When you choose a remote control for your projection screen, you have the choice between Infrared or Radio Frequency. Let’s have a look at the advantages of Radio Frequency remotes and how you can put them to work for you.
The 3 main advantages of radio frequency remotes
There are 3 big advantages: great reach, can be perfectly hidden and low installation cost
1. Radio Frequency has a great reach
A Radio Frequency signal has a great reach. Compared to Infra Red signals, RF signals travel a lot further. Twice to 3 times as far, which means that where an IR signal maxes out at 10 meters (about 33 ft), your RF signal only maxes out at around30 meters (or about 100 feet). So when you have a big room, you will benefit from an RF remote. It saves you from walking to the receiver you to get your projection screen to roll up or down.
2. Radio Frequency receiver units can be hidden perfectly
IR signals need a free line of sight, so nothing can block their way. If there’s something in the way, the signal will not reach the receiver. RF signals will travel through wood or stone. This means you can hide the receiver unit above your ceiling or behind a wall. Or even behind the projection screen’s case, if you don’t have space anywhere else. That’s a big benefit, because you don’t want to see receiver units in your home. They’re not nice looking, so best placed somewhere you can’t see. And that’s exactly what RF technology allows you to do.
3. RF remote controls can lower your installation cost
If you want to lower your installation cost, you want to use as little wire as possible between the screen, the receiver and mains power. Because the RF signal travels far and through walls, your free to place your RF receiver anywhere you want. So find the shortest distance between mains and the screen and place your receiver unit in between. There’s no need to think about accessibility with regard to the signal. This allows you to save the cost of running long lengths of cable just because the receiver needs to be in sight. The result: savings in hardware cost (wire) and installation cost (as a certified contractor has to do this sort of installation)
Summary
There’s only one reason to chose for an IR remote and that’s the compatibility with programmable remotes. If you prefer lower cost, a bigger reach or a nicer looking room, RF is the way to go.
