RF signal damage?

jwstewar · May 30, 2006

Is someone in the house dropping the remotes when you aren't around? That is what has happened to the last couple of electronic items that "quit working" around here. I always find out a couple of days later that my wife dropped the remote and stepped on in it or she had a fight with her mom and slammed the cordless phone. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif I'm keep trying to explain to her that breaking stuff doesn't do any thing except cost us money. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

jwstewar · May 30, 2006

Is someone in the house dropping the remotes when you aren't around? That is what has happened to the last couple of electronic items that "quit working" around here. I always find out a couple of days later that my wife dropped the remote and stepped on in it or she had a fight with her mom and slammed the cordless phone. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif I'm keep trying to explain to her that breaking stuff doesn't do any thing except cost us money. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

coffeeman · May 30, 2006

MotorSeven

A friend has a bar. His tv remote quit working. He went out and bought another and it didn't work either. Could it be the tv? Pulled tv from shelf. Shelf held tv way up toward ceiling, high enough for everyone to see tv from bar seats. Suddenly the remotes worked when tv off shelf. He didn't know what he did to fix. So he hoists tv back up on shelf. Remotes don't work tv when tv on shelf. Solution took some investigating. He had just placed a neon beer sign right near the tv in a window below. When sign was on remotes didn't work. Switch off and remotes work.

Could there be something else causing your problem?

Cheers....Coffeeman

coffeeman · May 30, 2006

MotorSeven

A friend has a bar. His tv remote quit working. He went out and bought another and it didn't work either. Could it be the tv? Pulled tv from shelf. Shelf held tv way up toward ceiling, high enough for everyone to see tv from bar seats. Suddenly the remotes worked when tv off shelf. He didn't know what he did to fix. So he hoists tv back up on shelf. Remotes don't work tv when tv on shelf. Solution took some investigating. He had just placed a neon beer sign right near the tv in a window below. When sign was on remotes didn't work. Switch off and remotes work.

Could there be something else causing your problem?

Cheers....Coffeeman

Wood_Butcher_Dav · May 31, 2006

Your can some what check the remotes by looking at them thru a digtal video camera. You will see the flashes of the LED's thru the view finder when buttons are pushed on the remote. This will atleast tell you if the remotes are doing something or are dead.

Dave

Wood_Butcher_Dav · May 31, 2006

Your can some what check the remotes by looking at them thru a digtal video camera. You will see the flashes of the LED's thru the view finder when buttons are pushed on the remote. This will atleast tell you if the remotes are doing something or are dead.

Dave

CTyler · Jun 1, 2006

( An IR remote (line of sight) has to be pointed directly at the unit in order for it to function where as a RF remote only needs to be pointed in the direction of the unit. A majority of IR remotes operate in the 30-40 KHz range and RF remotes operate in the 400 MHz range. So either your remote is losing its codes or something is over riding the frequency. )

You do not "Have" to point an IR remote at the unit unless its a piece of crap. The IR will bounce off the wall, ceiling etc.. depending on room size and proximity. An RF unit does not need to be pointed toward the unit at all and will work in the next room. I have both IR and RF remotes and this has been my experiance. The RF units are great but the IR units are hit and miss.

CTyler · Jun 1, 2006

( An IR remote (line of sight) has to be pointed directly at the unit in order for it to function where as a RF remote only needs to be pointed in the direction of the unit. A majority of IR remotes operate in the 30-40 KHz range and RF remotes operate in the 400 MHz range. So either your remote is losing its codes or something is over riding the frequency. )

You do not "Have" to point an IR remote at the unit unless its a piece of crap. The IR will bounce off the wall, ceiling etc.. depending on room size and proximity. An RF unit does not need to be pointed toward the unit at all and will work in the next room. I have both IR and RF remotes and this has been my experiance. The RF units are great but the IR units are hit and miss.

CTyler · Jun 1, 2006

Radio Shack sells a card, or used to anyway, that you hold in front of the IR and you can see the flash. It looks like a credit card.

CTyler · Jun 1, 2006

Radio Shack sells a card, or used to anyway, that you hold in front of the IR and you can see the flash. It looks like a credit card.

heehaw · Jun 1, 2006

same thing happened to me when i put cf bulbs in a fixture with 3 lights: finally had to take the cf that faces the system, out, and it works fine.
heehaw

heehaw · Jun 1, 2006

same thing happened to me when i put cf bulbs in a fixture with 3 lights: finally had to take the cf that faces the system, out, and it works fine.
heehaw

Bird · Jun 1, 2006

Some of you say you've had lots of remotes go bad, and that struck me as odd, since I don't think I've ever replaced a TV remote. I do have one TV that's now 11 years old and some of its remote functions no longer work. And I've always been surprised at how long batteries last in TV remotes; usually at least 2 or 3 years. However, a couple of weeks ago I had something happen that I've never had happen before. One of the Dish satellite remotes quit working. It's only 6 months old and had the 4 original AAA batteries. I found 3 of them good and one completely dead. I've seen batteries get too weak to work, but usually the whole set; never seen one completely dead while the other 3 were still good.

Bird · Jun 1, 2006

Some of you say you've had lots of remotes go bad, and that struck me as odd, since I don't think I've ever replaced a TV remote. I do have one TV that's now 11 years old and some of its remote functions no longer work. And I've always been surprised at how long batteries last in TV remotes; usually at least 2 or 3 years. However, a couple of weeks ago I had something happen that I've never had happen before. One of the Dish satellite remotes quit working. It's only 6 months old and had the 4 original AAA batteries. I found 3 of them good and one completely dead. I've seen batteries get too weak to work, but usually the whole set; never seen one completely dead while the other 3 were still good.

Soundguy · Jun 1, 2006

Bird.. sounds like a defective cell... china just don't make 'em like they used to.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have a couple remotes from 89-90 era that still work.. have been dropped enough that the shell is cracked.. but they still work.

For the poster asking about the card you hold in front of a device to see output. It's an IR/ laser 'detector' card..

Soundguy

Soundguy · Jun 1, 2006

Bird.. sounds like a defective cell... china just don't make 'em like they used to.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have a couple remotes from 89-90 era that still work.. have been dropped enough that the shell is cracked.. but they still work.

For the poster asking about the card you hold in front of a device to see output. It's an IR/ laser 'detector' card..

Soundguy

MotorSeven · Jun 3, 2006

BR,
It's not a LAN, it (was) a Verizon card that was broadband speed. It uses a cell phone freq, but different than the cell phone. Oddly enough, it's reception degraded in my immediate home area and Verizon sent a crew out and confirmed that the "transmitting signal is comprimised in your area, and we have no immediate plans to repair the problem". Even though the card worked perfect any where else, it's main function was for home, so they let me out of the contract.
Sendero,
I have changed the batteries 2-3 times thinking that it was intially a bat problem, but no help. And i appreciate all the other suggestions, and will try moving the tv around tomorrow. The thing that makes it more of a pain is that the remote has no "indicator light" telling me that it is transmitting, so i will try the vidoe cam trick.
RD

MotorSeven · Jun 3, 2006

BR,
It's not a LAN, it (was) a Verizon card that was broadband speed. It uses a cell phone freq, but different than the cell phone. Oddly enough, it's reception degraded in my immediate home area and Verizon sent a crew out and confirmed that the "transmitting signal is comprimised in your area, and we have no immediate plans to repair the problem". Even though the card worked perfect any where else, it's main function was for home, so they let me out of the contract.
Sendero,
I have changed the batteries 2-3 times thinking that it was intially a bat problem, but no help. And i appreciate all the other suggestions, and will try moving the tv around tomorrow. The thing that makes it more of a pain is that the remote has no "indicator light" telling me that it is transmitting, so i will try the vidoe cam trick.
RD

MotorSeven · Jun 3, 2006

Wood,
Thanks for the Digital video trick, i checked the remote today and it is functioning(looks cool on film). Anyway, it looks like it's tme for a new tv...can't believe how "lazy" we/i have become when just a few years ago remotes didn't exist /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I guess the whole air card thing had nothing to do with the trouble, but it is still strange that the new one worked for about a month before everything quit. I just hope the gremlin rides out with the old tv /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif!
RD

MotorSeven · Jun 3, 2006

Wood,
Thanks for the Digital video trick, i checked the remote today and it is functioning(looks cool on film). Anyway, it looks like it's tme for a new tv...can't believe how "lazy" we/i have become when just a few years ago remotes didn't exist /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I guess the whole air card thing had nothing to do with the trouble, but it is still strange that the new one worked for about a month before everything quit. I just hope the gremlin rides out with the old tv /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif!
RD