Yesterday I was able to turn the TV off with the remote. Today, I am unable to turn the TV on with the remote. After turning it on manually, I was unable to control the TV at all with the remote.
Using a digital camera, I can see that my device-specific and universal remotes both transmit. Nothing changed (of course) between yesterday and today. There’s a small LED on this TV that blinks when it picks up an IR code. It is no longer blinking.
I’ve cleaned the exterior around the sensor. I’ve unplugged the TV for hours. I’ve disconnected all inputs/outputs. Nothing brings the IR sensor back (so far).
it’s not that I’m too lazy to get up and push the buttons… it’s that for some features, you need to be able to use the remote.
I figure it’s probably a software bug, 'cept I can’t update the firmware because I can’t confirm the questions it asks me because I need to key in the response via the remote. (I’m thinking there’s some sort of conflict with CEC/HDMI control (a/k/a Philips EasyLink) and somewhere along the way a flag got perma-set to no-IR-control.
While awaiting an answer unplug the power source from the wall. This occasionally fixes glitchy like problems. My old Philips sometimes loses closed captions and unplugging it over night recover them for several months.
Sometimes it’s just the right manipulation of those words to get the answer. I swear I tried similar queries and got nowhere fast. And I’m good at google!
Anyway, I managed to shell out $165 for an extended warranty to fix the issue. If the TV were already on the verge of replacement, I’d try it myself. But I’d rather not screw it up. I fancy myself handy with electronics, but just like with cars… the smaller and more compact they get, the harder it is to work on them.
I have a Philips 47PFL3603D/F7 with the same problem. It was the IR sensor board causing the problem. You can search online to find the board, which almost everyone will most likely not have in stock, and cant be ordered. The part you need is this: 313926859181 IR Remote Sensor.
Models it will fit are as follows: Substitute Parts 313926859182
Known Models
MAGNAVOX 42MF438B/27
MAGNAVOX 42MF438B/27
MAGNAVOX 42MF438B/F7
MAGNAVOX 52MF438B/27
MAGNAVOX 52MF438B/F7
PHILIPS 32PFL3403D/85
PHILIPS 42PFL3403D/27
PHILIPS 42PFL3403D/F7
PHILIPS 42PFL3603D/27
PHILIPS 42PFL3603D/F7
PHILIPS 47PFL3603D/27
PHILIPS 47PFL3603D/F7
PHILIPS 52PFL3603D/27
PHILIPS 52PFL3603D/F7
If you can find the board, great! A replacement board costs about $12.00. If you can’t… we’ll there is something you can try ; )
Either way, if you know it’s the board, what’s the harm in trying?
Remove the back from the TV. You can actually leave it on your stand to do this if you can spin it around to gain access to the back of it. Be sure to unplug everything first!!!
Looking at the back of the tv, the board will be located in the lower left side by the speaker. It will have 2 cables attached to it. Remove them, and take out the screw or two that holds it in place. There will be a plastic tab that keeps it in place also.
Take your fingernail and bend the tab back, and the board should come free. After that you should be holding the board in your hands. The side of the board with the connectors on it is the side you want to manipulate. There will be a tiny surface mounted capacitor beside one of the wire connection sockets. Take a utility knife and scrape it off/ you could use a soldering iron but it should come off very easy with a knife.
Plug it back in, and give it a try! If it works… great! If not, find a replacement board, and try that.
I was surfing the web trying to figure out what was wrong with my TV/? remote. I stumbled across this site but right before that I called Philips support and they suggested I take the TV to their preferred repair shop or purchase a refurbished 47 inch TV for $400. Shame on Philips support. I ordered the IR sensor board from partstore.com for $11.62. After I removed the TV back panel, it took about 5 minutes to replace. I am able to use the remote control for the TV again.
Hey Badmoonrizn,
Excellent advise on the philips tv. I followed your steps and did everything you said and it worked. You saved me from taking my tv to repair shop and spending money on another IR sensor board. I just want to say thanks, i would have had no clue, i really appreciate it
Take your cellphone camera and point it at the remote control, if you see a light comming out of the remote when you press the button then your remote is fine. If your TV is not responding to your remote but you can can change the channels with the keypad than its your IR Sensor that is bad. The IR sensors with model number 3139 123 63274 have a common defect. If you want to repair your IR sensor for cheap you can visit here. http://www.nohoelectronics.com/products/2897-3139-123-63274-ir-sensor-repair-service-1295.aspx
I followed the instructions in reference to removing the capacitor from the IR Remote sensor board on my Philips TV and now my TV won’t come on at all. I can hear it power up when I plug the TV up but it won’t come on with the power button nor the universal remote. Please help.
It sounds like you may have forgotten to plug something back in when you reassembled the TV, or damaged the board mentioned (haven’t seen it, so don’t know if it also has the power button; I don’t really like the instructions on FixYa either because they tell you to scrape the faulty capacitor off, at least one poster there said did it and the power LED stopped working, presumably because they cut a trace, or removed the wrong part).
Thanks Badmoorizn for the excellent advice. I ordered the RI sensor and it works perfect. The only thing I would like to add is two things. It takes a T 8 Torx bit to remove the back. Also the plugs that are plugged into the board are hard to figure out how to unplug. I pulled the socket clear off the old board not knowing ther was a tiny male plug that slides into the thin plastic female socket that is soldered to the circuit board. I used a thin razor knife to cut way the out side because I didn’t know. The only way I can see other than the way I said is to pull gently on the wires to unplug it.
It all worked out fine , Thanks for the help.
Hello! I’ve my TV from 2009 and everything were ok until now. Yesterday the TV stopped to react to remote control. I change the batteries twice and it didn’t help. I’ve tried to control from the side buttons, but the don’t act according to it functionality, for example source button increase the sound. please help.
I too lost my Remote functions, after buying a new remote and finding still not working, i decided to Google and ended up here.
IR Sensor # for this TV is BA17P6G0401 1 2
After pulling the unit and examination with magnifying glass, plain to see the capacitor is Fried, burned board
Please see pictures here
I have a Phillips Model 42PFL3603D/F7
and last Wednesday my remote stopped working also.
I have been reading the posts on here and figured I would give most a try.
I tried new batteries and nothing…
I tried a new remote and nothing…
I tried removing the back and checking the capacitor and (no thanks too much involved)
I decided to check into getting the part and IR sensor board from partstore.com for $10.90? I think so… I ordered the part. we will see and I’ll keep ya informed…
FYI: 313926859181 IR Remote Sensor. (NO longer available according to them)
313926859182 IR Remote Sensor (Substitute Part is available)
Thanks all for the information and help you guys give. it helps some who can’t afford repair bills…
I too had the remote problem with a PHILIPS 47PFL3603D/F7B LCD TV. I ordered the part from PartsStore.com (Philips 313926859182 IR BOARD ASSEMBLY) $11.74 +Tax & Shipping. Installation was straight forward and the result was a completely operational TV. Thank You THE STRAIT DOPE !!
