Universal Remote Control MRF-100B, PowerPack Owners manual

MRF100B

PowerBlaster

OWNER’S
MANUAL

No More Pointing..
changing the way a
remote control works!

™

500 Mamaroneck Avenue
Harrison, NY 10528
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

www.universalremote.com

OWNER’S MANUAL

No More Pointing..
changing the way a
remote control works!

Universal Remote Control

MRF100B

PowerBlaster

™

1

™

Congratulations!

Congratulations on purchasing
Universal Remote Control’s
PowerBlaster

PowerBlaster

This changes everything!

When used in combination with
PowerBlaster
RF series remote control (RF10,
RF20, RF30) becomes an amazing
remote control powerhouse that
sends multi-directional RF (Radio
Frequency) signals that pass
through walls, doors and floors –
both indoors and outdoors.

PowerBlaster

It enables you to control
Components that are completely
out-of-sight, up to 100’ away. The
PowerBlaster
remote control radio frequency
signals from any direction,
regardless of distance, so the
remote doesn’t need to be pointed
directly at any Component. Just
imagine – no more pointing! Now
you can close your entertainment

WELCOME

™

MRF100B!

™

, a MasterControl

™

sets you free!

™

picks up RF

center doors, hide your
Components, and still control
them with ease. Control outdoor
speakers on your patio. Control
your Components anywhere!

RF Remotes are ready to go!

One of the best things about this

™

is — nothing has to be done to
the remotes themselves for this
feature to work. Every time you
press a button on one of the
MasterControl
remotes, it sends both a standard

™

RF series

IR (Infrared Command) AND an
RF (Radio Frequency) signal.
When you install the
PowerBlaster
ically receive radio signals from

™

kit, it will automat-

RF series remotes and translate
them into the infrared commands
that control your Components.

Quick Setup DVD Guide makes
installation easy!

The Quick Setup DVD Guide will
assist you in setting up
PowerBlaster
RF series remotes by guiding you

™

to work with your

through an easy step-by-step
process. This Owner’s Manual is
designed as a companion refer­ence source to the DVD Setup
Guide, should you need to refer
back to a particular section, or
review certain instruction detail
not covered in the DVD. However,
if you are unable to watch the
DVD Guide for some reason,
everything you need to know
about setting up PowerBlaster
contained in this Manual.

500 Mamaroneck Avenue, Harrison, NY 10528

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

POWERBLASTER™ Owner’s Manual

The information in this manual is copyright protected. No part of this manual may be
copied or reproduced in any form without prior written consent from Universal
Remote Control, Inc. UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL, INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR OPERATIONAL, TECHNICAL OR EDITORIAL ERRORS / OMISSIONS MADE IN
THIS MANUAL. The information in this manual may be subject to change without
prior notice. MASTERCONTROL, PowerBlaster, MacroPower, and SimpleSound are
trademarks of Universal Remote Control, Inc. All other brand or product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or organizations.

© 2006 Universal Remote Control, Inc.

NOTE: PowerBlaster™is only
compatible with Universal
Remote Control’s MasterControl™
RF series remote controls (RF10,
RF20, RF30). RF series remote
control radio signals will not
control Components directly. You
must have a PowerBlaster™ to
receive the RF remote radio
signals. Also, Components that
came with "no pointing" radio
remote controls cannot be
operated by an RF series remote

™

is

unless the Component can be
switched to standard IR (Infrared
Control) via its internal menus.
Some remote control ceiling fans
are radio only and cannot be
operated by an RF series remote.

2

PowerBlaster

™

WELCOME

3

Here’s How PowerBlaster™Works:

™

1. RF series remote controls (RF10, RF20, RF30) send RF
(Radio Frequency) signals to PowerBlaster™, which is an
RF receiver.

PowerBlaster

2. PowerBlaster
converts RF signals
to IR (Infrared)
commands and sends them out to
components in the same cabinet
space via the built-in front blaster.

™

4

PowerBlaster

™

HOW IT WORKS

HOW IT WORKS

3. Self-adhesive “flashers” (included in the PowerBlaster
kit) affix to the front panels of your components. The
flashers relay commands to components out of sight of
PowerBlaster’s™front blaster. The flashers plug in to
PowerBlaster’s™rear flasher line output jacks. Each flasher
has a 10’ cable to easily reach components on nearby
shelves.

™

5

Parts Guide

™

Quantity Description

1 PowerBlaster™ Receiver with integrated antenna
1 Mounting Plate for wall mounting PowerBlaster™
4 Screws for wall mounting the mounting plate
1 9V-300mA Power Supply

PowerBlaster

6 Flashers with 10 foot plug-in cables.

Red Power LED
lights to indicate when
PowerBlaster is
plugged into an active
AC outlet.

™

Red Status LED lights
when PowerBlaster
receives an RF signal
from an RF series
remote control.

6

The Mounting Plate

™

PowerBlaster

™

PARTS GUIDE

The Mounting Plate
guides enable
PowerBlaster’s™matching
guide to slide and “snap”
into place for mounting
on the wall.

PARTS GUIDE

Front blaster sends
Infrared commands to all
A/V components in the
same cabinet space.

Using the four enclosed screws,
you can choose to fix the mounting
plate to a wall or the back of your
component cabinet.

Integrated antenna swings

™

in any direction to optimize
RF reception and range.

PowerBlaster

Included 9V power supply
plugs into the MRF-100

power connector.

Six flasher jacks on the rear of PowerBlaster™ connect
flashers for control of A/V components out-of-sight of the
front blaster.

Six plug-in flashers are supplied
with 10 foot cables and six extra
self-adhesive pads (in case a
flasher has to be repositioned).

PARTS GUIDE

Program and Test Remote Control First

Don’t connect power to PowerBlaster™until you have pro­grammed and tested the remote control line of sight.
PowerBlaster™ can interfere with testing and programming.

STEP 1:

Turn ON all of your components.

Audio /Video components some­times create RF interference.
Therefore, perform all testing
with all of your components
powered ON (as they will be
when you operate the system).

SETP 2:

Connect the Power Supply.

Connect the 9V power supply to
an active UNSWITCHED AC
outlet. PowerBlaster™ must
always be powered up. The red
Power LED should light up.

STEP 3:

Test Placement of PowerBlaster™.

PowerBlaster™ should be
placed so that the STATUS LED
only lights up when a button is
pressed on an RF series remote
control. It should go out as soon

as the button is released. If there
is any flickering, move
PowerBlaster™ farther away
from the A/V components.

STEP 4:

Orient the Antenna for Optimum
Range. If you need to extend the

range of the remote, try adjusting
the angle of PowerBlaster’s
receiving antenna via it’s pivoting
ball mount.

STEP 5:

Mount PowerBlaster™.

PowerBlaster
concealed and mounted to the
rear wall or back of the system
cabinet. The mounting plate
slides apart from the receiver,
mounts to the wall, then the
receiver can slide back into
place.

™

may be

87

PowerBlaster

™

PROGRAMMING

™

9

STEP 6

™

Test Operation Without Flashers.

With the remote controls
line-of-sight output blocked by
your hand, a book or a pillow;
test the control of your
components using just the front

PowerBlaster

blaster. In most cabinets, the
PowerBlaster’s
control any A/V components in
the same cabinet space by
reflections from the cabinet
walls and doors. Make sure that
the components operate with the
cabinet doors closed or open.
If a component is placed too far
away from the front blaster, you
will need to utilize the included
flashers plugged into
PowerBlaster’s
jacks.

If you have problems with
components that are close to
the front blaster, try repositioning
PowerBlaster

™

front blaster will

™

rear flasher

™

farther away.

PROGRAMMING

STEP 7:

Connect Flashers to Out-of-Sight
A/V Components.

Note:Test the operation
BEFORE sticking the flasher
in place.

Use a flashlight to identify the
correct location of the
component’s IR sensor, then try
a few commands while moving
the flasher around the face plate
of the component. The most
reliable operation typically
occurs a half inch or so away
from the IR sensor. Once you
have found the spot that gives
the most reliable operation, peel
off the protective backing of the
self-adhesive tape on the
included flashers and stick them
in place.

Note: Always replace the
self-adhesive tabs if you have
to reposition a flasher. Six
extra self-adhesive tabs are
supplied for this purpose.

Warranty

PowerBlaster™is covered against any manufacturers defects or
workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase if
purchased from an authorized Universal Remote Control dealer. Units
purchased from online auction sites or other unauthorized resellers
have no warranty. This warranty does not cover the following items:

- Damage from misuse, neglect, or acts of nature.

- Products that have been modified or incorporated into
other products.

- Products purchased more than 12 months ago.

- Units purchased from unauthorized dealers or companies.

Specifications

Power Supply: 9V 300mA
IR Flasher Line Outputs: 2.5mm Mono Mini Jack
RF Frequency: 418MHz

Who can I call for more answers?

The Universal Remote Control Technical Support and Customer
Service staff are ready to answer any questions you might have.

Call us at 1-914-835-4484
Monday - Friday, 9AM to 6PM (EST)

10

PowerBlaster

™

WARRANTY

1 2

The RF20 Remote

WELCOME

CONTNETS

The RF20 Remote

LOCATION OF
CONTROLS

Keypad Layout 3

GETTING
STARTED

Overview 4
Battery Installation 4
Activating Component Commands 5
Light Button 6

BASIC SETUP

Overview 7
Pre-Programmed Code Method 7
Learning Method 15
Transmitting (Busy Signal) Icon. 19
Child Lock Feature 19

CUSTOMIZING
YOUR RF20
WITH SPECIAL
ADVANCED
FEATURES

Customizing the LCD Screen 20

Favorite Channel Setup 23

MacroPower™ Setup 26

SimpleSound™ Setup &
Other 'Punch Throughs' 30

Setting Backlight Options 32

Hiding & Adding Pages 33

Recalling Pre-programmed
Setup Code Numbers 35

Cloning other RF20s 36

ERASING
COMMANDS

Overview 37

Erasing Learned Button,
Macro or Favorite
Channel Commands 37

Re-setting RF20 to Original
Factory Default Settings 39

THE OPTIONAL
POWERBLASTER

TM

PowerBlaster

TM

41

PRE­PROGRAMMED
CODE TABLES

TV 45
CABLE 48
DVD 50
VCR 53
AUDIO 55

SAT 58
CD 59
DVR 61
AUX 62

NOTES 64

Pre-Programmed Code Tables 44

PREPROGRAMMED
CODE NOTES

Pre Programmed Code Notes 43

OTHER
INFO

FAQ 65
Warranty 66
Specifications 66

Congratulations on purchas­ing Universal Remote
Control’s

MASTERCONTROL™
RF20 Pre-programmed and
Learning Remote Control!
You now have the power to
control your entire home
entertainment system with
one easy-to-use remote.
The RF20 can be used with
thousands of audio/video
Components because of the
extensive code library
pre-programmed into the
remote. And, the RF20’s
impressive lineup of special
advanced features can
automate and customize the
operation of your system
in many ways. So... get
ready to sit back, relax
and simplify your home
entertainment experience.

The Quick Setup DVD
Program Guide supplied
with the RF20 will assist you
in programming your remote
by guiding you through an
easy step-by-step process.
This Owner’s Manual is
designed as a companion
reference source to the
DVD Guide, should you
need to refer back to a
particular section, or review
certain instruction detail not
covered in the DVD.
However, if you are unable
to watch the DVD Guide for
some reason, everything
you need to know about
programming the RF20 is
contained in this Manual.

Congratulations!

500 Mamaroneck Avenue, Harrison, NY 10528

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

MASTERCONTROL™ RF20 Owner’s Manual

© 2006 Universal Remote Control, Inc.

The information in this manual is copyright protected. No part of this manual
may be copied or reproduced in any form without prior written consent from
Universal Remote Control, Inc. UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL, INC. SHALL
NOT BE LIABLE FOR OPERATIONAL, TECHNICAL OR EDITORIAL ERRORS /
OMISSIONS MADE IN THIS MANUAL. The information in this manual may be
subject to change without prior notice. MASTERCONTROL, PowerBlaster,
MacroPower, and SimpleSound are trademarks of Universal Remote Control,
Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks
of their respective companies or organizations.

3 4

Keypad Layout

CONTROL LOCATIONS

GETTING STARTED

Overview & Battery Installation

Battery Installation

The very first step is to
insert the four AAA
batteries that are included
in the package into the
battery compartment
located in the back of the
remote. Just press the tab
and lift off the cover.
Please be sure to insert the
batteries correctly as you
see in the diagram.
Remember, there is a
positive and negative end to
each battery and you can

tell by the + (positive) and

- (negative) symbols. Once
the batteries are correctly
installed, replace the cover.
Now you’re ready to start!

Getting Started-Overview

This is what MASTERCONTROL™ RF20 is all about!

The RF20 is designed to operate up to 10 different
Audio/Video Components and is pre-programmed to
operate virtually all brands of TV, VCR, DVD and CD Players,
Cable Set Top Boxes, Satellite Receivers, TiVo and other
DVRs, Audio Components, Tape Decks, Multimedia PCs,
XM Radio, Ipod, X-Box, Lighting Controls and other custom
installation products. It also offers an impressive lineup of
special features designed to provide you with many
time-saving conveniences and enhance your overall
entertainment experience. However, we strongly
recommend that you fully complete all of the Basic Setup
steps before proceeding to customize your RF20 with any of
the special advanced features.

LIGHT

BUTTON

SCREEN-LABELED
DISPLAY BUTTONS

TITLE

FAVORITE
CHANNEL

BUTTONS

changes the page of

buttons displayed

PAG E

NUMBERS

MAIN

BUTTON

takes you to the main menu

FUNCTION

BUTTONS

PAGE

LIGHT

BUTTON

MAIN

BUTTON

TV DEVICE

BUTTON

5 6

Activating Component Commands

GETTING STARTED

GETTING STARTED

LIGHT BUTTON

Activating Component Commands –
Simple, Easy, Intuitive

Once you’ve programmed
RF20 for your Components,
all you have to do to operate
a specific Component is
first, press the MAIN but­ton. This will display Page 1
of the MAIN menu on the
LCD screen. Page 1 of the
MAIN menu displays five
Components. Then, simply
select the Component you
want to operate by pressing
the corresponding Screen­Labeled Component Display
Button on the right side of
the LCD Screen. As an
example, if you press the TV
Display Button, the display
label at the top of the
screen will change from
MAIN to TV, and all the but­tons on RF20 will work your
TV. To operate another
Component, simply press
the MAIN button again to
return to Page 1 of the

Light Button

The fully backlit keypad makes the RF20 easy to use in the
dark or dim lighting conditions. Simply press the LIGHT
button to backlight all the keypad buttons and LCD screen.
To turn off the backlight, press the LIGHT button again, or
just wait ten seconds (the backlight automatically shuts
itself off). Lights out!

Try it out!

MAIN menu and select the
next Component you want
to operate.

If you don’t see the
Component you want to
control on Page 1 of the
MAIN menu, just use the
PAGE (

) ( ) buttons on the
left side of the screen to
bring up Page 2 of the
MAIN menu which displays
an additional five
Components.

Each Component is
provided with five pages of
pre-labeled command
display buttons (or space
for additional command
display buttons). Once
again, simply use the PAGE
(

) ( ) buttons to take you to
the next command page, or
return you to the previous
command page.

MAIN

ENTER

BUTTON

BUTTON

7 8

Overview &

Pre-Programmed Code Method

BASIC SETUP

BASIC SETUP

Pre-Programmed Code Method

STEP 1:

The pre-programmed 3-digit
codes are found in the back of
this Manual on page 44. The
codes are listed by Component
category (i.e., TV, VCR, DVD,
etc.), then by brand name. For
instance, if you want to locate
a code for a Sony TV, first
locate the TV category, and
then look for the Sony brand.

Once you have located the
3-digit code (or in some cases,
several code numbers) for the
Component that you want to
operate with your RF20, write
them ALL down on a piece of
note paper. It’s important that
you write down all the codes
because only one code is going
to work for you.

STEP 2:

Now, turn on the Component
you want to program... let’s say
your TV to start. Look up your
TV’s manufacturer setup code
from your reference list.

STEP 3:

Press and hold the MAIN and ENT
(Enter) buttons at the same time
for approximately 3 seconds, until
the word “SETUP” is displayed at
the top of the LCD screen. This
signals that you are now in setup
mode.

Pre-Programmed Code Method

Basic Setup - Overview

There are two ways to program the RF20:

• The Pre-Programmed Code Method

• The Learning Method

The Pre-Programmed Code Method allows you to set up
all the buttons at once, so it’s the fastest and easiest of
the two methods. The Learning Method allows you to
transfer functions from other remotes (old or new), one
button at a time.

IMPORTANT:
You now have 30 seconds to perform
the next step while you are in SETUP
mode. If you don’t press a button
within 30 seconds, SETUP will disap­pear from the screen, signaling that
you have exited setup mode and you
will need to start over.

9 10

Pre-Programmed Code Method

BASIC SETUP

BASIC SETUP

Pre-Programmed Code Method

P-PRO

BUTTON

FIRST FIVE

DEVICE NAMES

PAGE

BUTTONS

STEP 6:

In this step you verify the type
of component you plan to
operate with this component
button. For example: If you plan
to operate the TV component
with the TV button, simply press
the TV display button once
again. However, if for example
you are setting up AUX to
operate a second DVD Player,
you would first need to press
AUX in Step 5, and then DVD
in Step 6.

STEP 5:

Press the Component display
button you want to program.
For example: If you want to
setup the TV Component
button, press the TV
Component display button. The
display at the bottom of the LCD
screen will flash
“FROM - TABLE”.

The screen will then display the
five Components from Page 1 of
the MAIN menu.

To display Page 2 of the MAIN
menu that lists an additional five
Components, simply press the
PAGE ( ) ( ) buttons.

STEP 4:

Press the P-PRO display button
to select the Pre-Programmed
Method.

ON

BUTTON

VOLUME

BUTTONS

CHANNEL
BUTTONS

PLAY

BUTTON

STOP

BUTTON

NUMBER

BUTTONS

UP & DOWN

BUTTONS

11 12

Pre-Programmed Code Method

BASIC SETUP

BASIC SETUP

Pre-Programmed Code Methoda

NOTE:

If the Component fails to turn off after you have
entered all the code numbers listed for your brand,
you can scan through all the other code numbers
that are pre-loaded into the RF20 for that Component
(in this case TV) by using the UP or DOWN display
buttons on the screen. (There is a chance that your
Component was actually manufactured by another
brand.) However, most of the code tables are so
large that it is usually faster to use the Learning
Method on Page 15.

STEP 7:

Point the RF20 toward the
Component you want to
program, (in this example, TV),
and punch in the 3-digit code
that you wrote down for that
specific Component. Use the
Number buttons 0-9 on the
remote to punch in the code.
If the 3-digit code number that
you just punched in is correct,
the Component will turn off.
If the Component does not turn
off, continue entering code
numbers from your list until the
Component turns off. Some
brands have several possible
code numbers.

STEP 8:

When the Component turns off,
press the ON button to turn the
Component back on. Now you
can test the Volume and
Channel buttons (for TV), or
PLAY and STOP (for VCR and
DVD) to make sure they all
work. If any of the buttons do
not work properly, you need to
find a new correct code. For

example, maybe your Sony TV
turned off with code number 147,
but the volume controls did not
work properly. If this is the case,
try the next code number listed
for that Component until you find
a perfect match.