# TV doesn't work with remote **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 1, 2001, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348 "2001-03-01T05:58:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348/1 "2001-03-01T05:58:00Z")
All of a sudden my universal remote for my TV stopped working. I figured that my remote was broke so I bought another universal remote. This fails to turn on my set. BUT it does work on my cable box and VCR. I got another universal remote and this one (made by Magnavox which is my TV brand) fails to turn on my TV set. Again my cable box and VCR work with the universal remote. Question is now it appears it is my TV at fault NOT the remote. Is the only solution to buy an new TV. The TV is about 5 years old but works beautifully. The only thing I hate is I can’t turn it off and on or control the volume. Does anyone have any ideas what may be wrong. Nothing is in front of the TV. I don’t see where the eye for the remote is but it must be in front. ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348/2 "2001-03-01T10:19:33Z")
There are a couple of things that could be wrong here: #1 a piece of tape could be blocking the TV’s IR reciever. #2 there could be some switch on your TV somewhere that turns the IR reciever on and off. (there is one on the TV in my room, but that TV is 10 years old or something. It’s not a common feature in current TVs) #3 the IR reciever or related circutry might be busted. The first one would be relatively easy to fix, just remove the tape. As for the second one, do you have the TV’s manual? It would list where the switch is, if it exists, in the manual. The third one is a bit more complicated. If it turns out to be #3 (or you can’t seem to find anything else that could cause it) I would reccomend taking it to a TV repairman unless you know what you’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348/3 "2001-03-01T13:55:59Z")
I have a similar problem in my bedroom (no wisecracks please). My remote used to work for but the TV and the VCR, now all of a sudden the channel up/down no longer works for the VCR but it does still work for the TV. I have determined that the remote still has IR output for the channel up/down buttons, and I have even gone so far as to observe the IR signal on an oscilloscope through a decoder just to make sure the pattern generator is working. Another remote (same brand, but a few yesrs older) works just fine to change the VCR channels, so it doesn’t seem to be the VCR’s fault. The only thing I can come up with is that the programming has gone south _just for those two buttons_, maybe in the long strings of ones & zeroes in the remote IR signal there is an extra one or zero that shouldn’t be there & the TV rejects the signal because it doesn’t understand it. According to [1-800-REMOTES](http://www.vbulletin.com): > [@](#): > > How to Re-boot your “dead” Remote Control: > > This only takes about 2 minutes and will restart 1 in 3 “dead” Original Remote Controls. Good Luck! > > Step 1- Pull the batteries out of the remote and leave them out until step 4. > > Step 2- Press and release each and every button one at a time on the remote control until every button has been pressed and released at least once! > > Step 3- If your remote has slide switches, you must move the switch to each position then repeat the button pushing in step 2. (when you’re done, be sure to put the slide switch in the correct spot to operate the unit the remote came with!) > > Step 4- Finally, put the batteries back into the remote being very careful to install them correctly. > New batteries should be used if you’re not sure about the old ones. But that didn’t help me. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348/4 "2001-03-01T13:57:07Z")
[1-800-REMOTES](http://www.remotes.com) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348/5 "2001-03-01T14:45:10Z")
Try one other thing. Universal remotes often list multiple (and in the case of major brands like Phiillips/Magnavox, RCA and Sony–multiple multiple) codes for one manufacturer. While all the TV sets made by that company may have a universal setting for on/off, you may have to experiment with different codes to find the one that will work with all the features. Also, don’t overlook the simple stuff. Are the batteries good? Stuck button somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-doesnt-work-with-remote/56348/6 "2001-03-01T16:31:43Z")
That’s right, Magnavox has many TV codes & you have to enter each one mark. I hope you have a list of them cause they are important. If you don’t have the instructions for it, almost all the remote controllers have web sites with that info.