The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

Try aerosol contact cleaner.
If that doesn’t work try to buy a replacement remote. Mz Tamb had to do that after the dog thought her remote was a new chew toy.

Clean the battery contacts with something(spring one end, you know), make them clean metal, likely they’ve corroded some, probably giving you indications like part-flat batteries.

If it’s got into the keypad take the rubber off and wipe PC surface and contacts with metho, let dry and reassemble.

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

I was able to order another remote off the manufacturer when my first one broke.

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

What? You don’t already have a universal remote…

poikilotherm said:

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

What? You don’t already have a universal remote…

I still have no idea how a universal remote does what it does. Some sort of voodoo…

Witty Rejoinder said:

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

I was able to order another remote off the manufacturer when my first one broke.

$42, ships within 4-6 weeks!!

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

Clean out the leaked acids and loose salts/oxides from the battery case with a damp cloth or damp toilet paper. Carefully, several times, until the case is is spotlessly clean and the cloth is, too. You may need to use damp cotton tips to get into awkward spots. Damp only – so water and/or battery exudates don’t get into the internals.

Use steel wool or very fine (1200 grade) wet’n‘dry sandpaper to sand the hard rust and other oxides off the terminals where the battery contacts them. One contact will be plain, one a spring for each battery. Re-clean again with the damp cloth or toilet paper.

This has worked for me with many different electronic devices over the years.

Witty Rejoinder said:

poikilotherm said:

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

What? You don’t already have a universal remote…

I still have no idea how a universal remote does what it does. Some sort of voodoo…

With only one remote control device in the house why would I need a universal remote?
Actually our two TVs are identical so my remote works on hers & vice-versa.
Very handy when she goes to sleep with her TV on.

Tamb said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

poikilotherm said:

What? You don’t already have a universal remote…

I still have no idea how a universal remote does what it does. Some sort of voodoo…

With only one remote control device in the house why would I need a universal remote?
Actually our two TVs are identical so my remote works on hers & vice-versa.
Very handy when she goes to sleep with her TV on.

You only have TVs?

Divine Angel said:

$42, ships within 4-6 weeks!!

Weird. Mine arrived in a few days. Was a Palsonic TV too so nothing fancy.

poikilotherm said:

Tamb said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

I still have no idea how a universal remote does what it does. Some sort of voodoo…

With only one remote control device in the house why would I need a universal remote?
Actually our two TVs are identical so my remote works on hers & vice-versa.
Very handy when she goes to sleep with her TV on.

You only have TVs?

There’s only two of us (not counting the dogs)

I’ve cleaned out the battery goo and the contacts. I don’t have any sandpaper lying around though, but the contacts don’t seem to be rusted or icky. Still no dice.

poikilotherm said:

Tamb said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

I still have no idea how a universal remote does what it does. Some sort of voodoo…

With only one remote control device in the house why would I need a universal remote?
Actually our two TVs are identical so my remote works on hers & vice-versa.
Very handy when she goes to sleep with her TV on.

You only have TVs?

Heck, we only have one TV. And it has wasted so much of our valuable time, that we rarely switch it on these days.

We only have one TV…

I was getting at that usually, people have a DVD/bluray player, sound system thingy, TV, and possible some form of internet device like apple TV.

TV wastes lots of time, but it’s easy and mostly cheap escapism.

Divine Angel said:

I’ve cleaned out the battery goo and the contacts. I don’t have any sandpaper lying around though, but the contacts don’t seem to be rusted or icky. Still no dice.

Steel wool for scrubbing pots? Nail board or nail diamond file? Even a green plastic washing-up scourer could work at a pinch.

poikilotherm said:

I was getting at that usually, people have a DVD/bluray player, sound system thingy, TV, and possible some form of internet device like apple TV.

TV wastes lots of time, but it’s easy and mostly cheap escapism.

Oh, I see. One TV, one DVD player, one set-top box. So, three remotes. DVD player remote is rarely used.

poikilotherm said:

I was getting at that usually, people have a DVD/bluray player, sound system thingy, TV, and possible some form of internet device like apple TV.

TV wastes lots of time, but it’s easy and mostly cheap escapism.

Well OK, TV + DVD player + Apple TV…

Four optons:

1. Buy genuine part from manufacturer. (expensive)
2. Buy similar unit from Cashies/lifeline. (Cheap, but no guarantee)
3. Buy universal remote (not cheap, no guarantees, will work on any other equipment)
4. Repair old unit.

An easy way to check if it works is to look at it through your smartphone camera. If the battery goop has gotten into the electronics, it is probably stuffed though.

Michael V said:

poikilotherm said:

I was getting at that usually, people have a DVD/bluray player, sound system thingy, TV, and possible some form of internet device like apple TV.

TV wastes lots of time, but it’s easy and mostly cheap escapism.

Oh, I see. One TV, one DVD player, one set-top box. So, three remotes. DVD player remote is rarely used.

And I’m about to receive an iPush thingy courtesy of dad LOL

Carmen_Sandiego said:

An easy way to check if it works is to look at it through your smartphone camera.

Pardon?

Divine Angel said:

Michael V said:

poikilotherm said:

I was getting at that usually, people have a DVD/bluray player, sound system thingy, TV, and possible some form of internet device like apple TV.

TV wastes lots of time, but it’s easy and mostly cheap escapism.

Oh, I see. One TV, one DVD player, one set-top box. So, three remotes. DVD player remote is rarely used.

And I’m about to receive an iPush thingy courtesy of dad LOL

Have to have 2 TVs. Mz Tamb’s for soapies, Downton Abbey etc & mine for docos & sport.

An easy way to check if it works is to look at it through your smartphone camera.

——-
Could you explain that a bit further? I don’t understand.

Divine Angel said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

An easy way to check if it works is to look at it through your smartphone camera.

Pardon?

Look at the infra-red light on the top of the remote control through a camera. Press a button on the remote. You should be able to see the light turn on when a button is pressed.

party_pants said:

Divine Angel said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

An easy way to check if it works is to look at it through your smartphone camera.

Pardon?

Look at the infra-red light on the top of the remote control through a camera. Press a button on the remote. You should be able to see the light turn on when a button is pressed.

Does that also work with digital cameras?

party_pants said:

Divine Angel said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

An easy way to check if it works is to look at it through your smartphone camera.

Pardon?

Look at the infra-red light on the top of the remote control through a camera. Press a button on the remote. You should be able to see the light turn on when a button is pressed.

Ah. (Wanders off to give that a try.)

Michael V said:

party_pants said:

Divine Angel said:

Pardon?

Look at the infra-red light on the top of the remote control through a camera. Press a button on the remote. You should be able to see the light turn on when a button is pressed.

Ah. (Wanders off to give that a try.)

Brilliant, thanks p_p, thanks C_S. Filed away for future reference.

:)

Maybe I’m blind. The DVD remote, which is working, doesn’t show anything through the phone camera.

But anyway, I’m going to file the TV remote… or go to my favourite store to get a new one :p

Divine Angel said:

Maybe I’m blind. The DVD remote, which is working, doesn’t show anything through the phone camera.

But anyway, I’m going to file the TV remote… or go to my favourite store to get a new one :p

Just tried it with my digital camera. It’s true, you can see the light.

Tamb said:

party_pants said:

Divine Angel said:

Pardon?

Look at the infra-red light on the top of the remote control through a camera. Press a button on the remote. You should be able to see the light turn on when a button is pressed.

Does that also work with digital cameras?

Yes, digital camera, phone camera etc.

party_pants said:

Tamb said:

party_pants said:

Look at the infra-red light on the top of the remote control through a camera. Press a button on the remote. You should be able to see the light turn on when a button is pressed.

Does that also work with digital cameras?

Yes, digital camera, phone camera etc.

Doesn’t work with my iphun camera.

sibeen said:

party_pants said:

Tamb said:

Does that also work with digital cameras?

Yes, digital camera, phone camera etc.

Doesn’t work with my iphun camera.

Maybe iPhones are stupid. To be honest I haven’t tried it with an iPhone as such, but I don’t have a romte control handy.

>>It’s true, you can see the light.

Praise the Lord.

Divine Angel said:

Maybe I’m blind. The DVD remote, which is working, doesn’t show anything through the phone camera.

But anyway, I’m going to file the TV remote… or go to my favourite store to get a new one :p

Hmm…

Just tried it, you are correct. How about I rephrase my claim:

Most cheap digital cameras will allow you to see the infrared from the remote, but expensive ones (and my iphone, apparently) have an IR filter.

Yep, I was using the iPhone. The digi camera works. Who needs Google when I got youse?

Peak Warming Man said:

>>It’s true, you can see the light.

Praise the Lord.

But only on the mountain top.

Carmen_Sandiego said:

Divine Angel said:

Maybe I’m blind. The DVD remote, which is working, doesn’t show anything through the phone camera.

But anyway, I’m going to file the TV remote… or go to my favourite store to get a new one :p

Hmm…

Just tried it, you are correct. How about I rephrase my claim:

Most cheap digital cameras will allow you to see the infrared from the remote, but expensive ones (and my iphone, apparently) have an IR filter.

I think the filter can be turned on or off on those cameras. Don’t know about iphones though.

Divine Angel said:

Yep, I was using the iPhone. The digi camera works. Who needs Google when I got youse?

10 points to Gryffindor for not saying y’all

Tamb said:

Peak Warming Man said:

>>It’s true, you can see the light.

Praise the Lord.

But only on the mountain top.

On top of a Mountain with a sheep

Carmen_Sandiego said:

Most cheap digital cameras will allow you to see the infrared from the remote, but expensive ones (and my iphone, apparently) have an IR filter.

As the photographers on the forum should know, digital cameras without IR filters are not so good for portrait work: they tend to make skin pores, blemishes & beard stubble more visible.

Any low resistance paths, from spilled chemicals, or even undried metho or whatever across PCB keypads, or elsewhere, given a lot of it’d be likely cmos, will effectively disable the unit I’d imagine.

Divine Angel said:

The batteries have leaked in the tv remote and it doesn’t work so well anymore, even with new batteries. Is my only option to get a universal remote?

No, that is not your only option. Another option would be to buy a new TV.

Or just don’t watch any more television.

Bubblecar said:

Or just don’t watch any more television.

Easier to just cancel your electricity.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bubblecar said:

Or just don’t watch any more television.

Easier to just cancel your electricity.

Got my summer bill today: $305.07

Bubblecar said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bubblecar said:

Or just don’t watch any more television.

Easier to just cancel your electricity.

Got my summer bill today: $305.07

Mine was $156.

OCDC said:

Bubblecar said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Easier to just cancel your electricity.

Got my summer bill today: $305.07

Mine was $156.

$619

Carmen_Sandiego said:

OCDC said:

Bubblecar said:

Got my summer bill today: $305.07

Mine was $156.

$619

I steal power from my neighbours.

(I don’t , really)

Carmen_Sandiego said:

OCDC said:

Bubblecar said:

Got my summer bill today: $305.07

Mine was $156.

$619

Dafuq?

OCDC said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

OCDC said:

Mine was $156.

$619

Dafuq?

Swimming pool.

The Huff Post also has this, which is much more entertaining:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/19/sir-david-attenborough-olympic-curling_n_4818347.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Carmen_Sandiego said:

OCDC said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

$619

Dafuq?

Swimming pool.

Isn’t it curious how something that’s meant to keep you cool costs mre to run than a good-sized heater?

$619 with a pool.. my house must leak.

1,000 to 700 is the norm but of course there are 1 and a half people living here and we do cook 3 to 4 times a week.

Four optons:

1. Buy genuine part from manufacturer. (expensive)
2. Buy similar unit from Cashies/lifeline. (Cheap, but no guarantee)
3. Buy universal remote (not cheap, no guarantees, will work on any other equipment)
4. Repair old unit.

———————————————-

Option 5… I think Kerry O’Keeffe wrote the tune.

If you don’t have a remote, stand up.
If you don’t have a remote, stand up.
If you don’t have a remote, stand up.