Easiest way to control components behind you
 

I've been doing some research on AVSForum for this issue, but the solutions they offer seem way too complex and expensive.

I am finishing up my home theater and had to lay things out so the cabinet containing the components is behind the couch. I don't really want to get into RF remotes and IR blasters - all I really need is something that will bounce the signal from the front of the room to the back. Hell, a mirror might work. In fact, bouncing the signal off my projector screen might work as well (we actually do this in one of our conference rooms at work.)

So what I want to do is point the remote at the screen, have the signal intercepted and sent to the back of the room. Is there such a product?

when working in my old office i would "listen" to the television in the living room. i saw the wall behind it but not the tv itself.

the mirror hanging on that wall bounced the signal to the tv and the components.

Yes, there are RF remotes and IR blasters.

They are as cheap as $40 retail. Exactly how much is convenience not worth to you?

I don't really want to purchase an RF remote, since as near as I can tell I'd have to have receivers on all of my components. All I really want is something that intercepts the signal and shoots it to the back of the room. As I said, it could be a mirror for all I know.

I found the following product:

http://www.x10.com/products/x10_pm5900.htm

That seems to be what I'm looking for, though I don't need something that can go through walls - I just want to redirect the signal. I can't believe this is a weird thing to do.

Those seem to be a bit on the overkill side.

I had a theater installer come out the other day to discuss ideas on my proposed theater. One issue I had was I wanted to put my equiptment in another room, but still be able to control it. His solution was to put an IR or RF eye above the screen wired to an extender in the equiptment room. This way I could just point the controller at the screen, and since it was wired, there would be no delay. Don't recall the cost, but I don't believe it was very much.

I have seen that solution posted elsewhere. It's not a huge issue for me to do this (I still have exposed walls I could run a wire through) but I don't really need something that elaborate.

I am really leaning towards trying a mirror. I'll report on the results :)

It didn't seem too elaborate to me - just a basic cable run. In fact, I am planning on using the same thing on other TVs in the house - keep the dvd player or sat receiver in a closet. This way all I have is a tv hanging on a wall - not visible wires or componets. The wife really likes the idea of the clean look also.

Clean wired system is the best way. You can't see anything in mine, just point the remote generally forward and it works.

But those pyramids are what I was talking about earlier, note the price.