I bought the CD-SR80 steering wheel remote. It is good except for one major design flaw: the IR LEDs are placed directly beneath the "Pioneer" logo on the unit, meaning that the IR signal hits you (the driver) and must somehow automagically bounce off with enough strength that the Empeg unit can pick it up. Idiodic approach to place both LEDs facing the driver like that. When I wear white or lighter/reflective colors, it works fine. When I wear black shirts, it doesn't work at all. I was wondering if anyone knows if the CD-SR70 has better IR LED placement? Ideally, one or both IR LEDs should face away from the driver toward the dash or some location OTHER THAN the driver's shirt. I tried out the Kenwood remote as well, but I didn't particularly care for its look and cumbersome placement constraints.

Are you sure? I looked at the remote with my digital camera and saw the LEDs shining through the back of the unit.

I just bought the SR100, and I have the same problem if I have my hand covering the remote. Also, long keypresses won't work, cannot understand why as it behaves differently from the original Kenwood from my MKI.

Oh well, will just have to live with it. A pity that the Blaupunkt one won't work, wondering if it is time to buy one, and try to replace the IR stage on one of those.?? Any thoughts about that anyone???

Yes, I am 98% certain. I saw a picture somewhere on the Internet where someone used their digital camera to photograph the front IR LEDs using the special IR mode of the camera. Two LEDs were plainly visible underneath the front Pioneer logo. No other IR LEDs were present, although it's possible that some IR might seep out through the back of the case.

Also, putting a white sheet of paper, my hand, or another reflective object on my chest guarantees 100% reception of the IR signals. Very strange to have your warddrobe affect your car stereo remote. ;-)

Just a thought...

Most IR remotes will work when pointed away from their targets because the IR "light" usually is powerful enough to reflect off of any opposite-facing surfaces. If indeed the remote does put its IR signal out from the place you say it does, then perhaps it was designed to work that way.

If the IR beam isn't powerful enough to do that, maybe the remote just needs a new battery.

Amusingly enough, the remote for the Rio Receiver seems to be made of IR-transparent plastic. It'll work whichever way you point it.

I'll dust my digital camera off and take a piccy of mine...

Well, looks as though I had a senior moment. Here's the proof:

Is that infra-blue?

I'm pretty sure that infra-blue is called ``green''.

one's with the flash and one is without, i'm assuming the low light buggered up the colour balancing.

guys i got this remote a long time ago, well i think it may have even been the one before.. anyway, you can map the keys, so just mount it upside down.. and map them backwards.. it only takes a few mins.