Humax Foxsat HDR remote very slow to respond

[chris]

My Foxsat HDR remote control has become very slow to respond, I have to press the buttons very hard to get the humax receiver to change channels. I've tried changing the batteries but still the same. The receiver and remote are just over 2 years old is this normal for a 2 year old remote control ? is there an easy fix or is a new remote required.

Chris.

 

[Lazarus]

Chris, I and many others have exactly the same problem.

Like you, "obvious" causes have been eliminated eg Batteries, Interference from CFLs etc, but it just persists.

I'm sorry to say that the consensus is that the cause has not been pinpointed.

We control a TV, a DVD player and a HiFi system from our Foxsat Telecommander and have, through exhaustive experimentation, found that it absolutely does not relate to directionality, for example: ie Provided one notes that device selection is acknowledged by a flash of the relevant Red LED we can wave the Control in any random direction and subsequent commands are acted upon.

But in HDR mode, things relating to Live Pause,and many other features just take ages to respond.

It is an as yet unresolved conundrum.- We've tried Factory Reset, we've upgraded to the Raydon Customised Firmware and we've otherwise exhausted the box of tricks. Yet the issue remains.

We have, therefore, simply adapted and learned to live with it. There will be no more Upgrades, so .............


PS: I don't think it's a Hardware issue, so please don't prise open your Remote - you'll just get bits of plastic spraying around the carpet and might get angry!

 

[chris]

Thanks for the reply, Its just very frustrating when trying to change channels the first 2 digits enter fine but it will not enter the 3 digit and then times out waiting for the 3 digit and returns to the same channel you where watching 'O'-red Why no more updates ? Is it time to sell the foxsat HDR on and upgrade to the Humax freetime receiver ?

 

[Lazarus]

Now that particular issue on the Channel change isn't one I've come across.

As for the new model, it also appears flawed (according to reports from other Fora that {obviously!} one does not frequent).

So, if you can live with it, then do so.

As a bit of a backtrack, it is apparently possible to get into the Remote to clean it, but whether it's worth the bother seems in doubt.

Sorry not to be able to deliver a magic bullet.

 

[Analoguesat]

Try holding the business end of the remote towards the lens on a digital camera - press the button and you will see the led flicker on the screen. You may be able to identify if later presses in the sequence are producing a weaker emission than the earlier ones.

 

[PaulR]

You're lucky to have got two good years out of the remote. Mne has been difficult from the word go. I have to be very precise pointing the remote at the box.

There have been reports of some people leaving the protective film on the front flap of the HDR. Mine is OK and even leaving the flap open doesn't make a difference - maaybe it will for you just to eliminate one possibility. I opened my remote a month or so ago and gave it a good looking over (there's a post here somewhere about it) but to no avail.

My last suspicion is that it's the sensor in the receiver itself but I haven't opened the box up to investigate yet.

 

[Lazarus]

Whatever the underlying common cause, nobody seems to have pinpointed it yet, sadly.

 

[dxsat]

The best solution is to switch to a Logitech Harmony remote. I use a Harmony 300 with my HDR, with much improved results.
The supplied Humax remote was poor from day one.
It can be programmed with commands to turn on and off both your TV and HDR with one key press.
Connects to your computer via USB and uses a web-based interface to map and program the buttons.

There has always been a problem with some displays interfering with IR commands. Exactly why I could never figure out.
This affects Sky boxes as well.
In some circumstances, remote commands are much weaker than normal and in extreme cases, hardly work at all.

 

[chris]

Thanks for that, not a bad price £32.99 on play.com is it easy to setup ?

 

[skomedal]

Did you try cleaning the IR on both the remote and the box?

Works wonders for me

 

[chris]

Did you try cleaning the IR on both the remote and the box?

Works wonders for me

Tried that didn't work,

 

[T1154]

I just bought a new remote, works fine !

 

[PaulR]

What type of remote? Is it another OE type or a programmable one?

I've just changed the batteries in my OE remote and they've definitely made a difference. The old ones were only down to 1.4volts so the remote is obviously quite finicky the voltage it will tolerate.

 

[Jampot1027]

I just bought a foxsat hdr from ebay. First freesat I have had. The Remote was very slow so I opened up the unit. The infrared receiver is held in place by a metal mount which covers part of the receiver. I removed the mount and it has made a massive difference.
Old thread but hopefully this helps someone else.

 

[Jampot1027]

Images

 

[PaulR]

Can you upload the image directly please? I am unable to access Imgur for some reason.

 

[Jampot1027]

Can you upload the image directly please? I am unable to access Imgur for some reason.

Unfortunately not as the images are to big for this forum. The images have 3 likes on imgur and are set to public
Link again

https://imgur.com/a/8phwuxf

 

[jeallen01]

Can you upload the image directly please? I am unable to access Imgur for some reason.

Ditto

Unfortunately not as the images are to big for this forum. The images have 3 likes on imgur and are set to public
Link again

https://imgur.com/a/8phwuxf

FWIW, install something FastStone Image Viewer which will allow you to substantially reduce the size of the image files to a size (about 250-300 kB should work) - try that, but if you find it difficult then ask here and I will tell you how to do that (I do it very regularly!).

W.r.t. your last shot, looks like you could remove the metal "X" in front of the IR sender LED with a pair of very sharp sidecutters and that should increase the "power" of the emitted IR beam.

 

[Jampot1027]

Ditto

FWIW, install something FastStone Image Viewer which will allow you to substantially reduce the size of the image files to a size (about 250-300 kB should work) - try that, but if you find it difficult then ask here and I will tell you how to do that (I do it very regularly!).

W.r.t. your last shot, looks like you could remove the metal "X" in front of the IR sender LED with a pair of very sharp sidecutters and that should increase the "power" of the emitted IR beam.

Hi Jeallen

Sorry I was uploading the images from my mobile last night and though imgur would be the easiest way to share. I initially tried to remove the cross section with my side cutters but found it was easier just to cut the metal holder off entirely. The legs of the IR receiver are sturdy enough that it does not require the addition support.

The holder is wrapped around the receiver. Initially i attempted to desolder the holder but with it being wrapped around the receiver I found it was faster/easier to cut the holder legs then un-wrap it from the receiver. This made an obvious difference in the performance of the remote control for me.