Remote controlls

I've had 2 remote controls stop working this week. My question is--and I guess it's completely possible--can the shock of dropping the remotes break something inside one of the few thingies soldered to these circuit boards and thus render them useless? Seems the only logical conclusion for me. Nothing appears broken inside. I've replaced the batteries and still nothing.

One is for a DVD player and the other for my garage door opener.

The DVD player remote worked to start the movie fell to the floor as I reached for it on the table to pause the movie and now it will not work. I opened it and it is all printed circuit board with only 2 little electronic things soldered to it. Nothing looks wrong.

The garage door remote is left inside by a window so if at bedtime I look out and see it's still up I can close it from right there. It gets knocked in the floor from time to time and is infrequently used thus it might have been dropped since last used. It has a lot of things soldered inside it. Again nothing appears burn or broken. The red led even lights bright when the button is pressed. It has a place to tune the frequency, I guess that's what it's doing, using an allen wrench--I had to do that to get it to work originally like 10 years ago--I bought it at a yardsale and it was not working. I tried again turning the screw both ways quite a bit but this time it doesn't help.
 
If you have a cell phone that takes pictures (most do now) you can check and see if the dvr remote's IR emitter is working. Point it at your camera/phone while pushing one of the buttons on the remote. If it's working it will light up pretty bright on the display. You didn't mention batteries, but make sure they are fresh and making contact inside. Sometimes these things simply quit with no explanation.
 
Mechanical shock and vibration can damage electronics, but it's pretty rare nowadays. Much more common is damage from corrosion or heat. You wouldn't necessarily see the corrosion without a microscope, and you wouldn't see a thermal failure at all. My guess is that you have a bit of grunge on the contacts in the battery compartment.
 
I would look for bent or broken battery contacts. Or maybe the plastic that holds the battery has broken and it is not making good contact.

Cliff (VA)
 
Thanks for the tip--I'd forgotten digital cameras see IR. It would seem the remote is working--the light flashes bright and rapidly when a button is pressed. So it must be the player that's stopped receiving on this one--guess this means skip getting a universal remote and get a new DVD player.
 
No, they're clean. As I mentioned the opener remote's indicator light shines brightly when the button is pressed which proves the battery and connections are fine--but it must not be transmitting the rf--remember all other remotes still work and I've tried this one right beside the opener in case the single is just weak. Also keep in mind this is a late 1980's opener with dip switches so there is no having to learn each remote just set the switches the same and it works.

JS305 helped me find out the DVD player itself is likely the problem there as the IR LED on the remote lights bright when a button is pressed (seen via digital camera).
 
I replied to Big Fred they're fine. The opener remote's indicator light shines brightly when the button is pressed which proves the battery and connections are fine--but it must not be transmitting the rf--remember all other remotes still work and I've tried this one right beside the opener in case the single is just weak. Also keep in mind this is a late 1980's opener with dip switches so there is no having to learn each remote just set the switches the same and it works.

JS305 helped me find out the DVD player itself is likely the problem there as the IR LED on the remote lights bright when a button is pressed (seen via digital camera).
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top