Trying to diagnose a remote control problem

[N6BY]

My U4 Quad Hybrid no longer responds to the IR remote control. With no front panel buttons, this renders it completely useless.

I pointed the remote control at my digital camera and it sees nothing from the remote control unit.

With other known working IR remotes, the digital camera 'sees' the pulses. So I've got a bad IR remote. The batteries are good. Looking inside, it just has a single chip.

I don't see any purchase source for a U4 Quad remote by itself, so how would it be possible to program a Universal remote to take its place? Without a working remote, there is no way to 'teach' it the codes.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[Titanium]

I no longer have the U4 STB or I would loan you the remote.

Options: Control via USB keyboard or wireless USB keyboard? Maybe another member has a U4 and could either capture the codes with PC or Harmony remote and send you a jp3 file or teach a universal remote and ship it to you? Try contacting a U4 seller and see if they will sell only the remote?

 

[N6BY]

Thanks Brian, I forgot about the USB keyboard option. If it breaks again I will try it.

Before I saw your message, Brian, I took the remote apart again and connected a voltmeter across the IR emitter. I just wanted to see if voltage was getting to the IR emitter. But for some unknown reason the remote came back to life during that test

So my attempt to diagnose a circuit fixed it? Makes no sense to me at all, but I like the outcome.

As a backup, I definitely need to get a universal learning remote and teach it the codes while the U4 remote is back alive, for who knows how long.