RC71 Remote Keeps Losing Communication

[dalyew]

My RC71 remote keeps dropping the link to my C41 client which is located behind my tv. When it does that it controls the tv still but no response by the C41 till I hold the mute & enter buttons down. Not a bad solution but now I have to be doing that every week or every few days.

It first happened on my other C41 a few days after installation but I hardly use that box now, and have noticed I had to reprogram that one only once since. I have spoken to tech support a couple times about this now but can't seem to come up with a permanent solution. They've given me a couple more weeks to watch it & if it continues they will send out new remotes. Not sure if new remotes will help or should I be asking them to send new boxes?

Any thoughts or is anyone having similar problems?

 

[dwbilly89]

Rc71 remotes are junk in general..use an rc65 or 66...we all have been having problems...it gets worse from there...buttons fall off, B2B batteries die quicker than normal.the list goes on..

 

[texasbrit]

You can't use an RC65/66 for the C41 if you need to use RF (the OP says the C41 is behind the TV), the C41 uses the new RF protocol which only the RC71 supports.

 

[dwbilly89]

Get a c31 then that's all I can think of.

 

[texasbrit]

Many of the problems with the RC71 are because the user thinks it is in RF but it's actually in IR......

 

[Hutch1814]

Many of the problems with the RC71 are because the user thinks it is in RF but it's actually in IR......

Actually no, the 71 will run IR/RF at the same time. That's what makes the 71 so "special". The problem lies in the software the client/genie is running. If they're set up before a software download you're pretty much asking for trouble. It's a 50/50 crap shoot if the code will stick after the download. Best thing to do is reset the remote completely and try again. Until Directv fixes the software issue though it's kind of a waiting game. They did find and are sending the HR44-200 fix where the internal deca falls off the wifi. So anybody with a 34/44 can expect yet another download in the next couple of weeks

 

[texasbrit]

Actually no, the 71 will run IR/RF at the same time. That's what makes the 71 so "special". The problem lies in the software the client/genie is running. If they're set up before a software download you're pretty much asking for trouble. It's a 50/50 crap shoot if the code will stick after the download. Best thing to do is reset the remote completely and try again. Until Directv fixes the software issue though it's kind of a waiting game. They did find and are sending the HR44-200 fix where the internal deca falls off the wifi. So anybody with a 34/44 can expect yet another download in the next couple of weeks

Don't think that's correct, as far as I know the RC71 only works in one mode at once. Maybe you are confusing it with the HR44 which will accept both RF and IR commands at the same time.

 

[Hutch1814]

Don't think that's correct, as far as I know the RC71 only works in one mode at once. Maybe you are confusing it with the HR44 which will accept both RF and IR commands at the same time.

It has the option to switch itself if the code doesn't take. They're set to RF my default (it's the easiest for the tech). Then from there it will give a command to the receiver, if it doesn't get any feed back it'll send a 2nd command in either RF or IR. It's also why they only work with a 41/44 because of the protocol they use

 

[dalyew]

Many of the problems with the RC71 are because the user thinks it is in RF but it's actually in IR......

I was informed by Directv techs that it supports RF/IR at the same time as Hutch has explained. When the C41 stops responding to the remote even going behind the tv & pointing directly to it doesn't work. Only the tv responds via IR but the C41 doesn't see the remote in neither IR or RF till you reprogram the remote using the mute/enter keys.

 

[texasbrit]

No it does NOT support IR and RF at the same time. As Hutch explained, if it won't program to RF it reverts to IR. It will not operate in both modes at the same time.
That's not to say the remote does not have its problems (although both of mine work fine)

 

[Broe67]

No it does NOT support IR and RF at the same time. As Hutch explained, if it won't program to RF it reverts to IR. It will not operate in both modes at the same time.
That's not to say the remote does not have its problems (although both of mine work fine)

The RC71 is what is considered a dual mode remote. It will control the DirecTV receiver/dvr in RF mode, while still able to control a tv for volume in IR mode. You just cannot control a DirecTV HR 34/44 and their clients in both the IR & RF mode with the remote. With those devices, it is one or the other.

 

[texasbrit]

All DirecTV remotes are dual mode the way you describe it. If they were not, when you were in RF mode you could not control the TV. What we are discussing is whether the remote will operate DirecTV in both RF and IR simultaneously. And it won't.

 

[Broe67]

All DirecTV remotes are dual mode the way you describe it. If they were not, when you were in RF mode you could not control the TV. What we are discussing is whether the remote will operate DirecTV in both RF and IR simultaneously. And it won't.

That has been long known since the day that RF/IR dual mode remotes with the equipment they were packaged with, when they were manufactured. Has nothing to do with DirecTV.

This is something that has been known about for what is now going on twenty years, not something that just happened overnight.

 

[texasbrit]

That has been long known since the day that RF/IR dual mode remotes with the equipment they were packaged with, when they were manufactured. Has nothing to do with DirecTV.

This is something that has been known about for what is now going on twenty years, not something that just happened overnight.

I have no idea what you are trying to say....

 

[Broe67]

I have no idea what you are trying to say....

The technology has been around longer then just a few years. RF remotes with IR capabilities have been manufactured for almost twenty years now. As for the whole argument of dual purpose with IR & RF remotes used together on DirecTV equipment, it is due to the short comings of the software that is written, to control the devices.

They can write into the software for the DVR's and STB's, to allow both IR & RF remotes to be used at the same time. That of course will not happen until the software engineers better understand how to streamline the software that controls these devices, so both options can be used at the same time.

The reason they came out with RF for devices, was because users were wanting to hide a/v equipment in closets, cabinets, place STB's behind their tv sets. There is not a need for IR in that case, because the device would be placed where it would never receive the IR signal. So what you have, is a double jeopardy.

You have users that want both options, but never understand what the purposing for why both RF & IR are available with the equipment. Education to those masses helps, to educate them how to use either option, and the purpose why you may wish to do so. Then there is of course now the option of controlling with a Smartphone or Tablet; that in turn does away with a physical remote control that you can hold in your hand.

Technology changes every five years, and pretty soon with connected homes, remote controls are going to become an option that you will have to purchase separately, not a item that you get with the device when you purchase it, because your smartphone, computer, tablet will take the place of the physical remote.

 

[texasbrit]

We know this. I can't think of an RF remote that does not have IR capability for other devices like TVs. All of this is completely irrelevant and has nothing to do with the subject of this post, which is solely concerned with the RC71..

 

[Broe67]

We know this. I can't think of an RF remote that does not have IR capability for other devices like TVs. All of this is completely irrelevant and has nothing to do with the subject of this post, which is solely concerned with the RC71..

That is correct. As for the first posting, the one possible reason that the OP is loosing the ability for the remote to contact the client, is because of the shielding on their set, which is keeping RF signal from getting to the client.

The best solution in that case, is if they have a tablet or Smartphone, or even have say a Windows 8 tablet, or notebook, then use the Waltzremote site to control the box.

The worse place to place a box is behind a flatscreen, because of the shielding on the unit, to keep RF signature down. Those of us that know about the havoc that Plasma sets have played with Ham Radio, know that even with that fiasco, it still causes issue with any nearby RF devices that maybe interfered with on that bandwidth.

So as for the noted issues with the RC-71 remote and the new software that they are using, yes it will take time for the engineers to resolve any issues. Those of us that have contacted engineering about different glitches with the HR44 & C31 boxes, know that the only response you get is to call into technical support and speak to a script reader who does not have a clue.

My wish is that they fix the problem with Dolby Digital on the HR44 DVR& C31 boxes so that works properly. I have myself given up on using RF mode on the RC-71, and mainly control it with either the BuddyTV app, DirecTV app, or Waltzremote.com. I find that using a handheld remote is getting a little archaic, when there are other ways to kill the beast so to speak, by using the newer technologies available.

 

[texasbrit]

Don't think this has anything to do with shielding.
I also use waltzremote for one of my DVRs, my main room uses a Pronto NG touch-screen system that controls all the (eleven) devices. Remotes like the RC71 are IMHO a waste of time unless you have a single DirecTV box and one TV and nothing else.

What problem with Dolby Digital, this is not a known issue with either the HR44 or the C31?

 

[Broe67]

DD, I am finding that if you have the DVR or client on, and swap to say a Surround Sound system, you either get no audio output or get Stereo sound. Only way to get DD back, is by switching inputs on the Surround sound receiver/processor from something else and back to the DVR, or shut off the DVR or client and back on, to get the DD to feed through.

This of course happens if the DVR or client is on, and you "hot" change from the tv or a soundbar as audio output, to the AVRS. All equipment is connected via hdmi, and never had this issue with my previous provider, just this equipment. Found out my brother who also has the HR44 Genie and C31 equipment, with a different Surround Sound receiver, gets the same problem. I have come across others on other forums, having issues with the HR44 & C31 equipment also having DD issues with Surround Sound not working.

As for the RC71, yes it is a cute remote, smaller than the RC6x series, great for the bedroom, but still an infant, that it has its issues with the software still being new, that they are using with it, for RF control. I use a Harmony 650 for the Living room, and use the RC-71 in our bedroom in IR mode, since it was having issues in RF mode in there.

As for the shielding suggestion, I think that if the C31 is placed on the back of the flatscreen and it has a heavy RF shielding cover, such as what they are using with Plasma TV sets now, I could see it as causing a problem with not letting the RF signal from the RC71 to the C31 communicate. It would be like trying to shoot it from one side of a Faraday cage to the other, is what I was trying to suggest on this possibility.

Really would need more people to set their C31 units up all the same way, have the RC-71 setup in RF mode, and also use them at the same distance, in the same manner, to see what happens. You of course cannot also rule out any type of outside interference around the premise, that could be causing problems also with comm. between the remote & box.

 

[texasbrit]

Am I missing something here? The RC71 will NOT control the C31 in RF, it has to be a C41.

Almost all the time people report the DD problem you mention, it turns out to be a TV/A-V receiver issue. If you have CEC activated, and sometimes just dependent on the TV settings, the TV will force the A/V receiver to stereo only, because the TV does not have a DD decoder and so tells the A/V receiver to drop to stereo. It took me a couple of weeks to sort out this issue on my own system.
I should also point out that you need to set the A/V receiver to NOT pass through audio to the TV otherwise you will often have this problem