Update: TV remote control - Problem solved!

Taffybiker

:T Well done. I do like a happy ending.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

yes well done :j.

Now why not persevere with the cheapo, get it set up now when there is no urgency, and keep it as a spare. Things always seem easier when not desperate, anyway I think you are the kind of person who doesn't like to be beat, or at least admit to it.

buglawton

I have done the same cleaning trick with old remotes eg a Sky remote, it seems to last 2 or 3 goes then it starts to fail rather quickly. Isn't it funny that SOME remotes, eg. my 10 year old Philips, which has a really 'clicky' remote, NEVER go wrong?

Taffybiker

buglawton wrote: »

I have done the same cleaning trick with old remotes eg a Sky remote, it seems to last 2 or 3 goes then it starts to fail rather quickly. Isn't it funny that SOME remotes, eg. my 10 year old Philips, which has a really 'clicky' remote, NEVER go wrong?

'Clicky' types usually have a different type of switch inside. Most are the other type because they are cheaper to manufacture. When you clean your remote, don't forget to clean the rubber keypads as well - in particular the black circular contacts.

redmandarin

Thanks guys!

Good idea frugalmacdugal, I'll see if I can get the replacement going, just in case, especially after what buglawton said! I cleaned the rubber keypad too. Hopefully it'll keep on going and I won't need the new one! I'm fine about admitting when I'm beaten - but I'll try every possible avenue to solve a problem first!

imho

The £1 shop, replacement one if the code for your tv is not listed you just press a few buttons on remote while you are aiming at tv and wait till the light on the remote stops flashing and it then works.Thats how i got the remote i got from the £1 shop to work

Taffybiker

In case anyone else has a similar problem and would like to clean their old remote control there is one thing more I would like to add.
Sometimes, cleaning it isn't quite enough. When it is reassembled, some of the buttons may still refuse to work. This is not anything the repairer has done wrong, but is in fact due to the relative high resistance of the black, circular contacts of the rubber keypad. In time, the resistance increases to a point where the circuit board cannot recognise that a button has been pressed.
There are two ways around this. The first is to use a silver conductive paint (as available from Halfords to repair broken car rear window heaters - but also available elsewhere cheaper) and paint this carefully onto the contacts. Wait until dry then reassemble.
The other (even cheaper) option is fiddly, but gives great results. Cut appropriate tiny shapes of normal aluminium foil and superglue them onto the contacts. Be careful with this method though - a fly landing on the handset might change your channel!