Some Repairs Are Far More Difficult Than They Should Be!

I have a couple of items here from a customer. One is a remote control for a HDMI matrix and the other is a Linux TV box. These shouldn't be too hard to fix... or so you would think
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Richard

[@georgeprout42]

The cheap Chinese component testers have an IR tester built in. It even decodes NEC(?) protocol as used by my microscope. Not my TV though but still gives a go/no go indication.

[@g4z-kb7ct]

Yeah I've seen the same, but not all cheap component testers have that function.

[@Troutbum73]

thanks so much for this comment. I can't believe i've never noticed my LCR-TC1 has that function !! just tried it and yes it shows the waveform for each button press. happy days

[@gastube22]

Those negative spikes don't look as I would have expected for LED drive pulses. I would have expected a train of squarer, cleaner, pulses (in a repeating pattern that varies according to which button is pressed). Some smaller (but similar) versions of your negative spikes are even happening later in the video, when you are not activating any buttons! That's odd.

[@2DSwagGod]

Lets build the remote tester 😁

[@b.jammin]

New conductive rubber pads fromAli Express might be the solution for the remote control. CA can adhere them. A primer is good practice according to my Googling. I bought my primer off eBay. I just new pads on all the buttons when I do silicon button repairs. It saves time reassembling, testing, disassembling, etc. The pads are cheap. CA is cheap, the I bought primer was cheap. I’ve done a couple of hundred pads in the last two years. Thanks for the channel.

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

*In response to many comments - I will order one of the remote control testers from AliExpress and at the same time see what I can come up with as a DIY project* it will be interesting to test them

[@zorrorides1]

The Fnirsi LCR-P1 component tester (I believe you reviewed) has an infrared tester built in. Actually quite a lot of Fnirsi's meters include an IR decoder.

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

I never noticed that, I'll take a look. Cheers

[@g4z-kb7ct]

Be very careful cleaning remote boards... that black coming off is not dirt it's carbon. If you remove it the remote won't work at all. One of the quick fixes for remotes is to change the little capacitor. I've fixed several just changing it.

[@Manticore1960]

Many years ago I made the mistake of "cleaning" the pads on a remote control. I thought I was doing a good job with all the black coming off. 🤦‍♂

[@sivoltage]

Julie to the rescue. A remote control tester circuit would be a good build.

[@Karthor.]

17:08 - lol i was thinking the same before you said it, a remote tester yeah i would like to see you test an remote tester

[@Dutch-linux]

doesnt that fnirsi component tester not do IR ???? I thought it did

[@LarixusSnydes]

Ah, remote control PCB's. The very definition of flimsy.

[@bme-uk]

Would be cool to see you review an IR tester !!

[@HsMals3n]

Nah, better make one

[@Lightrunner.]

Hi Richard. DIY!!! 🍻🍻🍻 do you have a BNC connector and an IR receiver diode?? if so, solder the diode into the connector. Plug the BNC plug into your oscilloscope 😳😳😳 and obey Ohm's law forever.🖖🖖

[@SkippiiKai]

I was coming to the comments to suggest making an optoisolator that flashes a red LED from an infrared one but this is so much better.

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

What an excellent idea. Let's play...

[@Lightrunner.]

@@LearnElectronicsRepair 👍🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🥳🥳

[@pault6533]

Some transistor testers will display the IR signal. Mine is a LCR-T7.

[@patrickcraenen5163]

All CCD cameras are sensitive to near infrared light (750 nm-1400 nm) emitted by IR remote controls, but most cameras have a built-in filter for this. Your thermal camera is only sensitive to long-wavelength infrared (8-15 μm) and is insensitive to near infrared.

[@patrickcardon1643]

On the Sony camcorders of yesteryear there was a night mode using IR. But just point the remote to your phone's camera, works fine too

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

my phones have a much better IR filter than the old ones. much harder to check remotes now.

[@alex.theoto]

Nice video. One note, on the remote control you have to check battery''s current. Many remote controls doesn't work when the voltage is around 3 volt and there is not enough current to operate it. Although this happens usually on rf controls but to beb on the safe side you can test the battery on current mA and short batteery contacts for 2-3 seconds. It is enough to understand battery's status.

[@gadgetmind]

I fixed a calculator for my father, but when putting it back together, it flipped out of my hand and all the separate little buttons fell out. I had to map out what each button did, including working out how the memory functions worked, to get them all back in right.

[@IlBiggo]

Those buttons are a pain. The graphite rubs out and you're just pushing a piece of rubber on a contact. I usually glue a bit of aluminum foil on the bottom.

[@DracoMcGuyver]

Richard, The Fnirsi Transistor Tester LCR-P1 will give a video display on screen of remote IR signals as well as their codes and channels. I have one and it works great.

[@dkmmhdk]

To see if there is any output from a remote control I have often just hooked a IR-LED to the input of a scope, if it works you will see some pulses on the scope. Simple, easy and cheap (if you all-ready have the scope), no other components needed other than the same type of IR-LED that you find in remotes, don't need to be the exact same type, just use what you have at hand, nor the need for any power supply, real simple and easy to do.

[@mikepanchaud1]

As others have suggested .... An ir reciever module e.g. HX1838 can directly drive a red led and a piezo sounder. It's interesting to hear the different chirping noises from different manufacturers of remote.

[@matthewseymour5165]

I use what I would call a fib tester regularly, fixing keyfobs in the UK. Works great, very inexpensive and will handle any tv remote also.

[@danblankenship5744]

The problem with old dirty remotes is the rubber membrane missing a great deal of the embedded carbon on the switch pads. I used to use a hole punch and cut a bunch of circles from the foil inside cigarette packages. Then use a drop of RTV silicone glue to attach these to the switch pads. after it is dry reassemble. We also grabbed an old TV IR receiver module, added a 9-volt battery, with BNC cable to attach to an old oscilloscope. We also has a piezo inside the box to make an audio noise when the remote was working.

[@ionutzionutz7106]

I have a remote decoder on my cheap LCR-T7. I never use this until now, but I think it can be used to see if the remote has any action...

[@j.f.christ8421]

I gotta say that battery contact design is brilliant. I shall be stealing that for something I'm designing that I was having trouble with.

[@ThomasEnder_pt]

Hi Richard thanks for keeping up the amazing work. I keep learning and learning from you. It would be amazing to have a little tester with an led that could test ir and 315/433mhz. Maybe a threeway switch and some little receiver modules for RF to pulse a led on reception? Thanks a lot

[@g4z-kb7ct]

I have seen some component testers that have an IR test function. That might be a better buy and more useful. but you may already have one as the Finirsi component tester apparently can test IR....

[@peterbrooks539]

A remote tester review would be interesting plus perhaps a build of a shared project from pcbway.

[@renbooth4147]

Hi Richard , Buying a Ir tester would be good but also it will be interesting to see how it works and to build one..😊

[@stephenbeswick2163]

Hi Richard it’s easy to make your own remote tester with any scarp remotes. Also ant IR receiver from scarp to boxes. All the best steve b

[@jasonbevan6275]

A lot of those cheap Chinese component testers - I know you have one - have an IR test function. Have a look.

[@stevedebeukelaer1424]

Hi Richard you need to change capacitor that is very commin problem on remote.

[@jimphillips3992]

Would it have been simpler to just replace the ir led with a red one? Just to test?

[@pmcrisp]

Could maybe buiy an IR unit and build one, to compare price and scope ?

[@sivoltage]

the link to 5v psu mag box doesn’t seem to work Richard.

[@LittlePetieWheat]

Carbon on some of the rubber buttons worn away?

[@Dutch_off_grid_homesteading]

Heya, that battery holder in the remote lokks so cheap wouw

[@j.f.christ8421]

The holder itself may be just a bit of plastic, but that contact design is brilliant and rather expensive.

[@erikhenriksson455]

I support the remote tester review.

[@darrenbird2526]

Hi Rich, can you pop the link in for the 5v psu mag box, please. Cheers

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

oops - fixed. It's in the video description

[@darylmcgee4349]

You can see if the IR is working when you look at it through your phone camera

[@darylmcgee4349]

Sorry, Jumped in early, you did that lol

[@robtitheridge9708]

my iIR tester is used at least once a month it consists of an IR dector diode a bc108 a 10k resistoe and a red LED Before i built i used an ald AM radio wich picks up the remote pulses sp would think it would be a cheap easy project

[@Manticore1960]

Yes. You can hear if the electronics are working by putting it near a LW or MW radio. Doesn't check the LED, but shows that the IC is working. Used that method a lot in the past.

[@marcelosantos8484]

Press every single button, without batteries. This worked for me*: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ-pl6JuYph6eZYsi=6Msi8SD1QJoq1KEG * on a very similar remote, as seen in today's video