Just finished the basement and built and equipment closet behind the entertainment wall. Does anyone use the Niles RCA3 Remote Control Anywhere Kit or something similar to control their 990?

I use a Xantech system to control my gear because of the way our entertainment center blocks a number of IR sensors (I've got some notes about it here ). Both my Pace cable box and my 990 include rear IR inputs, but both of them require an additional interface module - a Xantech 794-10 for the 990, and I suspect the Pace box requires the same module or a similar one. I decided to be cheap instead and just use an IR emitter stuck over each component's sensor window.

I'm doing the same as gonk, and I found that using the LED blinking emitters make testing/troubleshooting the system a snap.

A simpler option, if it's feasible for your setup, is to use a high-output IR blaster (I believe Niles makes one) that can be mounted on the inside of your cabinet door to control the whole rig.

I have actually built an equipment closet behind the entertainment wall. The rack will be located at the end of the closet back in the bump out. I trying to decide were best to put the IR Sensor. Some say behind the speaker grill, or attached to the LCD, or something else.

I can not figure out how to post images so here is a link to the basement pictures. 2 weeks away until I order the 990/7500 combo.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=69564

You almost had the image posting right - just needed to have a web address ("http://.....") for the images. Of course, a link like that also works.

That's a nice big equipment closet. Will the rear of the rack face into the closet (with the gear fronts visible from the main room), or will the gear face into the closet? I'm guessing that it's going to face into the closet, since you're also storing the media in there.

My IR sensor is a small black box sitting on top of the TV. In a case like yours, though, you could go with a flush mount "button" sensor in the wall above the TV (so that it'll pick up when people reflexively aim the remote at the TV). You could also go with a remote like the MX-850 , which uses RF to broadcast the commands to a base station that then sends out IR to the equipment. There are several other remotes from Universal Remote that cost a bit less and do the same thing (the MX-800, MX-650, MX-600, and MX-350 all support it, as do the URC-100, 200, and 300). In that case, you could eliminate the Niles entirely and just use the RF base station to feed IR to your gear, and you wouldn't have to worry about people aiming at the IR sensor.

I use a Niles MSU140 repeater with my system (including a 990) with no problems. I have the sensor mounted in the ceiling near the screen so I can point the remote more up than forwards, the better to see the buttons, but near enough to the screen that anyone who points the remote at the screen will catch the sensor.

I use two Niles IRB1 blaster type flashers in the closet, mounted facing the 6' high rack front at 1/3 from the top and bottom. One flasher alone didn't reliably catch all the equipment sensors, but two does the trick.

I had to stop looking at your pictures, Chris, as I was getting greener every second - my damn texas house with no basement! Looks like you're going to have a terrific entertainment area there.

The closet itself, per gonk, seems open enough that you can get away with one or two blasters, per 3no's suggestion, and that way you won't have to futz with the sticky blinkers every time you move or replace units.

Please keep the forum updated on your progress - so I can live vicariously through your dedicated home theater...

3no, what IR Sensor are you using with the Nile MSU140 Repeater?
(WS100R, MS200, MS-100, or CS100)

Are you having any issues with using the remote from an angle?