TV does not respond to commands? Don’t rush to sound the alarm and save money to replace it. You may just need to repair the remote control. When the TV remote control does not work, of course you can suspect that the entire device has failed. However, usually the situation is resolved much simpler. The problem will be fixed if you simply fix the TV remote control.
Where to carry out repairs, and how difficult is it? If your TV remote control is broken, use the instructions in this article.
Types of breakdowns
You can control your TV in two ways:
- Through the buttons located on the front panel of the device;
- Via remote control.
And here there is an excellent opportunity to determine the source of the problem: if there is no response from the TV when you press the remote control buttons, but the TV executes commands when the control is from the front TV panel, then you will have to diagnose the remote control. But if the TV does not respond to either its buttons or the remote control, then, most likely, you are dealing with more serious problems in the equipment itself.
To understand how to repair the TV remote control, you need to figure out where the problem might be:
- The remote control may either not work at all - that is, when you press any button, there is no response from the TV;
- The remote control device does not work well - commands are executed, but not from all buttons or with a noticeable delay.
In the first case, the problem may be the lack of a power source or broken contacts on the chip. Incorrect operation of the remote control is most often due to discharged batteries or a case filled with liquid.
The batteries are low
80% of all calls to service workshops regarding a broken TV remote control are caused by batteries. The first thing to do when diagnosing failures of the remote control is to replace the batteries with new ones.
Even if you only installed new batteries a few days ago, you should try updating them. Batteries may be defective or expired; often, even in original packaging, these elements may be “dead.”
If you have a voltmeter in your house, you can check their voltage with this device. The minimum charge value should be 1.3 V. If the battery potential is lower, it must be replaced.
Check the operation of the remote control with new batteries; further repairs may not be required. If they are not the reason, move on to the next stage.
When should you buy a new remote control?
There are situations when repairing the remote control yourself is impossible. For example, you need to re-solder a board, but you don’t have the skills to work with a soldering iron. Or a suitable element was not found in the nearest radio equipment stores.
In these situations there are two options:
- Take the remote control to the nearest TV repair shop. They will order the necessary elements and quickly carry out repairs. But the cost can be quite high.
- Buy an analogue on the radio engineering market. Or order delivery of the original device.
Buying an analogue is much cheaper. There, on the electronics market, you can immediately buy a multifunctional remote control, which will help if the remote control from the set-top box fails or replace three devices at the same time.
The main thing is to choose “not empty-handed.” It is best to take an old remote control to the store that is broken and cannot be repaired. So, it’s faster and easier to find an analogue or original specifically for your TV model.
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Some buttons don't work
It happens that some buttons on the TV remote control do not work well: you have to press them with great force each time. This is also a very common problem, which can be solved by simply cleaning the device.
The remote control may be clogged with dust or small particles of household dirt. These devices are also often filled with water, coffee or juice. The sticky mucus that collects under the button prevents the contacts from touching, which is why there is a delay or complete absence of the signal.
But how can you repair buttons with such dirt on your own? It’s very simple: the device should be disassembled and cleaned.
- Remove the batteries.
- Unscrew the connecting screws on the remote control.
- Carefully separate the two parts of the housing from each other. If something is in the way, do not force it, but inspect the device again; perhaps you missed some kind of fastening connection (often a bolt can be hidden under the batteries, for example). If the case has special latches, then you need to open them using a flat screwdriver inserted into the strip connecting the two parts of the remote control.
- You should have 2 housing parts, an internal contact rubber band and a microcircuit in your hands.
Carefully and slowly inspect each element. Despite the simplicity of the device, there are many small workers in it, so it is better to carry out an inspection using a magnifying glass.
To carefully detach the two parts of the plastic housing of the remote control, you can use not only a screwdriver, which can leave small chips and scratches. For this procedure, some masters use a regular plastic card, which is issued by all chain stores.
How can I solve the problem?
After diagnosing the equipment, you need to choose a solution to the problem that corresponds to the specific problem:
- change batteries if they are dead;
- check the operation of the LED in case of signal failure;
- Check the internal components for damage due to the remote control being dropped.
To understand which repair method to choose in a particular situation, it is best to carefully study each of them.
Most problems that arise with the remote control can be solved yourself!
Change batteries
To change the batteries on the remote control, follow these steps:
- Open the protective cover of the power system elements, which is most often located at the bottom of the rear side of the case.
- Remove old batteries.
- Insert new batteries. Pay attention to the power poles. The minus must be combined with the minuses, and the plus with the plus.
- Carefully close the protective cover.
After completing all steps, you can continue to use the device.
Batteries run out extremely suddenly for users, so it’s a good idea to keep a few, or even a pack, at home in case the ones in the device run out.
Check LED
The LED is the most important part of any remote control. It is this small light bulb that transmits the infrared signal with the desired command to the TV. Without it, the bullet is simply useless.
The LED should first be inspected for physical damage. The light bulb should not have scratches or dents, and even more so, it should not be broken.
The user must then check the LED's functionality. This can be done using any smartphone camera. By pointing the device at the device and switching channels, you can notice how the light is on - this means that the LED is working correctly.
If problems are found in one of the two checks, then the device must be noticed. To do this, you need to buy an LED in a specialized electronics store and carefully solder the light bulb into the remote control chip.
Open and check for internal damage
In case of mechanical damage to the case, the internal parts of the device are most often also damaged. This kind of damage is the easiest to notice. There will be dents or chipped plastic in the outer shell of the remote control.
However, there are often cases when, after a fall or strong impact, the body of the remote control has no visible mechanical damage, but despite this, the internal system of the remote control is damaged and because of this the device ceases to function fully.
Closed damage is also indicated by the sound of knocking on plastic walls, as if something was loose inside.
To check for physical damage, you need to open the case. Some remote controls are equipped with screws, so to open their “shell” you just need to unscrew the fasteners with a small Phillips screwdriver.
Other models are fastened with latches; such devices are opened using a knife with a thin blade. It must be carefully inserted into the gap between the halves of the case and slowly disconnected from each other.
When opening the case with a knife, you must be extremely careful not to damage the microcircuits.
Video instruction that demonstrates how to open the remote control yourself and check it for internal damage
If individual buttons do not work
There are many reasons why the remote control buttons do not work:
- Wear of the graphite layer.
- Liquid has entered the device.
- Mechanical damage to the device.
It is important to understand that malfunction of the buttons is a consequence of the breakdown, and not its cause. Therefore, in order to begin any repair actions, you should find out why this or that key fails.
Video instructions with different ways to solve problems with erased buttons
If there is an oily liquid inside
Often, when you press the buttons on the remote control, you can see a dark oily liquid. The first thing that comes to every user’s mind is that some kind of liquid was spilled on the device. However, this fluid is collected from fat that is secreted by the pores of the fingers.
It is extremely easy to clean the remote control from this oily liquid. To do this, you need to disassemble the case and thoroughly wipe the entire internal system.
How to restore lost contacts
Broken contacts of microcircuits can only be restored using a soldering iron. You should use this device with extreme caution so as not to further damage the remote control.
How to restore the graphite layer on the board
The graphite layer is located at the lower level of the buttons and is in contact with the microcircuits. Over time, this layer wears off and the buttons stop functioning. However, this problem is easy to solve on your own. To do this, you need to buy a special kit with glue and additional graphite heels at a radio electronics store and repair the remote control yourself.
Many repairmen replace the store-bought graphite layer with ordinary food foil.
Cleaning from moisture and dirt
Anything that has oily dirt can be wiped with a damp cloth or cotton wool soaked in alcohol. However, if the remote control is old, the dirt may be unexpectedly heavy. It would seem where this dirt would come from, but, as practice shows, all remote controls collect dirt.
Take a small basin and pour warm, clean water into it. Add a few drops of dish detergent and lather the solution. Place all the elements of the remote control in it, including the circuit board. Don't worry, without power there will be no short circuit. After some time, all the dirt will become wet and it will be easy to remove, for example, with a regular toothbrush.
Clean the board with radio components especially carefully: they must not be damaged. The contacts on the microcircuit and the buttons themselves on the reverse side of the rubber element must be black! After all dirt has been removed, rinse the parts with running water, pat them dry with a dry towel and place them in a warm, dry place for 30-40 minutes to dry completely.
If the button contact has a graphite coating, then the reason for poor operation may be that it is worn out and erased. Regular chocolate or cigarette packaging will help solve the problem. You just need to cut paper-based foil into squares or circles of the appropriate size and glue the pieces with the paper side to the contacts.
It is best to glue the foil to the contacts using “Moment” or silicone-based glue. There is also a special product for this type of need, but buying it specifically for 1-2 buttons is impractical. Also on the market are special repair kits for remote controls, which contain buttons with conductive coating and a small tube of adhesive.
Cracks after a fall
Remote controls can be located in a variety of places, as they should always be at hand: after waking up, you look for the remote control on the bedside table, when you have breakfast, the device lies with you on the table, and during an evening movie show, the remote control moves to the sofa next to you.
They are compact and comfortable, but they fall quite often, and this does not always happen on soft carpet. If the remote control is dropped on ceramic tiles, it can suffer serious damage not only to the outer case, but also to the internal microcircuits.
If after a fall the remote control ceases to function, then its restoration also begins with disassembly. There are three common damage caused by impact:
- Broken LED;
- The battery terminal is broken;
- The quartz resonator is damaged.
The first two faults can be determined by visual inspection. The operation of the LED can be checked without even disassembling the housing:
- Turn on the camera on your smartphone.
- Point the remote control at the camera so that the LED is in focus.
- Look at the mobile phone screen and press any button on the remote control. The signal, if any, will be clearly visible through the camera.
You can also check the operation of the LED using a multimeter, but to do this, the outer parts of the housing will have to be removed:
- Connect the tester probes to both ends of the LED.
- Set the device switch to 3V.
- Press any button on the remote control.
- If the tester shows voltage, then the LED is working.
After an unsuccessful fall of the remote control, the contact terminal of the batteries may be damaged. The spring contacts of this connection are soldered to the chip, so make sure that the soldering is not broken and is firmly in place. Also check the springs themselves for corrosion or bending. If the contacts are oxidized, you can clean them with sandpaper.
If you find ring cracks or oxidation in the soldering of the contact terminals and decide to solder them again, then the correct thing to do is to disconnect all the elements from the board, clean and tin them, and only then solder them again.
But checking the performance of a quartz resonator is not so easy. To do this, you need to disassemble the remote control and find on its microcircuit a small box with soldered contacts. If you gently shake it and hear the sound of crumbs rolling inside, then the resonator is broken and will need to be replaced. Only a master can revive such a bullet.
If the TV remote control was dropped on the floor and immediately after that you noticed that the device stopped working, then when disassembling the remote control you should pay attention to the ceramic resonator.
Obvious problems
The vast majority of complaints about the remote not working well are due to its power supply being drained . Most often these are ordinary salt batteries. They need to be replaced before looking for more serious problems. This is done as follows:
- The remote control is turned over for inspection;
- in its lower part or in the center there is a battery compartment cover (it can be attached with a latch or fixed with a screw);
- The cover is removed by unscrewing the screw or pressing the latch area and moving the part in the direction indicated by the arrow.
After the batteries are removed, the contact pads should be inspected. On one side of the compartment there is a plate with protrusions, on the other there are two springs. There should be no oxides on these parts; if any are detected, cleaning is carried out. It is convenient to use a thin metal screwdriver and alcohol.
Important! If the contact pads are excessively worn or oxidized, the remote control can only be revived by replacing them. Service workshops will definitely have the necessary spare parts.
If everything is in order with the metal parts, you need to insert the batteries into the compartment and check the operation of the remote control. The TV may not respond. In this case, continue to press the buttons. If the batteries heat up during the test, it means that there are short circuits or other malfunctions in the TV remote control in the electronic circuit of the remote control. The easiest way out is to take the device to a service center. You can try to restore its operation yourself using one of the methods described below.
The second common cause of breakdowns is falls and impacts. If the remote control stops working after this, there may be serious damage to the electronics. It is better to replace a device with a split casing, since repairs at the service center will cost more than a new remote control. As well as efforts to resuscitate the remote control unit on our own.
