Tír Na HiFi

I have an old sony tv remote control that has stopped working. I have bought a new one and I am wonderring is there any way to fix the old one before I dispose of it.

Basically some of the buttons work perfectly and some are intermittant. I have changed the batteries.

James

It's probably only a dirty circuit board or even dirty buttons. It's surprising what gets in there! Crumbs, sticky soft drinks, and God knows what! Since you've nothing to lose just take it apart and give it a good spray of computer cleaner or circuit cleaner if you can get it. Clean carefully and gently and let it dry out before trying it again. Good luck with it!

If you take it apart completely (if you're confident that you can get it all back together OK) then get it right down to the bare PCB. Clean both the PCB and the back of the buttons (the bit of the button that touches the pads on the PCB). Contact cleaner, isopropanol and a toothbrush are good friends.

When its good and clean, and dry (you can use a compressor to blow off any residue) reassemble. If it doesn't work then throw it out. A buddy who is (well was) a TV repair man told me that once. I've used a couple of times, and sometimes you get it back working and sometimes its something else.


Fran

Thanks for the advice .. I will have to try to open up the remote. I was hoping for an option without having to take it apart like maybe putting it in the dishwasher [This was recommended years ago to repair a computer keyboard -- but it did not work as I remember].

james