Problem With Sky Remote.

crosstownk

As per title, I've a problem with my remote.

Sky have called 3 times to attempt to rectify the problem.

What happens is the remote works but the box (Sky HD+) doesn't always respond. It gets so bad at times that I have to use the front panel on the Sky box to change channels :mad:

Here's the sequence of events.

1. I upgraded to Sky+ HD in October. It worked fine for months. I had a problem with recording programs and as a result Sky said the box was being recalled and would be replaced in due course. The box was replaced on 10th April last. That's when the problem with the remote began.

2. I called Sky. They came out and replaced the remote. Problem still persisted.

3. I called Sky again. Engineer calls and updates the already up-to-date software. He didn't even wait for the software to load. It was a Friday so maybe he was in a hurry to go for a pint.

4. I call Sky again. They agree that the problem is most likely with the box and arrange another engineer to call. He calls and replaces the box and the problem is STILL there. This time the engineer witnessed the problem. I had him put back the old box before he left rather than loose my recordings.

The engineer reckons that something is interfering with the remote. What could possibly be interfering with it? I have no new appliances in the house. I do have wireless networks but they've been in the house years with no issues.

As I said above this problem only appeared after the box was changed due to the recall. The previous box was a Pace and the new one is a Samsung but that shouldn't make a difference - should it?

Has anyone experienced this problem or does anyone know what could possibly be interfering with the remote?

steveon

I find the Samsung HD boxes extremely slow to change channels and have found that you practically need to be sitting rite in front of it and almost level for it to change channels.

Only solution I could come up with was to use a magic eye which I was able to point in the direction of where the customer was sitting as it was located awkwardly in a press....

Can you sit directly in front of box and see if it changes for you

crosstownk

steveon wrote: »

Can you sit directly in front of box and see if it changes for you

Thanks for the suggestion but it makes no difference. I'm sure the magic eye suggestion may help but as the HD box is under warranty, I don't feel it's my problem to solve. The initiative should be taken by Sky. I'm not trying to be purposely awkward on this. I called Sky last night after posting here and they are sending me a(nother) new remote. I seriously doubt that this will solve the problem but I'll give Sky the attempt. After that I'll be fit to blow up.

At the moment the box is not receiving the remote signal at all and I've to use the front panel on the box which is a pain in the a$$.

steveon

I dont think ur being awkward at all I think you are 100% in the rite...I have it here before that the HD boxes are way too buggy and feel they should have gotten it rite by now that there is 3 different manufacturers.

crosstownk

Does anybody happen to know where the remote receiver is on the front of a HD box? I might as well check to ensure that it isn't dirty/obscured. I had a good look at the box and the remote sensor isn't obvious (maybe I'm blind!).

kbell

Is your television a Phillips??

crosstownk

kbell wrote: »

Is your television a Phillips??

No - it's a Sharp.

kbell

Ah, just i had a similar problem where there was a Philips tv involved.

The customers box was inside a cabinet with frosted glass doors which wouldn't allow the remote to work.
He wanted to be able to control his box without opening the doors.

An eye was connected, but worked intermittently.
I eventually discovered (after box,remote,and eye changes) that the further away from the tv we located the eye, then the better that it worked.
The eye is sitting on the floor underneath the tv unit just poking out enough for it to work.

Maybe plug out your Sharp and temporally set up another tv to see if it has any effect??

crosstownk

kbell wrote: »

Maybe plug out your Sharp and temporally set up another tv to see if it has any effect??

Sounds drastic but I'll swap TVs. I've a Samsung in another room but I doubt it will solve the problem. Everything was 100% until Sky decided they wanted to swap the original box due to a recall.

However, the problem is bugging me so much that I'll try anything. The more information I can glean the better. I'll swap TVs tomorrow (easy enough job) and report back.

kbell

Or easier still, bring the hd box into the other room and hook it up to the other tv.
You wont need a sat feed.
See if you are able to control the box from there.
If you are, then its the Sharp that's interfering with the remote signal.

crosstownk

Swapping TVs didn't work. Several engineer calls and 3 Samsung boxes and 2 remotes later (in 6 weeks) and I still have the same problem. I'm so frustrated that I've a mind to cancel the whole Sky deal but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot.

Anyway, an engineer is calling Thursday with another box - they have guaranteed that it won't be a Samsung this time!

crosstownk

Problem sorted. A Thompson box was installed and all is well. Apparently the Samsung boxes are prone to interference from IR light from LCD/Plasma TVs - or so I read on other forums. Anyway, the Thompson box has resolved the problem, thankfully.

etcetc

same problem here

whoami1

I am also having a problem with the remote on my Sky+ box. Nothing has changed in the house, but over the past couple of weeks, the remote has been very slow to respond after quite a while in standby. Like a good Sky customer, I leave the box powered on but in standby when not in use.

The symptoms of the remote problem are that if you press any button, the red light at the top of the remote will come on instantly and then go out again. If you press another button after that, the light will come on about a second after you press it and stay lit for a second. This has no effect on the TV, including no volume changes. The big Sky button at the top will work, allowing the box to come on. Nothing else works... for a while. After a lot of button-pushing which does not, it suddenly starts to work.

Weird!

crosstownk

Thompson box still working perfectly - plus the added advantage of the new EPG!

greendom

whoami1 wrote: »

I am also having a problem with the remote on my Sky+ box. Nothing has changed in the house, but over the past couple of weeks, the remote has been very slow to respond after quite a while in standby. Like a good Sky customer, I leave the box powered on but in standby when not in use.

The symptoms of the remote problem are that if you press any button, the red light at the top of the remote will come on instantly and then go out again. If you press another button after that, the light will come on about a second after you press it and stay lit for a second. This has no effect on the TV, including no volume changes. The big Sky button at the top will work, allowing the box to come on. Nothing else works... for a while. After a lot of button-pushing which does not, it suddenly starts to work.

Weird!

Sometimes my sky remote stops working but I find by pressing the tv button then the sky button it starts working again

crosstownk

greendom wrote: »

Sometimes my sky remote stops working but I find by pressing the tv button then the sky button it starts working again

This certainly wasn't the issue in my case.

My Dad had the same problem with his Samsung box. He called Sky, they came out and installed a Pace box and all is well for him. The Samsung boxes are prone to IR interference from some TVs.

melekalikimaka

have same issue with pacebox

whoami1

Unhappily, you could press the TV and Sky buttons on my remote until you were (Sky-)blue in the face and nothing would make any difference... for a while.

35notout

Hi,

Both my Sky remotes have suddently stopped working - not Sky+.

I have a magic eye for the TV upstairs - remote stopped about a week ago.

Then last night the remote on the main TV downstairs stopped working.

They both work on the TV - ie can switch on and off - but the Sky box does nothing.

The red light comes on, but nothing happens.

Would Sky fix this? Is it the box or the remotes??

Thanks