Every home has electronic devices like the TV which you operate by help of remote controls. But what happens when suddenly your TV stops responding to its remote control? Perhaps you recently purchased a new TV with brand new remote controls or changed series of remotes which occasionally stops working without good reason. Most times, it does not mean that your remote control is damaged, but it may surprise you to know why it stops working. Now I shall let you know the reasons your remote control instantly stops working.
INFRA-RED BEHAVIOR TO DISTANCE AND OBSTRUCTIONS
As you may know, remote controlling devices for common house-hold devices uses the infra-red technology to transmit signal commands. One major reason remote controls stop working arises from its infra-red signal interferences. TV remote control IR signals travels over an approximately 30 feet (10 meters) and must be in straight paths. The transmitting source and the receiving point must be in line-of-sight for there to be some effects.
This means that remote IR signals do not work across bends or through walls. Therefore any obstacle or physical obstructions will definitely cause your remote control to stop working without warning. These IR signal obstructions might be the human body or any other physical object, so check for any of these if your remote control stops working.
SUNLIGHT AND FLOURESCENT BULB IR INTERFERENCES
Another major but unknown reason your remote control stops working is the presence of sunlight, fluorescent bulbs or even the human body. These sources are known to emit infra-red lights at varying wavelengths and frequencies. The sunlight and fluorescent bulbs in your homes are more common causes. The technology of TVs are built to respond to infra-red signals of about 980nm wavelength. Coincidentally, sunlight also emits infra-red in this same wavelength and when a TV encounters this type of interference, it gets confused and ceases to obey the remote control signal command.
Recent smart TVs have been modified to filter out this kind of interference from sunlight IR signals but no technology have completely eliminated the sunlight effect. Therefore check to see if sun rays are entering your living room where your TV is located if your remote control suddenly stops working.
Almost every home has fluorescent bulbs and unknown to many, these bulbs also emit infra-red lights which interfere with infra-red signals from your remote control. The implication is that if your room is brightly lit, there are chances your remote control will not work every time you try to use it. Check and limit the intensity of light in your room to prevent such interferences on your remote control.
BATTERY CONDITIONS
It is advised that at 2 months intervals, remote control batteries be changed to newer ones. Although this rule may not apply specifically to your location, places like Nigeria where you may not always purchase quality batteries need to observe this instruction. When battery life drops to a bad level, it adversely affects the lifespan of the remote control by weakening its sensor and transmitting power.
Failure to regularly change to new batteries can therefore cause your remote control to stop working. Do not attempt to combine old batteries with new ones at the same time. This causes batteries to over heat and leak out into the remote circuit compartment.
Generally, remote controls are fragile and should be handled with utmost care. A single drop on the floor can cause lethal damages which instantly causes the remote control to stop working. Avoid sitting on or matching on your remote control. Keep your remote controls out of the reach of children to prevent rough handling. These are everyday-occurring reasons your remote control stops working without warning.
Being able to observe these rules will translate into long life span and utmost functionality of your remote controls, irrespective of whatever type of device you are using it on. If you are not cleared on any issues concerning your remote control, please comment below and I shall answer your question as soon as possible. Also share this post with friends to enlighten them more on why their remote controls could stop working.