Dreambox remote problems. Is it the romote or censor

[ukjimmy31]

My dreambox 500c remote has stopped working, at first it seemed like the batteries were going, but as a normal lazy bloke used them till they were dead, now i have tried replacing the batteries, and nothing, has there been a problem lately or is it just me, is it the censor for the box or the remote, is there a cheap all in one from argos i could use, ok loads of questions, but not sure which is the right one, any help would be greatful

thanks guys

[alexh]

You can fix your old one.

If you take your old one appart (not easy, you'll need a fine flat blade screwdriver to prise the two halfs appart) you'll find that the rubber mat underneath is all gunked up with hand-cheese and other disgusting stuff.

Wash it, and the PCB, dry them off, if necessary use a graphite pencil on the pads on the back of the rubber mat to improve conductivity.

[ukjimmy31]

wow never even thought of that matey, will give it a try when i can find it , nice one

[ukjimmy31]

ps what is a pcb

[Dreamer]

ps what is a pcb

it is an abbreviation of Printed Circuit Board.

[boothuk]

Check that the remote works first. Get a digital camera and look at the IR through the screen. If it's flashing when you press then it's functioning. Some DM500C clones have poor construction, the IR receiver may have become dislodged or more probably, may have become unplugged if it was loosely fitted to the circuit board in your box. It's easy to fix by opening up the box and plugging in the IR. See if your box has a rattle first. Ofcourse opening the box and removing any tamper stickers will deem any warranty you may have invalid.