Non-remote control

[ScottR]

I hope someone can offer some advice - I have searched, but not found any reference to this specific problem.

My TiVo remote has suddenly decided not to work any more than about 2 feet from the front of the unit. If it's close enough it works pefectly, so I assumed it wasn't interference from another IR source.

I've tried spare remotes, and changing batteries, but it makes no difference. The remotes are definitely working, as the red light comes on, and they work fine via a sender from another room.

I have made a couple of changes recently, but I don't see how they could be the cause of this problem - upgraded disk and cachecard installed about 10 days ago, but there have been no remote issues since then (until a couple of days ago, anyway); have also connected a SkyEye, but the remote problem actually happened briefly just before that, and if I now disconnect the SkyEye the remote still doesn't work properly.

Have also switched off and disconnected TiVo from the mains for about 10 minutes in case it was an internal problem, to no avail.

Any other suggestions would be gratefully received - many thanks in advance.

[iankb]

If it's close enough it works pefectly, so I assumed it wasn't interference from another IR source.Quite the opposite. When suffering IR interference, it only works when the signal is strong enough to override the interference. i.e. The remote is pointed accurately at the TiVo and/or is very close.

If you are using a Philips video sender, these can generate IR from electromagnetic interference on the low-voltage power lead. Wrapping the cable around ferrite rings can help.

[ScottR]

Ian,

The sender's been in use for over a year without any problems (not Philips, by the way), and it's actually behind TiVo so hopefully not affecting the reception at the front too much, but I'll try disconnecting it altogether and see what difference it makes.

Thanks.

[iankb]

The sender's been in use for over a year without any problems ... and it's actually behind TiVo so hopefully not affecting the reception at the front too much.With the Philips, the interference on the power lead causes it to transmit a low-level of IR from the IR transmitter, which is normally mounted on the front of the TiVo. While I haven't heard of the same problem with other makes, switching it off would exclude any IR interference coming from the remote location. In my case, I picked up remote IR from a pair of IR-operated, 3D-shutter glasses for my PC.

I used to have a sender that picked up radio interference, and that used to show as a flickering red light on the video-sender/remote-receiver unit. While my model had a sensitivity screw on the back that I could turn down, they removed that from later models.

[Nebulous]

If it's not IR noise, then this is probably a long shot, but maybe while you where upgrading your tivo some fluff or something got stuck between the IR receiver and the window. ;)

[Automan]

The other classic is just another remote in the room with a button stuck down.

Have you accounted for all your remote controls? :)

Also laptops can cause the issue if their IR is activated.

Automan.

[ScottR]

Tracked down the problem over the weekend - it is the video sender, but it's intermittent. When I disconnected it, the remote started working again - reconnected the sender, expecting the remote to misbehave again, and it continued to work properly.

However, a few hours later it started playing up again, and disconnecting the sender cured it again. This sequence has repeated a few times, so I guess the sender has maybe developed a slight IR leak that builds up over time. Solution is to leave the sender off unless it's being used, in which case the remote in the receiving room works fine because it's emitter is attached to the front panel of TiVo.

Many thanks for the advice & assistance.

[Ian_m]

Search the forum for "ferrite" and you will see this video sender interference problem has been seen before and sometimes can be cured by careful application of ferrites. Worked in my case, mostly....appears worse in summer than winter.