IR vs RF Remote – Which Is Better for Smart Homes?

Many of our devices use wireless technology. It’s indisputable that we can control our TVs from a distance, but what about controlling devices from other rooms? The connection will surely be broken ……

Learn what IR and RF remote controls are and which ones work best when selecting smart home devices so you can make the best decisions regarding smart home renovations!

Using a remote control to control home devices remotely can be quietly satisfying. Trigger fantastic light displays or play your favorite TV show with the touch of a button. We can compare the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used IR vs RF remotes regarding lighting fixtures. Each technology has its strengths and weaknesses depending on the application and environment.

What is an IR remote control?

IR stands for infrared, a wavelength of light. Infrared is just outside the spectral range of visible light for humans, so our eyes cannot see it. This means that when a device is transmitting and receiving IR signals, we can’t notice that it’s operating.

The waves that make up infrared can be encoded with information, just as we use electromagnetic waves to transmit radio. The difference here is that infrared still behaves the same as light. What I mean by this is that infrared light travels in a straight line and stops when it encounters an obstacle to vision.

The most common example is the TV remote control. Most TVs are controlled by infrared light emitted by the set-top box remote. The button commands you press are emitted as infrared waves. Imagine pressing a standard laser pointer that emits laser light, but infrared light is not visible.

The IR input signal is transmitted and read once the IR remote control transmitter is aligned with the set-top box IR receiver or TV IR receiver. The TV or set-top box then performs the necessary actions, such as changing the volume, the channel, etc.

Since infrared is a light wave, the signal has a limited distance and cannot pass through walls or other solid objects. Although objects can easily block an infrared signal, it is difficult to intercept or decipher and is not interfered with by other electronic signals.

What is an RF remote control

RF stands for radio frequency. Much like infrared (IR), data signals can be transmitted via electromagnetic waves. The key difference in IR vs RF remote technology is that radio waves have such different wavelengths that they behave completely differently than infrared!

Radio waves penetrate objects to a much higher degree than infrared. While infrared behaves like light, radio waves can travel through walls and large amounts of air over longer distances. A home TV antenna on your roof (for terrestrial TV) picks up radio waves to provide a TV program signal.

RF radio frequency can be used in small areas. Daily, we can find RF receivers in USB dongles for mice and presentation tools. This allows wireless control like infrared, but RF devices can be controlled from other rooms since radio waves travel longer distances.

With RF radio signals, you don’t have to point the remote directly at the device, as it is possible to use an RF remote from a greater distance, but it is more susceptible to interference and must be paired with a specific receiver on the correct frequency.

RF remote controls use a specific radio frequency (usually the license-free 2.4 GHz bandwidth) to transmit signals to the receiving device. The signal can be sent through objects such as walls and furniture, thus extending the remote control range. In contrast, RF bandwidth is very crowded. Bluetooth on cell phones, laptop WiFi, and sometimes garage door openers use RF signals. RF remotes are more expensive because few frequencies are available and can be subject to interference from other RF devices. This interference is called radio frequency interference or RFI and is difficult to block or shield due to the diffuse nature of RF waves.

IR vs RF Remote

Infrared remote controls are undoubtedly the easiest and most common remote controls and can often be used as universal remotes. This is because infrared remotes can be programmed and communicate with different signal receiving devices.

The RF remote is paired with its included RF receiver or device. Controls longer distances with less variation, but is susceptible to interference. Using many RF devices makes the frequencies very tight so that RF signals can interfere with each other.

Instead, an IR remote control will simply be interfered with by ambient IR radiation, such as incandescent lamps or, most commonly, sunlight. Fortunately, this ambient radiation is usually very weak and of a different wavelength than the particular remote control, so it causes little to no interference with IR remotes.

Below is a comparison of the differences between the IR vs RF remote controls.

Generally, in lighting (such as LED strips or RGB flood fixtures), remote control is the best choice when you need a controller but don’t have access to a timer. You need to use an infrared remote control when you can get close to the equipment. TV, sound systems, and other AV devices typically use IR remotes.

In addition, backlighting on your TV or cove lighting on your living room ceiling allows you to use an IR remote where the receiver is visible. When comparing IR vs RF remote systems, IR remotes for lighting systems are also great for environments such as hospitals or airports where there is a lot of signal interference, and using an RF remote could cause problems. RF remotes are very easy to use and are better suited for those moments when you won’t or can’t get close to the receiver, such as outdoor Christmas displays or grand openings.

The most important thing to consider is the device’s location and where you will be controlling it. An infrared remote can be used if the distance is short and there are no obstacles or solid barriers, but if you need more flexibility, opt for an RF remote control system.

In short, the operating frequencies are different: IR uses infrared, which ranges from 300 GHz to 400 THz, while RF uses radio waves, which typically range from 3 kHz to 300 GHz.

Transmission distances are different: IR can only transmit short distances, usually around 10 meters, while RF can transmit longer distances, especially in open areas.

The transmission method is different: IR transmits data through light and requires a direct line-of-sight path. If there are obstacles, it will cause signal attenuation. On the other hand, RF transmits data via electromagnetic waves, which can penetrate walls and other obstacles.

Different anti-interference capabilities: IR is susceptible to interference, such as sunlight, lights, reflections, etc., while RF is relatively insensitive.

Application scenarios are different: in the context of IR vs RF remote, IR is usually used for close-range data transmission, such as remote control, infrared communication, etc., while RF is used for a wide range of wireless communication applications, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, radio broadcasting, etc.

IR and RF Remote Controls in Smart Homes

After thoroughly understanding the differences between IR vs RF remotes, SLS Smart has introduced the Infrared WiFi RF Control Remote to overcome the limitations of both technologies. With just one Infrared WiFi RF Control Remote, you can transform your smartphone into a universal remote for all home appliances.

Users can utilize the Infrared WiFi RF Control Remote to integrate the control of common household devices. Thanks to its advanced RF and IR design, the remote is highly compatible, allowing control of infrared devices like air conditioners, TVs, fans, DVD players, and set-top boxes while supporting RF devices such as lamps, switches, and roller blinds. Its built-in memory can store thousands of infrared codes (supporting IR at 38 KHz and RF at 433/315 MHz).