have had the unit for about 5-6 years. Could this have gone bad? How to confirm?

Thx

What have you changed? New TV? Added CFL lighting?

Turn off all lighting and the TV (especially CFL or LED) in the sender room (TV room) and re-test.

[jff]

There are no LEDs nor CFLs in the room. There have been no changes that I am aware of in that room (all gear is in the same room. Just using the IR extender to needed positioning of a few components).

[Brian H]

If you unplug the ST539 transmitter does the RE549's LED stop flashing?
If you can possibly place a dark box over the ST539 Transmitter does the RE549 receivers LED stop flashing?
With reduced IR reception and constant sending data. It could be some sort of IR interference getting into the transmitter module.

[jff]

There is no flashing occuring. Both receiver side and sender side are on continuously. The receiver side is on but dim..

[kenrad]

There is no flashing occuring. Both receiver side and sender side are on continuously. The receiver side is on but dim..

Those lights should only be on when sending or receiving IR not continuously I would start looking for a Ir source that is flooding the receiver

Ken 

[jff]

I did cover the sender and the receiver still stayed on.

[jff]

I unplugged the sender and the lamp on the receiver went out. When I plug in the sender its lamp is immediately on. Even if I have it a couple of rooms away and completely covered.  Bad sender unit?

[Brian H]

From your findings. The sender unit sounds like it has failed.
Problem is going to be finding one.
When X10 closed its factory in China and is having some basic modules made by an outside source.
The PM5900 or X10 Pro PEX01 complete kits are listed as Discontinued by many vendors.
The ST539 or X10Pro PEX02 extra transmitter are also listed as discontinued.
You may find one in a web search.

[dhouston]

Try covering the sender with a metal coffee can or something similar to be certain it's not some stray IR source. A lot of materials are transparent to IR.

I've seen some old line fluorescents cause Powermids problems.

[pomonabill221]

Just for info here..
I have a transmitter near my cordless phone.
The phone has a plug in headset plugged into the jack on the side of the handset.
When the cable from the phone to the headset is near the IR transmitter, the light glows continuously (depending on position of the cable).
this is due to the noise generated by the phone (it is on hook and in the charging cradle), walking down the cable and the transmitter picking up the noise.
I also have a receiver near my Home theater projector (an Infocus SP-4805), and when the projector is on, I have to position the receiver very carefully (and dress the power lead to the receiver), or it picks up the switching supply for the HPD lamp and swamps out any signal from the transmitters, making it blind to commands to the projector.
So these receivers/transmitters are VERY sensitive to electrical noise and will be blinded if they pickup the noise, so try repositioning the transmitter/receiver/anything that is close to either or both.