Tv remote control problems

[john m.]

My tv remote will not work properly if the lounge overhead lights are on.We have to turn these lights off at night to get the tv to response to the remote commands.Is there a way to correct this?

[john m.]

My tv remote will not work properly if the lounge overhead lights are on.We have to turn these lights off at night to get the tv to response to the remote commands.Is there a way to correct this?

[The Shadow]

What kind of TV and what model MH?

You've got me thinking. Our Sony remote often will just not work - nothing. Then suddenly it works fine. It is not a battery problem, that I've confirmed several times. It is very frustrating and happens almost every time we turn it on. I have to say I've not correlated it to the lights - something I may have to try.

[Big Bear]

I have read that some florescent lights will interfere with remotes. One brand was "lIGHTS of AMERICA", but it is possible any could have the same affect.

Vern in Duvall, Wa..

2004 Vectra 40 AD Cummins 350 W/Banks power package
2004 PT Cruiser, GT, Turbo, w/5 speed
Blue Ox Avanta 3 & Blue Ox tow plate W/Brake Buddy
Good Sam, long time Thousand Trails, & considering FMCA

[MNGolfer]

Problem is the radio frequency interference from the power supply in the flourescent light. We have a 2004 that has the same problem. Called the manufacturer of the flourescent lights (ThinLite) and they said the power supply in the lights might need to have capacitors added. They sent the caps out, but when I pulled the fixtures, the caps had already been installed. ThinLite does have RFI clean lights that can be installed, but we decided it was easier to just turn off the flouresent lights, rather that get involved with light replacement. Some have reported success at poking a small hole in a pressure senstive adhesive dot and sticking the dot over the Infrared Detector Glass on the front of the TV. Have not tried that ourselves.

[CalTex]

Congratulations John M, it took me three replacement remotes at the dealer before we figured out what was going on. You can put a switch directly on the front most light (there was a snap out hole for a rocker switch on mine) to turn it off separately. It seems to be the only one close enough to the TV to cause the interference.

[RRT2]

We just kept changing batteries!! THEN we read about the overhead lights. It's just a problem with the front lights. The TV remote works fine with the kitchen overhead lights on.

Ahhh...technology is great, isn't it?!

Rose

[ronboc]

You've got me to thinking about the problem, but mine is a bit different. I've tried it with the lights on and with the lights off, with the generator and with shore-power, all the same...

My remote stops working when it gets cold. She refuses to get out of bed to change the channel for me (even if I beg).

((I am gonna get so killed for this one!))

[vicsryd]

I'm afraid most of the issues hre are not a radio frequency problem. All entertainment system remote controls have been infrared based for many years. Ambient light, air temperature, color of the walls and ceiling and wood (reflectivity) all affect how well infrared remotes work as well as the quality of the unit itself.

In my ˜05 Journey I can run the SAT receiver and DVD/VCR in the front from my bedroom with the bedroom door closed because there is a fiber optic pickup above the rear TV that carries the infrared to emitters up in front of the units. But I have found if the overhead incandescent lights in the bedroom are on full this cool feature stops working. One of the overhead lamps is about 18"� in front of the fiber optic pickup.

An example of air temperature... when we were boondocking recently and the interior temperature was a comfortable 85 degrees the effectiveness of all the remotes was noticeably diminished. I suspect the background infrared "noise"� was higher because of the higher air temperatures.

I have found my RCA TV remote gets flaky "in the morning"� if the air temperature falls below 60 but the Sony does not. This probably just a sign of a cheap remote where the transmitter/emitter doesn't work well lower temps.

While remotes will work through decorative glass doors in front of SAT and DVD/VCR units most of the time they work better if the door is left open while in use.

We have not experienced the fluorescent interference problem. We may have mitigated this by the fact we replaced all the garish cool white tubes with the warmer "kitchen and bath" tubes as soon as we got the coach. It could be the different spectrum of these tubes doesn't interfere as much with the remotes.

My intention is to minimize most of these issues for us by spending some bucks on a high-end programmable all-in-one remote. My neighbor has a Sony touch screen tablet model (about $300) which is very easy to use and is backlit for use in the dark. He says it is noticeably more reliable in a broader set of conditions than the 3 remotes it replaced.

[The Shadow]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by vicsryd:

In my ˜05 Journey I can run the SAT receiver and DVD/VCR in the front from my bedroom with the bedroom door closed because there is a fiber optic pickup above the rear TV that carries the infrared to emitters up in front of the units. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This must be what the brochure calls "remote extenders" then. We certainly can't go through the door in our 04 and we have to be aiming right at our SAT box to make a channel change from the bedroom (a real PITA). We have no problem, however, getting the SAT remote to work right through the closed glass door of the front compartment from the bedroom regardless of the situation (it has just never failed to work - but who wants to have to crawl to the front of the bed to change the channel?).

[tomsm]

Don,

If you decide to keep your debugged oldie Journey, you can resolve one more PITA with a remote extender from Citcuit City (and, I suspect, others). Mine cost US$39.99 and works great. A receiver in the bedroom coverts the IR from your remotes to RF. The other unit, up front (which we set on the dinette table), receives the RF, converts it back to IR and controls the SAT Rx and DVD/VCR. Not as elegantly simple as the fiber optics, but it works well.

I haven't experienced the problems discussed here, but I suspect it's because we usually have the lounge overhead lights off when watching the front TV.

[The Shadow]

Tom, one of our SAT boxes is a PVR that has the RF. I've been debating using it - just want to make sure I have it disconnected and packed properly when moving so the hard drive will not be damaged.

If we decide not to take it with us then I'll have a look at Circuit City. Thanks for the tip.

[The Shadow]

Tom, is this the product you are referring to?

Extenders

I may just do this when we get to Florida - although I'm also considering signing up for a cableTV, internet and phone package with Brighthouse - and that will allow separate channels front and back.

[vicsryd]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by dleslie125:
This must be what the brochure calls "remote extenders"... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don,

Thanks. I never knew what Winnie called this feature. It's not discussed in the 05 owners manual and the dealer sure didn't cover it in the walkthrough.