What IR blasters are and why you need them

Infrared (IR) blaster is a mini device that imitates the functionality of an infrared remote control. It accepts commands (e.g. Volume Up or Change Channel) from your remote and tells the IR com device you want to control what to do. It is called a “blaster” because it “blasts” all these commands to all the receivers, allowing them to figure out which ones correspond to them.

How do IR blasters work?
An IR blaster works just like an IR remote control allowing your remote to connect with your entertainment device.  For the IR blaster to work, you need to first pair it with your smart TV system and other devices you want to control.

One of the several advantages of IR blasters is that you do not need to have a direct contact with your TV system to control it. Just the IR blasters and the hub they are connected to need to be close to your smart TV system. This makes it possible for you to control your TV system and other smart home devices together.

Why do I need one?
Closed cabinet control. Universal remotes such as the Logitech Harmony use IR blasters in order to let you control devices like game consoles or A/V receivers even if they are inside your media center.

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