Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

[Tom41]

We recently got a brand new Toshiba LCD TV with HD capability. The set itself works perfectly, but actually causes a separate problem. While the TV is on, the digital cable TV box does not respond to its remote! If I turn the TV off or put it to standby, the box starts responding again - only to stop when I turn the TV back on.

It's as if the TV is somehow doing a DoS attack against the remote control, but I think that's highly unlikely

The cable TV box DOES respond to the front panel buttons while the TV is on, and the other two remotes there (DVD recorder and the TV remote itself) are not affected. It's really annoying having to get up and go to the box to change channels, or having to standby the TV when I want to type in a new channel number. As you can imagine, using the 'red button' interactive features is impossible if you can't see the screen while using the remote!

Anyone know why this might be happening, and anything I can do to stop it?

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

Does the affected remote use RF or infrared? Try moving the cable box away from the tv a bit more. The backlight is probably putting out interference at the same frequency range as the remote.

On a side note, I have those small compact flourescent lights in my home theater room, and when I turn them on, sometimes they put out so much infrared noise that my projector will turn on

I also noticed that the remote receive light on my media center flickers when I turn the lights on. When I was using incandescent bulbs I never had the problem.

[Tom41]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

The affected remote apparently uses IRDA. It was designed originally so that by changing a 'player' switch at the bottom, you could do multiplayer games with 4 remotes. The player switch makes it so they can all transmit at once without interfering with each other.

In practice though, the multiplayer games never materialised, and changing the 'player' switch doesn't seem to make the remote work.

The TV is certainly not sending any information back to its remote via IR - are you saying that the backlight tubes are flickering at a similar frequency to the one the IRDA remote is using?

[Maxxarcade]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

The backlight, or some other component of the TV. All I know is I've seen some high frequency inverters do weird stuff to IR remotes.

[willawake]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

well you probably dont want to turn down the backlight so i guess you will have to get something like a remote extender with the emitter stuck right on the cable box ir sensor. then have the target closer to you or somewhere else in the room where it works.

[Harvey]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

If its a NTL/Virgin cable box, I have some vague recollection of certain TVs putting signals out the SCART connection and messing up the remote - but I've had a search and can't find anything on the forums.. You might just want to try removing the SCART if you have one to see.

[willawake]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

well if its got some problem its gotta be ntl

[chipper]

Re: Toshiba TV and the DoSed remote control...

It sounds like you may have a situation where the remote and the box are both on a different channel when it comes to commands. This can happen with non-brand matching controllers (like boxes and remotes) , or even a 3rd , the tv controls themselves.

Once you see that they all do weird things , it's time to reread the installation procedures for all 3 , the tv , remote and box. Look for something in them that specifies different procedures for different component controllers. Don't do anything until you are sure you have sought out some mention of problems due to improper installation. My guess is , it is in the remote installation procedure , you have to be extremely careful what buttons you press , and for how long (exactly - seconds).

That would be why you press "off" (power button) , while on , it goes off just enough to cause the action to occur , but it won't stay off. The remote is a secondary control to the box [comes with box-not tv] (which is a secondary control to the tv controls themselves) , in that order. So , read installation manuals in that order and confirm normal operation of each before moving on to the next one : tv / box / remote.