Hot Link Pro Remote Control Booster System ( 8225P )
See it at Amazon.com for $109.53Average Customer Rating
(4.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First
(5 out of 5)Great device and great support
This device allows you to extend the range of your remote controls and stick all those ugly components in a closet or basement. There is a little receiver that sends the infrared signal from the remote to wires that are connected to your equipment in a cabinet or other remote location.
I bought this so I could put a satellite box, vhs and dvd player in a cabinet, out of sight in the bedroom. The IR receiver is quite sensitive and the whole system worked like a charm with very little setup time. A lot of A/V pros swear by this system.
NOTE, many plasmas/LCD's emit a lot of IR (infrared radiation) which can interfere with the functioning of the typical IR extender. However, this device seems to be designed with this in mind and apparently works well with virtually all plasmas/lcd's.
To be safe, you may want to actually call the manufacturer to check as to whether the device will work with your particular tv set. As others have noted in their reviews, when I called the manufacturer, I was shocked to find that you can easily get ahold of the inventor. He expressed a rare enthusiasm for his business and his customers and was willing to answer lots of questions about his products. (Quite a surprise for those of us used to computerized voicemail "help" systems or the typical overseas tech support.)
The comment in one of the reviews regarding the short cable between the eye and the box is a fair one. I believe there is another cable that you can buy to fix that although the accessories do run on the slightly more expensive side. Microsmith may also have a new model coming out (fall 06) that addresses this issue.
Note there are a lot of variables governing how well your IR extender system will work--including the kind of equipment you have and how reflective your room surfaces are. So while this is a great product, you may still have to do some fiddling to get it to work out.
(3 out of 5)Not user friendly
This thing DOES work, let me say that up front. However, the design didn't work well with my entertainment center.
The main box was too big to fit through the hole in the back of the entertainment center and the "eye" cable is way too short to run it out the back of and into a good position. Contrary to the
manual you can't really set the eye inside the cabinet hidden behind a door.
The ribbon style cable (with the sensors) was annoying to position. You have to pull the sensors apart and then I worried about the fragility of the individual strands. Since it is built into the main box you have to worry about them breaking.
It took me three days to get the eye positioned in such a way that it worked reliably with my harmony remote.
Overall, I rate it a three because for the price I found myself frustrated and constantly worried that I was going to ruin the unit while trying to get it setup. If you notice the accessory price on the companies website its expensive if you need to replacement parts.
Obviously I'm no expert with this stuff but the one thing I learned is that I should have run the sensors for this thing before I ran any other cables. That might have made it easier to deal with. The biggest problem I have is the length of the cable for the "eye". Its too short to run out the back of your entertainment center to a convenient spot and the eye wasn't sensitive enough to work reliably trying to place it in the places recommended in the instruction paper.
Finally, I want to emphasize that this item does indeed work, my rating has nothing to do with that fact.
(5 out of 5)Great Product
I have no idea what other people are complaining about. This is idiot proof. The cords were plenty long. Customer service A+. The unit is so sensitive that you almost have to put it behind a speaker grill to cut out IR noise. What more do you want. Measure your runs before you order and if neccessary order some extensions.
(5 out of 5)Good product, great service!
Hot Link Pro works well,as advertised. I was attracted by the product, the price (1/2 to 1/3 the cost of competing products), and by another reviewer's comments on the great customer service he got from Microsmith in dealing with a problem. My unit failed after 2-1/2 months. Sent an email to Microsmith at 9:30PM Friday before Memorial Day weekend outlining the problem and what I had tried to solve it. Got a reply in 15 minutes telling me the unit would be replaced and giving me a phone number to call with my address. Called and talked to Marcus. Replacement arrived the following Tuesday and works. Microsmith paid shipping both ways. Great service that all companies should learn to provide!
(5 out of 5)I can't say enough good about this product
It just works! It does exactly what it's supposed to. No tweaking, no fiddling, no hassle. Very nicely designed, great reception, no setup hassles, just an all around A+.
I wish more products worked as well, and as simply as Hot Link Pro. If you're debating about the value @ 80-100 bucks, I can tell you that in my mind, it is with out question worth every penny to have everything tucked away behind closed doors.
A small, but useful detail- In addition to the six IR leads, there is a 7th lead that is connected to a tiny bright green led that you can stick somewhere handy. It gives you great feedback that the system is receiving IR.
Love it, love it love it!
By the way, this is the first really positive review I've written because I'm extremely picky about my products.
Enjoy-