My very unique issue

Question

here is one for the powers that be. I have no one else to share this with so I thought I would share this here and hopefully some one will hear me. I knot it's long but please read this
I bought a new mac mini (mid 2010) replacing an early 2009 mac mini. i put the new one in the exact same place as the old which didn't have any problems and didn't change where any of my other equipment was placed. For a while I had no issues with the new mini but soon after (i can't remember when exactly) the computer would sporadically stop responding to my apple remote (both the aluminum and white remote) For a while it would only happen late at night usually around midnight and wouldn't start working until morning (wether the remote was paired or not) it would get progressively worse and it respond unless i paired the remote again even if it was already paired. (yes it would still pair even if was already paired and not responding. It eventually got so bad I called apple care multiple times after trying different solutions to try and find the problem. I eventually took the computer to the genius bar where they tested it for several days and ended up replacing the ir board and cable. I happily brought my repaired mini back home to play and only a few hours later i was still experiencing the same issue. I gave the weekend to see if this was just a one time issue but it continued getting worse. Took it back to the apple store this time they kept it for 2 weeks and no matter what operating system they used (local or network) they did not see any issue with it. They called me and we talking about it possibly being a software issue and seeing that I could handle that I opted for picking the computer up and trying it myself. Under their suggestion while i was experiencing the non responsive remote issue I switched to a different user and no response. next step was re-installing the operating system. Once i finally got everything updated and no 3rd party software installed i still had the same problem. So I did a clean install wiping the hard drive and installing again after to many problems getting it back up and working i still had the same problem and it was not software. I took the mini back to the apple store where they had already agreed to replacing it with a new computer if I still had the same problem. So yesterday I brought home a new mac mini set it up and I still experience the unresponsive to the remote issue. today i removed the mac mini to the kitchen where it is currently and for several hours no i have had no issues. AND WHY IS THAT
My findings
since i went through my laundry list of equipment that was in the vicinity of the computer while in my room it was deemed that they were not the culprits is this bizarre issue. The only other piece of equipment near my room is the PG&E smart meter mounted to the outside of my bedroom.
So in conclusion i guess i'm asking is there anyone in this universe that has experienced anything remotely similar to this issue and should i call up PG&E and have them remove their so called smart meter from my property.
any help is much appreciated and i thank you in advance

Answer 1

this isn't the most consistent of issues but I can give you more details.
The mini is sitting on a shelf below my tv, the cabinet doesn't wrap around the mini there are simply 4 columns holding the shelf the tv is on above the mini, and a set top box is sitting next to the tv. I don't have curtains in my room just shades and they are open most of the time day or night and the light in the room doesn't seem to affect the mini. Also the mini is sitting to the right of the set top box where as before i had it to the left and it didn't make any difference. I have even tried using different electrical plugs in the room and still experience the problem. Last night I tried to use the remote and nothing after several minutes, hoping that the computer just needed to wake up and still nothing. I was able to pair the remote even though it was already paired and it worked for about 30 seconds. I did more a few steps between pairing it to where it stopped working but i put the remote directly in front of the port maybe a foot away and it still didn't respond for the rest of the night. This morning i tried it about 30 min ago and it worked and is still working even though nothing had changed in the room(the shades are closed at the moment but they were also closed last night and turning the lights on and off and moving around the room had no effect) the remote isn't any more than 8 feet away from the mini and not more than 45 degrees of center.
The only other remotes in the room are for the tv and set top box but they are not used at the same time.