programming the remote

[jstoos]

The steps outlined in the FAQ for how to program the VOOM remote to control a TV do not work for me, and I wonder if there is more than version of the VOOM remotes. The steps clearly refer to a VCR option, but my remote does not have a VCR button, only a TV and SAT button as far as devices to be controlled. It came with the VOOM Motorola DSR 550 STB as delivered by a VOOM installer (a month before they went out of business!). I have 3 such boxes, and the remote for one of them controls one of my TVs but that one was programmed by the installer I know not how. But when I follow the instructions in the FAQ they do not work for any of my 3 remotes, either with my newer TVs or even with the one that is successfully controlled by one of my remotes, so I don't think it is a compatibility issue with the TVs.

Can anyone tell me if their VOOM remotes have a VCR button and why the setup instructions refer to that if not? And if anyone knows of a different procedure than the one given in the FAQ for programming this remote? I have held down the CH up button for 10 minutes with not luck even though the FAQ says "may take up to 2 minutes" and the TV never turns off.

"3. Press and hold down the CH+ button until your TV (VCR) turns off. This may take up to two minutes."

Jim
jstoos

 

[snaggerbob]

The Voom remote has a vcr button. It is located on the bottom left and is blue I think. The Voom remote would have the Voom logo on it.

 

[jstoos]

My Voom remote definitely does not have a button labeled VCR, but oddly enough it does have playback control buttons -- maybe for a DVR function thru the Sat box??? In any case, it still seems that it is a different version of the remote as described in the FAQ. I have attached a (not very good) picture of it; can anyone confirm that it is different and if so does anyone have one of these and know how to program it?

 

[snaggerbob]

It is different than mine. It's close.

 

[jstoos]

Thanks for confirming that. So the mystery remains; are there different steps to program this version of the voom remote to control a TV? Any ideas on what else to try? The fact is the voom installer got this remote programmed for my TV way back when, and after trying to program it for a different tv since then unsuccessfully, i went back and tried to re-program it for the original set using the FAQ instructions and it would not work even with that set (and i can rule out a defective remote, because i have 3 of them with the same results!) So I suspect that a different procedure was used to program these. I don't know how to contact the installer who did it originally or I'd ask him. Anybody out there know any former voom installers they could ask?

Jim

 

[snaggerbob]

Do a search from this site. Maybe..Voom Installer? I kinda remember a guy called satelliteguy2000 on the old Voom forum. You could send him a personal message. Have you tried to find a newer remote for it? I think I may even have a spare somewhere.

 

[jstoos]

solved!

I thought I would update this thread with a solution that I discovered later in case others have this problem. What I discovered was that when holding down the CH up button the remote apparently cycles through the commands too fast for my TV to respond to the "turn off" code even though it did at some point generate one. So how did I eventually get it to save the right code? Well I noticed that while holding down that button I would sometimes see an LED on my TV blink which I figured meant that it recognized a command, and when that would happen I would release the CH up button and then hit the CH down button sequentially (not holding it down) and eventually the TV would go off and it was now programmed correctly!