Opening remote controls?

[mathog]

The up/down volume and channel buttons on our Samsung TV's remote have died. We already have a Universal remote so the TV is still usable, but it would be nice to get the Samsung remote working again as it has a few extra buttons that are convenient.

Of course the broken remote isn't held together with screws. Will post a picture when I get a chance. In the meantime, are there any tricks to opening remote controls? Or are these usually put together in such a way that they cannot be disassembled without destroying the plastic case?

[cmj21973]

Re: Opening remote controls?

The up/down volume and channel buttons on our Samsung TV's remote have died. We already have a Universal remote so the TV is still usable, but it would be nice to get the Samsung remote working again as it has a few extra buttons that are convenient.

Of course the broken remote isn't held together with screws. Will post a picture when I get a chance. In the meantime, are there any tricks to opening remote controls? Or are these usually put together in such a way that they cannot be disassembled without destroying the plastic case?

Should be at least one screw. If not on the outside, look in the battery compartment.

Use a gift card, credit card, or one of those customer cards on your key chain.

Wedge it into the remote seam and gently slide it appling force. They have press clips holding them together.

instructional:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7174006_disa...tv-remote.html

[Krankshaft]

Re: Opening remote controls?

Don't be shocked if you break a few of the clips they're not meant to be disassembled.

[multimeter]

Re: Opening remote controls?

use a guitar pick,good for opening monitors too without breaking the clips

[cadiman]

Re: Opening remote controls?

If you can get them apart I just resolder the board and pull up the rubber button pad and gently clean the board.

Remotes get thrown around alot and the heavier components on the board develop solder joint cracks.

Also check to make sure the battery power is getting to the board.

[mathog]

Re: Opening remote controls?

Use a gift card, credit card, or one of those customer cards on your key chain.

Wedge it into the remote seam and gently slide it appling force. They have press clips holding them together.

Found a single screw in the battery compartment, but not in the usual place. It was in the very narrow separate slot where the battery cover hook engaged. Took it out. The seam is completely shut. Cannot get anything into it except at the front, where the clear plastic piece is over the IR Led. This remote isn't flat by the way, it is curved and the seam is also curved. Tried to take a picture when I got home but it was too dark and it didn't come out well. Will try again when the Sun comes up tomorrow.

Using a very sturdy guitar pick the best I have managed starting at the front is to wedge the pick back about 2 mm down the side. At that point the top is deforming but nothing has snapped free.

[tom66]

Re: Opening remote controls?

I had to disassemble a remote control from a TV I repaired, because the previous owners had been 50-a-day smokers it seemed. All the remote buttons were covered in this hideous yellow coating.

I worked the case open with a screwdriver, careful not to crack it. (A small amount of force is required to disengage the clips holding the components in.) When I did this, I took the button pad out and gave it an overnight soak in some warm soapy water. I replaced the pad later (which now was a much more pleasant grey) and reassembled the remote.

[999999999]

Re: Opening remote controls?

^ While I've seen tar stains on smoker's possessions, I've also seen a yellow gooey substance inside remote control pads in non-smoker's homes but only on the rubber buttons and PCB next to the buttons. My theory is certain types of rubber keypads decompose to form an oily substance.

Opening the remote, it can help to warm the plastic with a hair dryer /etc, less chance of the clips breaking. Sometimes you can create a little more of a gap on an edge by putting the remote in a bench vise, with rubber pads around it so the finish isn't marked up. Compress one direction and the other free sides get a little bit of play in them... though of course if you compress too much damage can occur.

If the battery compartment and screw is towards the rear, start prying it open at the rear or the side(s) near the rear instead of the front.

[tom66]

Re: Opening remote controls?

That's possible. But the remote control also had a bit of melted plastic on it, which looks to be from a cigarette, but I'm not sure - either way, it was disgusting.

[cmj21973]

Re: Opening remote controls?

That's possible. But the remote control also had a bit of melted plastic on it, which looks to be from a cigarette, but I'm not sure - either way, it was disgusting.

What's gross and disgusting are remotes and cell phones that are covered and packed with: soda pop, food, grease (food & automotive), hand lotions, sweat (body oils and skin cells), and anything else.

[mathog]

Re: Opening remote controls?

Finally got the darn thing open. Using two thick guitar picks worked from the front (the only place I could get them in) all the way around. The lower part of the case had thin bridge like bits of plastic, and it wouldn't release the top until every one of those broke off. However, there were also clips which came through intact and were functional enough for it to snap back together when reassembled.

The innards were remarkably clean. The circuit board looked like it had just come from the factory and the rubber pad was clean too. Later under a very high magnification and just the right lighting a few tiny spots on the contacts for the buttons which were not working were visible. So cleaned them off with a Q-Tip, and gently cleaned the matching parts of the rubber pad too. That minute amount of dirt was indeed the problem, once cleaned, all the buttons worked again. Reassembled and it snapped back together firmly, except at the front, where there was a 1 mm gap, probably from deforming the plastic due to all that prying. To keep dirt out a bit of Scotch tape was wrapped around the front, sealing that gap.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[cashkennedy]

Re: Opening remote controls?

Some nicer universal remotes have learn functions, or even all the rarer buttons that samsungs usually have.

You might want to pick up a better universal though to use, and keep the samsung remote stashed away otherwise.

Just fixed a samsung with no remote though and was surprised that every single possible function worked on a universal remote, just using the standard codes. It is a philipps remote i think , and not an RCA, so RCA ones might not support as much though.