# Directv R15 and RF remote control



## darekd (Oct 11, 2006)

I'm coming back to DTV and an installer will be on Thursday to setup HR20 and R15. I read somewhere that the newest version of software enabled RF remote control on R15. Does R15 comes with RF remote control? If not, where can I get one and how much it cost? Since I'm going to use IR remote on my HR20 can I switch remote controls between units?


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## MLBurks (Dec 16, 2005)

The RF remote does not come with the R15 but you can get one from D* for $25. Once you set the R15 to work with the RF remote, the only way you can still use your IR remote is to change the settings on your R15 back to the IR setting. You would not be able to use both at the same time.


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## darekd (Oct 11, 2006)

Is remote control for HR20 (I think it's RF/IR remote) compatible with R15? Since I'm going to use Harmony to control HR20, I could use HR20 remote with R15.


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## Edmund (Apr 17, 2003)

Yes you can use any White RF remote. if your R15 hasn't recently been upgraded, the RF & IR will work at the same time. When you receive the upgrade, then it will be one or the other. 

without the upgrade all you need to do is attach the RF antenna to the R15 and do the following on the remote:

1. dtv
2. press and hold MUTE & SELECT for two blinks
3. enter 9 6 1
4. press CH UP
5. enter the last 6 digits of the receiver ID #, found on a sticker in the access card compartment.
6. press SELECT


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## personman (Apr 24, 2007)

The RF remote from D* is actually $30 with the antenna. You will need any coax antenna on the R15. The HR20 comes with one built into the unit.


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## bww (Feb 15, 2006)

Edmund said:


> When you receive the upgrade, then it will be one or the other.


Actually that is not the case, at least with my model 500. This has been discussed in the thread on the 113e release listed above.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=92444&page=2


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Hmmm. I'm going to have to try this. I would really like both RF and IR at the same time, and was dissapointed when the R15 "officially" started supporting RF that both were not longer available. Leave the R15 in the IR mode, and set a remote up correctly to do RF and it should work huh?

Carl


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## MLBurks (Dec 16, 2005)

carl6 said:


> Hmmm. I'm going to have to try this. I would really like both RF and IR at the same time, and was dissapointed when the R15 "officially" started supporting RF that both were not longer available. Leave the R15 in the IR mode, and set a remote up correctly to do RF and it should work huh?
> 
> Carl


I tried that with my 300 and it only does one or the other. Not both. At least not anymore.


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## Edmund (Apr 17, 2003)

Good to hear, having just two R15-500's that haven't been updated yet. It would be the first thing I tested after being upgraded.


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## jdmac29 (Jan 6, 2006)

My neighbor has a H20-100 and a R15, I am not sure what model R15 he has but I told him once they enabled the rf feature on the dvr I would run wires for audio/video though his walls so he could watch his recordings on his big screen tv. Can anyone tell me if this is for all R-15's?
Thanks
jdmac29


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## Edmund (Apr 17, 2003)

Yes upgraded or not the RF remote will work on ALL R15s.


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## bww (Feb 15, 2006)

carl6 said:


> Hmmm. I'm going to have to try this. I would really like both RF and IR at the same time, and was dissapointed when the R15 "officially" started supporting RF that both were not longer available. Leave the R15 in the IR mode, and set a remote up correctly to do RF and it should work huh?
> 
> Carl


Carl - Please let us (me) know if it works for you. As I have said in the past, I have been using the rf WITH the ir remote for the past year, including NOW running the 113E release, and I have never had any problems. I have NEVER set the system to RF (as you can using the new update). There are others who are using the RF and IR at the same time so maybe we are not crazy.

Of course you do have to set up the rf remote for use using the 6 digit system number, so be sure and do that.


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## Extreme2KEclipse (May 29, 2007)

bww said:


> Carl - Please let us (me) know if it works for you. As I have said in the past, I have been using the rf WITH the ir remote for the past year, including NOW running the 113E release, and I have never had any problems. I have NEVER set the system to RF (as you can using the new update). There are others who are using the RF and IR at the same time so maybe we are not crazy.
> 
> Of course you do have to set up the rf remote for use using the 6 digit system number, so be sure and do that.


With the new CE Release, you WILL have to choose either RF or IR.

The system defaulted back to IR for those who downloaded the CE. The RF remotes would not work until the settings were updated, then you lost your IR remote functionality.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

bww said:


> Carl - Please let us (me) know if it works for you. As I have said in the past, I have been using the rf WITH the ir remote for the past year, including NOW running the 113E release, and I have never had any problems. I have NEVER set the system to RF (as you can using the new update). There are others who are using the RF and IR at the same time so maybe we are not crazy.
> 
> Of course you do have to set up the rf remote for use using the 6 digit system number, so be sure and do that.


Okay, my R15-500 does one or the other, but not both. Using two remotes (one a standard IR remote, the other an RF remote), I changed the R15-500 back and forth between the IR and RF modes. When in the IR mode, the IR remote worked. When in the RF mode, the RF remote worked. Neither remote would operate the R15 when in the opposite mode.

Carl


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## bww (Feb 15, 2006)

carl6 said:


> Okay, my R15-500 does one or the other, but not both. Using two remotes (one a standard IR remote, the other an RF remote), I changed the R15-500 back and forth between the IR and RF modes. When in the IR mode, the IR remote worked. When in the RF mode, the RF remote worked. Neither remote would operate the R15 when in the opposite mode.
> 
> Carl


Carl did you program the RF remote??? This has NOTHING to do with the r15 system menu. Bascially you leave the system (r15 in IR mode), then program ONLY the RF remote to work with the system (see instructions on this in this forum or with the manual that came with the remote), you put in some codes and most importantly the 6 digit r15 system number.

I think most of the people who are doing this have NEVER changed anything in the r15 system ONLY the RF remote. I can tell you that it certainly works on mine and there are others who have/are doing this and it works.

Edmund listed the instructions above:

on the remote:

1. dtv
2. press and hold MUTE & SELECT for two blinks
3. enter 9 6 1
4. press CH UP
5. enter the last 6 digits of the receiver ID #, found on a sticker in the access card compartment.
6. press SELECT


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## personman (Apr 24, 2007)

That works until you go into the menu and change the setting. (Or it used to work that way)

Either way it does have something to do with the menu, if you put the R15 in RF mode it will *only* accept RF commands.


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## djr (Oct 4, 2006)

IR & RF remotes do not work on my R15-300 since I upgraded to 10B4 last week.

I had them programmed to work together before as detailed in the previous instructions. After the upgrade it defaulted to IR. Changed it to RF and the IR didn't work anymore. Changed it to IR and reprogrammed the RF remote - doesn't work. The lights blink when using either remote but only the one it is set for actually controls the DVR.

Hope they change it back to where both will work.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

bww said:


> Carl did you program the RF remote???


Yes. I had two remotes in my hand. An IR remote and an RF remote (that was correctly programmed for the R15).

When I set the R15 to the IR mode, only the IR remote worked. When I set the R15 to the RF mode, only the RF remote worked.

Previously (before RF was officially supported), both remotes would operate the R15.

Carl


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## outbackpaul (Feb 9, 2006)

This sucks. I use the RF in my bedroom and the IR in the living room where my receiver is. Crap.........


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## Edmund (Apr 17, 2003)

outbackpaul said:


> This sucks. I use the RF in my bedroom and the IR in the living room where my receiver is. Crap.........


You could use RF in both places.


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## personman (Apr 24, 2007)

He probably only has one RF remote though. He would need to buy a second RF remote.


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## bww (Feb 15, 2006)

I don't know what is going on but since this works on my system running the latest release 113e the only thing I can think of is that I have NEVER gone into the system menu and set the remote to either RF or IR (it is on IR as the default). I have just used the RF and IR as before when the RF/IR option was not available on the system menu.

I know one thing, I will never go into that menu if I can keep using my IR and RF at the same time.

If anyone else is able to use their RF and IR together I would be interested in knowing if their circumstances match mine.


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## personman (Apr 24, 2007)

I was able to as well. It seems that after you select one or the other you are locked into one or the other. More than likely you will be forced into picking one when the next download is pushed.


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## bww (Feb 15, 2006)

personman said:


> More than likely you will be forced into picking one when the next download is pushed.


I am currently using the first release (x113E) that has had official support, in the system, for choosing and not selecting has worked for me since IR is the default.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that as long as I never enter a choice I may be able to use both.

Thank you for your confirmation message that I was not going crazy!


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## wrj (Nov 23, 2006)

I have a R15-300 which the original remote (IR). My remote controls both the TV and R15. Hit one button to turn both on or both off. Also, the DirecTV remote controls my TV's volume.

My question is would I lose the TV control and convience of one button control if I switched to a RF remote?

Bill


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## subeluvr (Jan 14, 2007)

wrj said:


> I have a R15-300 which the original remote (IR). My remote controls both the TV and R15. Hit one button to turn both on or both off. Also, the DirecTV remote controls my TV's volume.
> 
> My question is would I lose the TV control and convience of one button control if I switched to a RF remote?
> 
> Bill


No, the RF remote is only RF in the DTV slide switch setting. All the other slide switch settings are IR.

I have 2 R15-300s and the "one button on-off" works perfect on both (after a little help from Edmund the "remote meister").


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## ddeen (Jul 16, 2007)

Are there any third party remotes such as the Harmony or Universal that have RF capability and will control the R15? I don't really want to buy a Directtv remote just to get RF capability, but would buy a progammable Harmony or Universal.


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## Edmund (Apr 17, 2003)

ddeen said:


> Are there any third party remotes such as the Harmony or Universal that have RF capability and will control the R15? I don't really want to buy a Directtv remote just to get RF capability, but would buy a progammable Harmony or Universal.


Not directly, with R15 set to IR, a RF universal remote will communicate RF-ly with its own basestation, which in turn will send IR signals to the r15.

All RF universal remotes are IR only controlling remotes, but use it own RF frequency to do it from afar.


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