Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Remote Control Lighting

Does anyone have experience/recommendations for HT IR lighting? I've got an IR cable run to my projector, which could easily be turned to hit the location of the light switch as well, so I think it should be pretty straightforward to integrate the lighting into my Universal Remote (Home Theater Master MX-800 - an oldie but goodie).

I see Home Depot sells the kits that include the switch, dimmer controls, and remote (from which my remote could learn the commands).

Any advice or recommendations outside of that plan?

Thanks!

I bought the Lutron dimmers from Home Depot and control them with my Harmony, sound like what you are looking at, pretty easy to setup and not to expensive. Plus everyone loves when I dim the lights from the couch with the remote.

That's the effect I'm going for too. I went and picked up the hardware last night, planning to install today. I specifically told myself I would not do this job until AFTER I had the Axioms...

if I manage to fry myself working with the high voltage, at least I will die having experienced the pure sonic bliss of the Axiom Home Theater. Assuming I live through it, I'll let you know how it goes.

That sounds very cool, what model Lutron did you get?

Lutron Maestro IR (Model MIR-600THW-WH). I installed it this morning and it works well. It is a little finicky when I try to use it with my MX-800 remote. That remote works via RF, converts the RF to IR, and then sends the IR back out to 6 emitters that you can hide around the room to hit the components you need it to without actually aiming at anything...

Anyway, strangely, it works just fine when using IR from the MX-800 only, but when I try to use the RF function and have it emitted on the add-on emitters, it doesn't work unless the emitter is within 3 feet of the 'eye' on the wall switch. I googled it and found out that the bands of frequencies it accepts are apparently very narrow so you might have problems with some learning remotes.

In the end, it works fine with just the IR setting on my remote, so I'm keeping it and will try to put the rest of the mysterious behavior out of my mind.

It is the coolest $40 addition I can imagine making to my Home Theater.... I'm very happy with it.

Thanks, I am going to pickk one up this afternoon. I'm using an IR Harmony so should be good.

The dimmer comes with a one-gang switch and wall plate. The only thing to keep in mind is if you have a double wall switch (or anything but a single one) you have to buy a separate double-switch frame and a separate paddle switch for the other switch in the room.

Let me know how it works out for you.

I'm not sure how extensive your lighting will get to be, but let me suggest you invest in a phase coupler/repeater and install it on your electrical box. World of difference in assuring that the command button you push ends up in the activity you want.

If you mean something like the X-10... the option has crossed my mind, but it looks like a lot of their stuff requires RF controls to operate, which means I'd have to have another remote just for the X10. For now, I don't need it, but I have thought about it briefly. Definitely some fun things that could be done with that addition.

I bought the dimmer as well.. was going to install over the weekend but was fighting the flu instead. I'm still waiting for my wall plate. The first one I ordered showed up broken, so another is on the way.