"Sticky Goo" Inside Remote

R

Ron

Guest
I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)
 
Ron wrote:
I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)
Click to expand...

I'm thinking you dx'd it...rubber breakdown. I've seen it too.

jak
 
Ron wrote:
I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)
Click to expand...

I've seen the same thing. I almost thought it was some kind of silicone
grease.
 
William Sommerwerck wrote:
The worst part of it is that this problem is easy to fix, but most remote
controls are almost impossible to disassemble.

Screws aren't enough -- the back snaps together so tightly that, unless you
have the right tool and know how to use it, it's impossible to open the back
without destroying the unit. I irreparably damaged remote for a Toshiba IDTV
doing this, and of course, full-function replacements aren't available.

The remote for my NAD MR-20a is secured solely wth screws, and is easy to
clean.
Click to expand...
Warming them with a heat gun, and a bit of twisting often gets them
apart. Don't over heat ones with lcd displays tho.

Ron
 
Gareth Magennis <sound.service@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:XO2dnafANrhBrhrVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@bt.com...
"Ron(UK)" <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:xICdnXttZtdtiRrVnZ2dnUVZ8g6dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
The worst part of it is that this problem is easy to fix, but most
remote
controls are almost impossible to disassemble.

Screws aren't enough -- the back snaps together so tightly that, unless
you
have the right tool and know how to use it, it's impossible to open the
back
without destroying the unit. I irreparably damaged remote for a Toshiba
IDTV
doing this, and of course, full-function replacements aren't available.

The remote for my NAD MR-20a is secured solely wth screws, and is easy
to
clean.

Warming them with a heat gun, and a bit of twisting often gets them
apart.
Don't over heat ones with lcd displays tho.

Ron


Laptop people use "spudgers". Great word, that. Here's a demo.

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Open-an-iBook-for-repairs-without-damaging-the-cas
Click to expand...
e_W0QQugidZ10000000005121811
Gareth.
Click to expand...
Unexpected , to me as never heard of a spudger, there is a Wiki entry for
them

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/
 
In article <g67adf$th8$1@registered.motzarella.org>, diverse@tcp.co.uk
says...
Ron(UK) <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:xICdnXttZtdtiRrVnZ2dnUVZ8g6dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
The worst part of it is that this problem is easy to fix, but most
remote
controls are almost impossible to disassemble.

Screws aren't enough -- the back snaps together so tightly that, unless
you
have the right tool and know how to use it, it's impossible to open the
back
without destroying the unit. I irreparably damaged remote for a Toshiba
IDTV
doing this, and of course, full-function replacements aren't available.

The remote for my NAD MR-20a is secured solely wth screws, and is easy
to
clean.

Warming them with a heat gun, and a bit of twisting often gets them
apart. Don't over heat ones with lcd displays tho.

Ron

I've often done that, assuming a hot air gun , masking off any problem areas
like LCD, soft buttons etc. Stout thumb nails are useful tools also,
structuraly just about the right material.
Anyone know of a similar material that is easier to use with heated plastic?
Thin, tough and short scale flexible, long enough to get some purchase


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/
Click to expand...
I use one of those fake credit cards that come in the mail. They are
thin enough to slide along and release the catches, and if you damage
the card it's no big loss. I trim the card if it gets too raggy, and use
it until there isn't anything left to hold on to. Now I save all those
free credit card offers from American Express etc., until I get the fake
cards out of them.

- Tim -
 
Ron wrote:
I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)
Click to expand...
What kind of movies are you watching while using that remote?
 
On Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:23:30 -0400, Ronbo wrote:

Ron wrote:
I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)

What kind of movies are you watching while using that remote?
Click to expand...
heh
 
Tim wrote:
In article <g67adf$th8$1@registered.motzarella.org>, diverse@tcp.co.uk
says...
Ron(UK) <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:xICdnXttZtdtiRrVnZ2dnUVZ8g6dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
The worst part of it is that this problem is easy to fix, but most
remote
controls are almost impossible to disassemble.

Screws aren't enough -- the back snaps together so tightly that, unless
you
have the right tool and know how to use it, it's impossible to open the
back
without destroying the unit. I irreparably damaged remote for a Toshiba
IDTV
doing this, and of course, full-function replacements aren't available.

The remote for my NAD MR-20a is secured solely wth screws, and is easy
to
clean.
Warming them with a heat gun, and a bit of twisting often gets them
apart. Don't over heat ones with lcd displays tho.

Ron
I've often done that, assuming a hot air gun , masking off any problem areas
like LCD, soft buttons etc. Stout thumb nails are useful tools also,
structuraly just about the right material.
Anyone know of a similar material that is easier to use with heated plastic?
Thin, tough and short scale flexible, long enough to get some purchase


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/







I use one of those fake credit cards that come in the mail. They are
thin enough to slide along and release the catches, and if you damage
the card it's no big loss. I trim the card if it gets too raggy, and use
it until there isn't anything left to hold on to. Now I save all those
free credit card offers from American Express etc., until I get the fake
cards out of them.

- Tim -
Click to expand...
Guitar picks...they come in many sizes/thicknesses/degrees of stiffness.
Top it off, they're almost the perfect size.

jak

jak
 
N_Cook wrote:
jakdedert <jakdedert@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:7PVhk.241$BX5.232@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
Tim wrote:
In article <g67adf$th8$1@registered.motzarella.org>, diverse@tcp.co.uk
says...
Ron(UK) <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:xICdnXttZtdtiRrVnZ2dnUVZ8g6dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:


Guitar picks...they come in many sizes/thicknesses/degrees of stiffness.
Top it off, they're almost the perfect size.

jak

jak

That sounds likely , what do you mean by top it off? I may try gluing one in
a split or cut piece of wooden dowel. Whatever that material is , its
simulating human finger nail.
I too have held back mock american express cards but they are too floppy and
relatively thick for this task.

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/



Should have read *To* top it off...just adding a further quality to the
Click to expand...
preceding.

In fact, I saw instructions on the web somewhere for replacing cell
phone cases (by a company which sells such replacements). They sold
tools for installing their product--a t-? torx driver, and a....well, it
looked just like a guitar pick, but they called it something else and
charged a dollar or two for it.

One more quality to recommend the lowly guitar pick: they are (usually)
made of some sort of plastic--minimizing scratching/gouging if they
slip--and inhibiting the application of too much force.

jak
 
On Jul 25, 12:59 pm, "Arfa Daily" <arfa.da...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
"William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net> wrote in message

news:GNadneoeM7rHuBTVnZ2dnUVZ_rHinZ2d@comcast.com...

Sometimes, they can seem like they are resisting unreasonably,
but once you find the right places to 'probe', it sometimes amazes
you how readily they then come apart, and you can't believe that
it has taken you so long.

Which is exactly the point. This is a large remote, and it's hard to even
begin to guess where the "ears" are.

I just bought some AR interconnects, which come in a large snap-shut
"egg".
I had little trouble getting it open. So why...?

You can usually insinuate the edge of the knife blade into the crack between
the case halves, and then rotate in the plane of the blade, either up, or
down. This will normally result in the case halves twisting apart at that
point, and will tell you which half is clipped over the other. You can also
normally see at this point, where the case halves are resisting twisting
apart, and that will be where your first clip point is located. You can
either slide the knife blade down to that point, and then knowing which way
the case is clipped together, twist again in that direction, or come out
with the knife and then move down to the clip point, and reinsert. Either
way, it's not that hard, and as I said, probably more a matter of technique
and experience, than special tools, or the manufacturers trying to stop you
getting in there.

Arfa
Click to expand...
Some of these remotes aren't even worth the trouble to repair (if
you can get the darn thing open in the first place) when they go bad.
I have a "GE" branded universal remote I bought from a discount store
for $5. I don't see any clips or other types of fasteners holding the
case together. It would seem to me that one would have to almost
literally destroy the remote to get it open.

Oh well. This type of remote is meant to be thrown away when it
fails anyway, like just about everything else these days. The only
reason I bought this particular remote is that it is the only
universal remote short of an expensive learning remote that will
operate all four components of my video entertainment system,
including my CyberHome DVD player.

OTOH, I also have a "One for All" universal remote that should be very
easy to open should it require service, as there is only one screw
holding the unit together. I would still be using that remote today if
it supported my DVD player, but it doesn't--none of the One for All
universals have setup codes for this brand of DVD. CyberHome even
mentions on its website that no other remotes than the ones supplied
with its DVD players will operate them. Jasco Products (the company
that manufactures "GE" branded universal remotes and other video
accessories under the GE name and logo) must have seen the need for a
universal (other than a learning remote) that would operate CyberHome
DVD players, as the unit I have, and likely most other recent-vintage
"GE" branded universal remotes, have setup codes for the CH DVDs, what
few of them are still in use (CyberHome went out of business not long
ago).

Jeff Strieble, WB8NHV
Fairport Harbor, Ohio USA
 
Jim Yanik wrote:
"William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in
news:EYGdnXKRjLiE9BfVnZ2dnUVZ_oHinZ2d@comcast.com:

This type of remote is meant to be thrown away when it
fails anyway, like just about everything else these days.
We're not talking about universal remotes.




yes,factory remotes often have instrument-specific functions that a
universal remote will not activate;I have a Pioneer PD-M70 CD player where
the remote died,and a universal remote does -some- things,but not many
commonly used functions.

and a universal remote will not operate my new Magnavox OTA DTV converter.

I've posted this before....
Click to expand...

Buy a Palm unit. There are several programs out there which convert the
unit to a universal, learning remote. Libraries are posted online of
codes for various devices. There are forums where you can request codes
for esoteric gear. People who have that gear can teach their Palm
remote and post the results for those hard to find functions.

A Palm M130 goes for maybe $15 on eBay. It has a sufficient IR range to
function as a useful remote control. Either buy a new battery (if
needed) for a few bucks, or leave it in a charging cradle close to where
you use it. Even an old Palm III X, that you might have in a drawer
somewhere, can be a viable device remote with an IR extender added.

Better yet, you can control your devices with any Palm-enabled smart
phone....

<http://www.pacificneotek.com/omnisw.htm>
<http://www.novii.tv/palm/>
<http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005810/remocon/premocce.htm>

jak
 
On Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:25:04 -0700 (PDT), Ron <BigELilE05@msn.com> put
finger to keyboard and composed:

I have an older Mitsubishi TV remote and the channel up/down button
stopped working.

So I took it apart, and it had some kind of "sticky goo" inside. Not
only on top of the rubber keypad between the buttons, but also between
the keypad and the circuit board. It closely resembled Vasoline.

I cleaned the entire remote with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips and now it
works fine.

Does anyone know what in the hell the sticky goo was? The only thing I
could find on Google, was that it was a natural break down of the
rubber.

(and no it has NEVER had anything spilled on it)
Click to expand...
I've seen tape decks where the rubber belts have completely
disintegrated into a sticky sludge.

I've also just cleaned the rubber goo out of my Sanyo TV remote for
the second time in as many years.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
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