Mark Lanctot;210053 Wrote: 
> It's probably that the CF is emitting enough IR to blind the sensor. 
> Fluorescent bulbs do emit considerable IR which is kind of
> counterintuitive because incandescents get very hot yet have never been
> reported to blind an IR sensor.

Looks like this is indeed the problem. I found an explanation of the
effect here (Warning: PDF-Link):
http://www.neptunlight.com/files/IR-and-CFLs.pdf


>From the document:
> Why Does Interference Occur?
> 
> Compact fluorescent lamps can interact with IR receiving equipment
> operation when either the lamp excitation frequency or the lamp power
> frequency is within the carrier frequency band of the receiving
> equipment. Compact fluorescent lamp excitation frequencies generally
> range from 20 to 65 kHz, and may even approach 100 kHz. IR remote
> controls in the United States operate from 33 to 40 kHz and at about 56
> kHz.
> Thus, lamps with excitation frequencies in the range of 20 to 40 kHz
> are capable of interacting with IR remote controls (Figure 3). Symptoms
> of compact fluorescent lamp interactions include the total loss of
> remote control operation, random operation of volume controls, on-off
> switching, channel scanning, lockout of manual operation, and reduced
> operating range.

They are also suggesting a couple of solutions:
> What Can Be Done to Reduce Interference?
> 
> End-users can do the following things:
> 1. Move the compact fluorescent lamp out of direct line-of-sight of the
> IR receiver or move it farther away from the receiver.
> 2. Shade the lamp.
> 3. Switch to another lamp model with a different frequency. (The IR
> interference can only occur when there is a match of the compact
> fluorescent lamp output IR frequency to that of the IR receiver carrier
> frequency passband.)
> 4. Switch to a compact fluorescent lamp with an excitation frequency
> greater than 40 kHz or use a magnetically ballasted (60 Hz) type of
> lamp.

Number 1 and 2 I had already employed anyway, so it looks like I either
have to shop for different bulbs or go with ceejay and
ceejay;210044 Wrote: 
> Listen in the dark!
Using a PDA is not an option. My trusty Palm IIIc has retired some time
ago does not sport any (non-optical) wireless capabilities anyway.

Oh well... 
Damn you newfangled energy saving infrared blasting Squeezebox
confusing CFLs!


-- 
sokratess
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