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What's an IR Blaster, and why does my smart TV have one?

Sure, an IR blaster can extend your remote's range, but it's also integral to new smart features.

Home theater systems sometimes need IR blasters Credit: Getty

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Back in the good ol' days, all you needed to enjoy your television was its bundled remote… and the remote for your cable… oh, and the remote for your surround system.

OK, so maybe those weren't the "good ol' days." Fast-forward to the present: We can now use a single remote—one of the best universal remotes available—to control our television and cable box.

Unfortunately though, the universal remote market isn't as robust as it once was. In April 2021, Logitech announced it was discontinuing the Harmony line after dominating the universal remote market for years. While they can still be found for purchase, it's only a matter of time before they follow Keyser Söze's lead and disappear into nothing.

There are other universal remote options if you can't find a Harmony (or the price is through the roof), even if they aren't as sleek. The SofaBaton X1 has much of the same functionality offered by the Harmony remotes of yore, including Alexa and Google connectivity. Or you could go all in on Alexa and pick up the third-generation Amazon Fire TV Cube for a streaming device that allows for voice control.

Buy the SofaBaton X1 at Amazon

Buy the Fire TV Cube at Amazon

In some cases even the best universal remotes don't match up with older hardware. This is especially true if you have a remote that works via Wi-Fi and hardware that relies on infrared communication. In these situations, you'll often find a little piece of gear called an IR blaster included with some of the best TVs. They can also be purchased separately. But what are they and why would you need one?

What is an IR blaster, and how does it work?

An infrared (or IR) blaster is a gadget that accepts some sort of input from your remote and "blasts" it via infrared to the IR-compatible device you're trying to control. One common example is with some smart remotes, like the Logitech Harmony Elite.

This remote doesn't have to communicate directly with your device. Instead, the remote talks with the Harmony Hub.

You can attach mini IR blasters to the hub and these blasters can then send your commands to devices like your cable box, stereo receiver, or Blu-ray player.

The main reason you'd something like this is you don't have to have line-of-sight with the device you're controlling; only the IR blasters and the hub they're attached to have to be near your boxes.

This means you can place boxes out of the way (or even sometimes hidden in an AV closet) and still control everything as if they're out in the open.

How it works with a cable box

To communicate with a cable box, an IR blaster must align to the same infrared frequency. Luckily, this is done automatically during the setup process of capable smart TVs.

You will be asked for your zip code and what cable service provider you use, and sometimes the make and model of your cable box.

After answering these brain-busters, your TV will adjust to the proper frequency, and ask you to change the channel to make sure the blaster is working.

Are there any other benefits to using an IR blaster?

We’ve reviewed some TVs that have terrible IR sensors on them: Pressing a button on the remote will not do anything unless it is pointed directly at the sensor. There are no (appropriate) words for this kind of frustration.

This brings us to an additional benefit of using an IR blaster: It can extend the range of your remote, and it can overcome obstacles. Since this device is pumping out a stronger signal than your TV or cable box, you can sit at a comfortable distance away from your electronics and still change the channel, plus the signal will go through certain walls. Cable box blocked by a stack of Blu-rays? Not a problem.

What devices are compatible with IR blasters

IR blasters aren't as commonplace as they used to be. You can occasionally find IR blasters on some phones. But as we detailed above, the most common compatible devices are universal remotes like the Logitech Harmony series (RIP). IR blasters are also found with some older streaming boxes, which use them to control your TV from anywhere you have an internet connection. This is how you're able to change the channel while streaming your live TV from anywhere.

Buy the SofaBaton X1 at Amazon

Buy the Fire TV Cube at Amazon

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