» X10 POWERMID Remote Control Extender Kit PM5900

X10 POWERMID Remote Control Extender Kit PM5900 Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Disappointing range
Comment: I am using the Powermids to control a DVR in the basement from the first floor in order to send its output to two televisions simultaneously. The RF signal travels through the floor to the basement just fine, and I was able to position the receiver (re-transmitter) within a few feet of the DVR. Unfortunately, the transmitter which receives the original signal from the remote does not perform well at all. Once I am more than seven feet away from the Powermid, the light inside flashes indicating that an IR signal is being detected, but the signal does not control anything. The remote I am using is the standard DVR remote provided by the cable company with brand new name-brand batteries. Even with weak batteries, this remote was able to control the DVR directly from all the way across the room. In general, these Powermids seem to have the best ratings among IR repeaters, so maybe I was expecting too much. The package states a 20-foot range but I max out at seven feet. They still suit my needs, but are not as convenient as I thought they would be - too much reaching is required to get the signal to receive correctly.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: JUNK JUNK JUNK!
Comment: This is nothing more than garbagecan "fodder". these little pyramids are just plain JUNK! Don't waste your money! They worked pretty well (not perfect) for a time but now failed completely!

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Dead on arrival
Comment: Purchased new but this was dead on arrival. Fortunately the seller quickly refunded my money, but it was a waste of time.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Works great multi-room too
Comment: I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. Most of the reviews I have read about the Powermid are where someone put their A/V gear in a closet in the next room or in the basement directly below the living room. These weren't very helpful to me in solving my problem. I want to control my TiVo in the living room from my bedroom. The bedroom is about 45' away from the living room, and there is a right angle in the hallway connecting the two rooms. The radio signal has to penetrate no less than 3 walls to reach the receiver.

I read such glowing reviews of the Powermid, I thought I might as well give it a try. It probably couldn't be any worse than the IR/Radio repeater set I paid about 25% more for at Radio Shack. The Radio Shack unit was horribly unreliable, had to be positioned and repositioned and I would have to hold the remote at a funny angle right in front of the transmitter to get it to work. And then it was intermittent at best.

The Powermid works flawlessly. I plugged it in, and it just works. Every click works every time. I have the receiver/IR emitter up high on a shelf, not even directly aimed at the TiVo. The transmitter sits across the bedroom from where I have the remote. I think the Powermid's stellar performance is due in part to the reasonably sized antenna on the receiver unit. No visible antenna on the transmitter unit improves the aesthetics. The power supply is via a standard 110-volt cable, no floor slugs or wall warts, and the cords are plenty long.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: I liked it so much I bought another
Comment: This product works very well.

The IR receiver in the X10 could be a little more sensitive (one or two of my remotes only work within six or seven feet of the x10 IR receiver).
This limited placement, but not much. The units are small so it's easy to find a place for them. The X10 has a normal AC cord, not a wall adapter (which is great since way too many wall adapters cover up remaining outlets when plugged in.)

The RF link in the extender is very good. I have one set of X10s placed twenty feet apart and operation is very reliable.

'great value for the money.

---

More Reviews for X10 POWERMID Remote Control Extender Kit PM5900