How to Take Advantage of Radio Remote Controls for Your Projection Screen
When choosing a remote control for your projection screen, you can choose between infrared or radio frequency. Let’s take a look at the benefits of radio remote controls and how you can put them to work for you.
The 3 main advantages of radio remote controls
There are 3 great advantages: long reach, can be hidden perfectly and low installation cost
1.Radio frequency has a long range
A radio frequency signal has a long range. Compared to infrared signals, RF signals travel much further. Two to 3 times farther, which means that when an infrared signal reaches a maximum of 10 meters (about 33 feet), its RF signal only reaches a maximum of about 30 meters (or about 100 feet). So when you have a large room, you will benefit from an RF remote control. It saves you from having to walk to the receiver to make your projection screen move up or down.
2.Radio frequency receiving units can be perfectly concealed
Infrared signals need a clear line of sight, so nothing can block your path. If there is something in the way, the signal will not reach the receiver. RF signals will travel through wood or stone. This means that you can hide the receiver unit above the ceiling or behind a wall. Or even behind the projection screen housing, if you don’t have room elsewhere. That’s a huge benefit, because you don’t want to see receiving units in your home. They are not pleasant, so they are better located in a place where you cannot see. And that’s exactly what RF technology allows you to do.
3. RF remote controls can reduce installation cost
If you want to reduce the cost of installation, you should use the least amount of cable possible between the display, the receiver and the mains. Because the RF signal travels far and through walls, you can place your RF receiver anywhere you like. So find the shortest distance between the network and the screen and place your receiver unit in the middle. You don’t need to think about accessibility with regard to the signal. This saves you the cost of running long runs of cable just because the receiver needs to be in sight. The result: savings in hardware (cabling) cost and installation cost (since a certified contractor has to do this type of installation)
Summary
There is only one reason to choose an IR remote and that is programmable remote control support. If you prefer a lower cost, longer range, or a better looking room, RF is the way to go.