"Sticky Goo" Inside Remote

[jakdedert]

yes,factory remotes often have instrument-specific functions that a
universal remote will not activate;I have a Pioneer PD-M70 CD player where
the remote died,and a universal remote does -some- things,but not many
commonly used functions.

and a universal remote will not operate my new Magnavox OTA DTV converter.

I've posted this before....

Buy a Palm unit. There are several programs out there which convert the
unit to a universal, learning remote. Libraries are posted online of
codes for various devices. There are forums where you can request codes
for esoteric gear. People who have that gear can teach their Palm
remote and post the results for those hard to find functions.

A Palm M130 goes for maybe $15 on eBay. It has a sufficient IR range to
function as a useful remote control. Either buy a new battery (if
needed) for a few bucks, or leave it in a charging cradle close to where
you use it. Even an old Palm III X, that you might have in a drawer
somewhere, can be a viable device remote with an IR extender added.

Better yet, you can control your devices with any Palm-enabled smart
phone....

<http://www.pacificneotek.com/omnisw.htm>
<http://www.novii.tv/palm/>
<http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005810/remocon/premocce.htm>

jak

 

[Franc Zabkar]

I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)

I've seen tape decks where the rubber belts have completely
disintegrated into a sticky sludge.

I've also just cleaned the rubber goo out of my Sanyo TV remote for
the second time in as many years.

- Franc Zabkar