fix remote?

If you've got a camcorder, or digital camera with lcd screen, try pointing the remote into the lens and pushing a button on it. The infra red emitted by the remote, is clearly visible to the camera's pickup, but not to your naked eye. If you see a flashing light on the front of the remote, in your camera's viewfinder, better than 90% chance that the remote itself is working.

If it's not working, worth getting it to bits to have a look. This can be tricky as often, they are clipped together. A very thin lever, such as a modelling scalpel, is usually helpful to work around the crack, locating the clips, and springing them by twisting. Once inside, look for fractured joints on the battery connector springs, the infra red LED legs, the electrolytic buffer cap often found across the battery supply, and if it's not a surface mount type, the clock crystal or ceramic resonator. All of these are common failing points in remotes, caused largely, I suspect, by it being repeatedly dropped on the floor, and tossed from person to person ...

Arfa

See the IR Remote Repair Guide at the site bellow.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ:

Important: Anyth> > Hi, we have a 19" Panasonic tv, only a few years old, and it's remote

You have to se if a signal is been transmitted.Buy an infa-red sensor they are cheap and you will see if a signal is coming out of the remote. If it's not and the batterires are new,clean the terminal contacts,if nothing ditch it,remotes are cheap,even a univeral one will get the job done.

Hi...

Save you the price and trouble of buying an infra red detector if you (or a friend) happens to have a digital camera :)

Just hold the remote control pointed at the camera, press one of the buttons, and you'll clearly see the effect on the camera's lcd screen.

Take care.

Ken

Why does no one read the whole thread ???

Arfa

It's all this bottom posting :-)

It's all the people who don't understand that top posting and cutting and snipping screws up the legibility of the thread. People should take the time and trouble to read the whole thread so far, before just sticking in their two penn'orth and duplicating stuff that's already been said ... d;~}

Arfa

I use a thin propeller blade (nylon is the best) from the hobby shop for this. I have it cut in different pieces to slip under the seam and pop the snap togethers. I would also carefully check the battery connectors esp. where it connects to the board. Also some of the Panasonic battery connectors can get flattened in the battery box. These can be pried out to restore the connection. These often look like a spiral. Richard

Maybe some of us don't want to have to scroll down through the entire post

time

Never-the-less, that is the posting convention on newsgroups, and not doing so, as you suggest, results in people not seeing answers that have already been posted, not properly following the thread, and wasting their own time, and everyone elses, by reposting answers that have already been given.

Arfa

Thanks, I did find the positive connector to be flattened. Just as I got under it to pry it out, the straight section of it snapped. (It was not much pressure, I was using tweezers) I reconfigured it, inserted the batteries, and made sure there was continuity with my multimeter. I am now inspecting it for other damage. Chas

I tried using a camera and I got a flashing light from the remote. I also bought a universal remote, and it would not work either, no matter the programming method I used. I now suspect it's the tv, but what can be done there? Chas

Unless you're experienced, in truth, not a lot. You can check the three terminals of the infra red receiver module for bad joints, and check that the 5v is present on the power pin, but beyond this, really you are next into a 'scope to check that remote data is output from the receive module, and that it is getting to the system control micro. Remote problems can be down to all sorts of things from faulty receive modules to faulty system control processors and screwed up software. You may end up enlisting the services of a repair shop ...

Arfa

Thanks,. It was working fine for a long time, then just stopped for no apparent reason. chas

A well pointed blow (don't blow yourself, use canned air) in the area of the receiver window may blow away accumulated dust that obstructs the receiver.