This post is targeted to those who have many DIRECTV HD receivers (HD DVRs or standard HD receivers) stacked up in a single cabinet or in a space in which infrared signals could conflict. We encounter this situation with customers doing installations in sports bars or in large residences with a central media room.
As we have previously written, if you have just two receivers, you can use different infrared (IR) codes to control two different DIRECTV receivers independently. Alternatively, DIRECTV HD receivers can be controlled using RF (which works through walls and has a longer range than IR), but you will need to purchase an RF remote (RC64R or RC64RB) to do the trick.
As it turns out, our earlier post about using RF was inaccurate. We provided instructions that referred to a specific code to enter to enable RF. As it turns out, that code is uniquely generated based on the last six digits of the unit’s receiver identification number (RID) . The communication between an RF-enabled remote and a DIRECTV receiver is thus based upon the receiver’s unique RID. As a result, it is possible to have a near limitless number of HD receivers stacked up, all using unique RF frequencies to ensure that there is no remote conflict. Pretty slick.
Keep in mind that RF doesn’t have a limitless range, so if you are doing an installation in a massive bar or residence, you’ll want to be sure that the RF range is acceptable given the size of the location and ambient interference. If it is acceptable, then you can rely on DIRECTV RF remotes to do the trick. In fact, a single DIRECTV remote can control up to 3 specific receivers.
If this solution doesn’t work, there is a much more expensive option: The HR21-PRO, which has an IR input for direct hard-wired control, as well as an RS-232 input.
