Even worse, the new fancy TV remote freezes the screen on the 2nd TV. Have to press enter to unfreeze.
The new tv’s channel menu pops up on the old tv screen.
I’ve been researching the problem. The only solution I’ve found is turning off Universal Remote on the new TV. That’s assuming it’s an option. I have to dig into the setup and hunt for it.
I don’t understand why the original manufacturers remote is sending universal codes that messes with the old tv?
The old TV uses a simple universal remote we bought at Walmart.
Is it an infrared remote (IR) or radio frequency remote (RF)?
Some TVs can do both. If it is RF then the signal will go through walls. If one TV can use an IR remote then turn the RF off (if you can). It will only accept a line-of-sight signal so only a remote pointed at the TV will work (sometimes it can bounce off of walls but usually not a problem). Obviously the remote being used also needs to be IR capable but, if not, easy and cheap to buy one that is.
If it’s IR, putting your hand over the front of the remote will stop any commands from working. If it’s radio, covering the end doesn’t matter.
I would also assume that the radio-remote capable TV will still work with an IR remote, so possibly a cheap programmable remote would work. Get both using IR and perhaps the problem is solved. OR - find the IR port on the TV that uses radio, cover it with a bit of tape; also cover the front of the radio remote in case it’s dual, radio and IR. Then one is running IR, one is running radio.
Some IR are powerful. With one TV I had, you could point the IR anywhere in the room - the “light” bouncing off the walls was easily seen by the TV.
If both use radio, perhaps there’s a setup option to change the remote channel used? Or turn off radio for one. (Since I assume the TV’s will also be controllable by IR)
I’m not an expert on remote controls, but I venture a guess that the codes are standardised and that manufacturers mostly stick to these standards - not so much to ensure compatibility with universal remotes but rather to keep costs down, because it facilitates sourcing components from different suppliers.
Are the two TVs the same brand? The major manufacturers have incompatible sets of IR codes (completely different formats) so a Sony control shouldn’t have any effect on an LG TV (as an example). Some secondary manufacturers might share codes with one of the big boys due to buy/resell or similar arrangements.
This is definitely not the case in general, although there might be some overlap. I have an old but expensive Logitech universal remote and part of what you pay for is the giant database that maps (device model,button press) to a remote signal. They’re all over the place.
That’s really interesting. I’m not an industry insider, but I would have thought that remote signals are the kind of thing the industry itself would have an interest in standardising.
No, generally each manufacturer has its own set of codes, and often several different sets. If the current solution isn’t satisfactory, you might try to reprogram the universal remote to use a different code set for the same maker, and see if that a) still works for all the functions of the old TV and b) doesn’t conflict with the new one.
I don’t think this is a thing.
(Is no one else curious as to why the OP’s mother has two TVs in the same room?)
Sounds like the IR from one bounced off the others wall of the other room and so was detected. I could point my remote to the light-coloured wall behind me and control the TV in front of me. Even more so if it bounced off an glass in a window or picture frame.
If it is the IR bouncing around try shutting the door between the rooms and see if it still happens. If no door then have someone stand there and hold a towel or sheet up to block the doorway and try it. Or, if you know where the IR receiver is on that TV cover it with some masking tape (or something). Even if you moved the one TV you can still test this.
Given how many people have multiple TVs, you don’t want every remote to operate every television, or the problem the OP is having would be much larger.
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