Problem with remote control on Dish Network

The oldest types of remote control are RF--radio frequency, and are subject to a great many types of interference. It would have to be really, really old though, more than 15 years. For almost twenty years, remotes have relied upon infrared signals. Once of the reason for this was the strength of RF signals in older devices--the neighbors could hit the remote to open the garage door when they come home, and change the channel on your television. Infra-red is a passive system in one sense. A passive infrared detector is "looking" for a specific change in the infrared wave length at all times. Your remote sends out a small burst of infra red, usually a very strong signal, so the passive receptor will only react to a very high signal--therefore the infrared signal of your body won't change the channel. (The doors at the supermarket use PIR--passive infrared--which is why the door doesn't upon until you almost ram it with the cart, your infrared signature did not enter the look down field until you had almost reached the door with your cart.)

If there were a lot of dust in the room or if someone smokes heavily, you could have problems. The infrared passive detector on the front of the television is usually built-in in an unobtrusive manner, so you wouldn't see it even by looking closely. If there is a lot of dust in the room, or someone smokes in there, it's gonna mean your television is picking up a lot of dust or particulate from the smoke. You might try keeping the front of the television very clean--the static charge from the CRT (the cathode ray tube, the "picture tube") is a significant attractant for dust or particulate in smoke. RF remotes of the older type are subject to electrical field interference, but they "don't care" if the television is clean.

You could post the model and make of your television here and i could try some of the online resources i know of to attempt to learn if it is an older RF model, or what is now standard, infrared. The security firm for which i was originally an installer, and for many years after the business manager, had service calls from time to time in security control centers to when we were told the remotes no longer worked. The CRTs used in security control centers have used infrared longer than any other systems, because there is always interference in such places (with literally dozens or even hundreds of electric and electronic devices in operation at the same time). We have often found that all we needed to do was clean the business end of the remote, and then the front of the monitor it was intended to control. A few times, we were able to show that staff on the graveyard shift were smoking in the control room.

One very remote possibility is that there is a fault in an older remote which is draining the batteries at an excessive rate. That is unlikely, though, because you said he replaced the remote. If you have that joker in again, ask if the remote is RF or infrared.

By the way, i don't think you do have an RF remote. They don't even need to be pointed at the television. They send out a very strong signal over a very short distance. You can sit on one, and it will change the channel. Your description of needing to stand in one spot, and hold it at a certain angle suggests an infrared remote control.

No, it's not an older remote, it's the remote the dish people give you with the system....you know, the master one so you can record, block out channels, all that jazz. Actually, I only use the damn thing to record the Sopranos and some pbs shows so I'll have something to watch on it while I exercise. The tv in that room isn't even used other than that.

No dust, no smokers.

It's like something is wrong with the hookup from the TV to the dish on the roof. But they say not.

Maybe I'm missing something on how the dish network works....do you know?

Yeah, kinda . . . i worked for a company that installed the older, larger type of dishes before i went to work for the security company. If the hook-up to the dish is faulty, you get nada--no signal, no image, nothing. The receiver has to be in the room for the remote to work, so no fault in the connection to the dish would interfer with the remote and still provide a signal. It could be a fault with the receiver, though. The repairman would not like to admit that, since the receiver is usually covered in the purchase contract, and they'd have to replace it for free. He'd rather give you a new, cheap remote made in a sweatshop in a Chinese prison rather than give you the more sophisticated and more expensive device. I had misunderstood, and took you to mean the remote for the television itself. I have no doubt that what you have is an infrared remote control. Hold it at waist level with the business end pointing up at your face. Push any button, you should see a very brief flash of red light, which would be an infrared control. I really doubt that it is RF, although it might be if it's a cheap system. Just to be on the safe side, clean the front of the receiver thoroughly. It sits on the television, no?

huh, this is funny.

I'm on hold with the dish people right now, I was reading your post while talking to them.

I saw the part about replacing the receiver, so I asked her if it shows on my records if it was ever replaced.....it wasn't....veddy innnnnteresting.

it's annoying how I told the woman who answered the phone that I'll briefly explain the situation, but I'm going to want to speak to a supervisor.

Well, I gave her the bare bones, and she starts asking me "How far is that TV from the receiver? Is your antenae straight?"

That's when I said "Look, if they have come out several times, and have been able to get it to work, then that shows the TV is not too far from the receiver, right?"

Yes.

"And if the primary tv with the receiver is working fine, then that means the antenae is properly placed, right?"

Yes.

"Well, then I'm going to ask to speak to the supervisor"

well, sure that's fine, but he's not going to be able to tell you anything more than I can.....




Well, maybe he can tell me why the receiver hasn't been replaced.

Actually, this is thru SBC, so it's not like we bought it or anything....

hum hum hum, still on hold......

Updates as they arise.

Give 'em hell, Chai.
Good luck.

Oh, I'm not mad.

It takes more than that.

I just like to get some straight answers.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty easy going.

I didn't think you were mad. Merely an expression. I have to admit, in your shoes, I would probably be giving them hell. After four trips by them out and they still can't get it right, I'd be questioning how well they know what they are doing. Actually, after the first two or three failed attempts at a repair, I would have contacted someone higher up on the chain and told them what had happened, what had been done, that it had failed, and how I felt about it. As constructively as possible. By this time, where you are, I would have been pretty pissed off.

Very likely, both the installers and the repairmen are casual labor who were hired with no previous experience. The likelihood that you will get someone who understands the sytem and the electronics inside and out is very, very low. Lean on them, make them replace the receiver.

Oh, ya'll will love this....






This is what I mean about getting straight answers....

I accidently disconnected myself, so I called back and got some guy.

It should go without saying that I had to repeat the WHOLE story again.

He started in with having a tech come out there, and I reminded him this wasn't a good week.

Actually, he seemed to have a little sense, and he seemed to have something to tell me.

He said the little antena on the receiver (which is on TV #1, TV #2 is in the bedroom) can pick up interference over time from the tv itself, or the vcr or whatever else next to it.

He said to try moving the antena a little, to break up the interference. (I see this as sometimes when your land line crackles and you take out the connector plug and blow into it to break up built up static electricity)

He said he was going to mail me something they call a "mouse tail" it's an IR Blast Extender (have I told you my husbands name is Irwin Rosenblatt?

Basically is a short piece of cable that you use to extend the distance between the receiver and the antena.

My question to him was "Why weren't we told about this the last 3 times"?

Quien sabe?

anyway, I'm gonna go home and wiggle my antena tonight, and in about 6 days I'll hopefully be able to extend Irwins Blast.

Say a prayer for me.

oy

This is making me think twice about signing up for their "All-In-One" package.
I should think between your wiggling and Irwin's pending Blast extension you should be able to accomplish something positive. In many ways.

Jeez Set, is there anything you DON'T know?

I am now picturing Chai wiggling and blasting with Irwin

Reading this over (because I amuse myself so much), this sounds like some device Lord Ellpus would be looking to buy off the internet.





So, I called Mr. Rosenblatt, who's careening around town looking for copper wire to steal, and tell him the potentially good news.

As soon as I mention the antena and interference in the same breath......


"RRRRAAAA-RRRRAAAA-RRRRRA, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT ANTENA AND INTERFERENCE RRRRAAAA-RRRRAAAAA-RRRRRAAAA"

So, did they already try that solution?

"RRRRAAA-RRRRAAA-RRRRAAAA NO BECAUSE I RRRRRRAAAA-RRRRAAA-RRRRAAA"

being an experienced wife, I blocked out anything after the "no"

He's a really great guy, seriously.....



RRRRRAAAA-RRRAAA-RRRRAAAAAA!!!

IT'S A MIRACLE!!!

Set, your prayers must have worked.

I went up and wiggled that antena arount a bit, just to get it's attention, then marched back to the bedroom.

Everything working like a Swiss Watch.

men........

Actually, I have rather a large antena, a fair length of cable and am at the moment trying to wiggle the thing around, in order to make a successful entry into the receiver.

And Typing one handed no doubt.

I just read your post about your remote problem. I can't believe no one told you the #2 remote is a UHF/IR type remote. When the remote is in the Sat. mode it is in it's UHF function so it can control your satellite receiver which is the same room as your #1 TV. When your #2 remote is controlling your #2 TV it will be using it's IR function and will need to be pointing toward your #2 TV. Usually this is just to turn your #2 TV on or off. I thought this info might be of use in case your problem returns. The receiver antenna placement might be critical in your location. A possible problem would be a broadcast radio/TV antenna emitting lots of RF or a ham radio operator close by. Glad someone finally helped you. The Dish network like the cable companies call their people technicians but they are not electronic techs. Next time you call for service ask them to send an electronic tech preferably one that is licensed.

Mine did the same thing (it's IR not RF). I narrowed it down to lighting in the room. In a dark room, it doesn't work. With all curtains open and lights on, works every time. Give it a try.

I came to this site trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with my remote suddenly. It turned TV off and on but nothing else. After several days of perplexion, I read this thread and it dawned on me that I had rearranged my furniture recently and had put my cordless phone on same table as the TV. I just now unplugged and removed the phone and suddenly have a fully functioning TV with remote. Thanks all.