Tivo remote intermittantly doesn't work for FF/rewind

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Johnboy1234

44 posts

Geek

#77062 10-Feb-2011 13:18

Hi Everyone,

This is my 1st post, I hope someone can help me.

I bought TIVO off Telecom 2-3 months ago for $360 and so far it has been excellent, way better picture quality than SKY as I wasn't paying SKY the extra $15 for HD.

Though there is something wrong with the remote control. I have my TIVO box in the loungeroom running the 42 in LCD, and a splitter running it into my bedroom running an old CRT TV. The problem is unpredictably the remote stops working in the loungeroom, but only the TIVO functions such as FF/Rewind pause, channel numbers etc. All the TV functions such as mute and Volume up or down work OK. Its really weird as whenI use the same remote in the bedroom evrything ALWAYS works, in fact even better, theres no pause or sound dropout when I click to see the guide etc.

Its not batteries and its not that I am too far away from the box, as sometimes I can hit FF and it works, but as soon as I hit play or rewind it doesnt respond and whizzes past my program after the ad break, which means I have to get up off the couch (lol) and put the remote right up against the TIVO box and it finally starts working again.

Sometimes it works fine for days and then other times it will work one minute then not the next minute but will work again a minute later.

Any ideas anyone, as I have tried all sorts of things and nothing works to solve this problem.

Other than this problem I think TIVO is fantastic value for money.

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#437765 10-Feb-2011 14:33

Might be a mute point soon if Hybrid shuts up shop as suggested. You will have an expensive paperweight along with the rest of us...but I digress.

No real solution to offer other than I am aware that the original remotes were well known prone to failure.

Might need to ring the 0800 number and get a replacement underway.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Johnboy1234

44 posts

Geek

#437794 10-Feb-2011 15:20

OK I rang TIVO and all I had to do was reset the remote control.

Heres How

1. Cover the end of the remote with your hand

2. Press and hold the 'TiVo' and 'TV Power' buttons until the remotes red light come on steady

3. Press the thumbs down button 3 times

4. Press the 'Enter' button

5. Remove you hand from the end of the remote

and Voila the remote is working again................YAY!!!!! Though I have to reprogram my remote control again so the volume etc works.

Whats this about TIVO shutting down in NZ?
Will that make my box useless, if so, do we get compensated by Telecom.

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#437797 10-Feb-2011 15:36

Things are up in the air at the moment. Fingers crossed it all works out but it looks like Hybrid TV are all but gone.

Check out the discussion here:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=114&topicid=76894&page_no=1

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#437806 10-Feb-2011 15:54

Johnboy1234: OK I rang TIVO and all I had to do was reset the remote control.

Heres How

1. Cover the end of the remote with your hand

2. Press and hold the 'TiVo' and 'TV Power' buttons until the remotes red light come on steady

3. Press the thumbs down button 3 times

4. Press the 'Enter' button

5. Remove you hand from the end of the remote

and Voila the remote is working again................YAY!!!!! Though I have to reprogram my remote control again so the volume etc works.

Whats this about TIVO shutting down in NZ?
Will that make my box useless, if so, do we get compensated by Telecom.

It's a bit of scaremongering by some people due to newspaper reports of them laying of workers, however I can't see someone else not picking it up. However if in the event it does close, you should be able to get a full refund

Johnboy1234

44 posts

Geek

#437849 10-Feb-2011 16:44

Phew!!!
I would hate to see it go and only have SKY as a choice to pause and record LIVE TV. Long Live TIVO!!

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#437854 10-Feb-2011 16:56

Johnboy1234: Phew!!!

I would hate to see it go and only have SKY as a choice to pause and record LIVE TV. Long Live TIVO!!

There are other freeview PVRs though, even playstation has one that can be added to the playstation.

Johnboy1234

44 posts

Geek

#437888 10-Feb-2011 17:42

Argh bugger that remote reset fix didn't last, looks like I'm gonna have to ring the 0800 number again and see what they say to do next.

Mmh are there other choices are there, how do you get a playstation to make your TV play Free to Air programing. I don't own a playstation, are there other options that you can pause/rewind/record live tv. I was under the impression the Freeview boxes didnt have a hard drive.

Or better still is there a Freeview box with recording abilities etc and be able to play movies from my computers hard drive or DVD drive?

Or is there another way to achieve my requirements?

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#437929 10-Feb-2011 19:08

Just a thought. Do you have compact fluoro lighting?
In the early days of CFL's every time I turned on the lounge lights the remotes stopped working. Had to put the old incandescent bulbs back.
Don't seem to have the same problems recently though. Maybe modern CFLs are better?

robbyp

1199 posts

Uber Geek

#437934 10-Feb-2011 19:12

Johnboy1234: Argh bugger that remote reset fix didn't last, looks like I'm gonna have to ring the 0800 number again and see what they say to do next.

Mmh are there other choices are there, how do you get a playstation to make your TV play Free to Air programing. I don't own a playstation, are there other options that you can pause/rewind/record live tv. I was under the impression the Freeview boxes didnt have a hard drive.

Or better still is there a Freeview box with recording abilities etc and be able to play movies from my computers hard drive or DVD drive?

Or is there another way to achieve my requirements?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/4370335/PlayTV-cheap-recording-option-for-PS3-owners

If you have got a harmony remote, you could try that to see if the tivo works from that. If it does then it could just be the remote that is faulty. I am not sure if your remote that is faulty or the tivo itself, but sounds like it may be the tivo unit. Have you tried using fresh alkaline batteries?

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#437965 10-Feb-2011 20:06

are there other choices are there, how do you get a playstation to make your TV play Free to Air programing. I don't own a playstation, are there other options that you can pause/rewind/record live tv. I was under the impression the Freeview boxes didnt have a hard drive.

Or better still is there a Freeview box with recording abilities etc and be able to play movies from my computers hard drive or DVD drive?

Or is there another way to achieve my requirements?

There are plenty of options to record Freeview, and yes there are Freeview PVR's with harddrives just like TiVo, such as Magic TV or Homecast of JC Matthews. It's personal opinion whether they are any good though. My experience is all bad but no doubt many here have great reports.

I doubt the TiVo is a goner. Just hold on and see what comes out the other side IMO...it might even turn out better

Last time I talked with the helpdesk they mentioned the main issues they had in NZ anyway was with the remotes so getting a replacement shouldn't be an issue under warranty. I think there is even an upgraded model you can get...glows inthe dark or something and heaps more features. Dunno if you can still get one.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Johnboy1234

44 posts

Geek

#444497 1-Mar-2011 16:53

OK I have discovered what the problem was.

The remote was only working intermittantly because I had a signal sender(so I could use the remote in the bedroom as well) next to the TIVO box. It was somehow interferring with the remote when I used it in the loungeroom where the TIVO box is.

As soon as I unplugged the signal sender, the TIVO remote started working perfectly again. So whenever I want to use the remote in the bedroom, I just plug the signal sender back in, a bit of a pain, but worth it.

So I hope that helps someone else who strikes the same problem.

Also THANK YOU very much for everyones help suggestions.

Cheers
John