While LG has quite rightly earned itself a reputation as one ofthe best television and monitor manufacturers around, there are still some questions surrounding the build quality of the company’s products. This is especially true of its television remotes, which, as a quick Google search will reveal, seem to be a lot more prone to breaking than some users might expect.
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It doesn’t help that LG’s own troubleshooting tips and tricks site directs users to information about the LG Magic Remote; a non-standard component that the vast majority ofLG televisionowners do not have. Thankfully, however, those with a broken LG TV remote needn’t worry, as these helpful repair tips should be able to resolve most user problems without too much work.
Change the Batteries
Though it may seem like an obvious solution,dead batteries account for the vast majority of remote control problems, with a new set (usually two triple As) getting the remote back up and running right away. Users should alsotry unplugging the television’s power cable for sixty secondsto completely reset the TV ifchanging the batteriesdoesn’t work.
Another common problem with television remotes is that buttons can sometimes become stuck, causing the remote to send out a continuous signal, which, in turn, prevents users from pressing any other buttons. To combat this, users shouldremove the batteries from the remote and then press down all of the buttons on the control repeatedly for around sixty seconds(users should aim to press each button five or six times, with extra attention being paid to the power button). In most cases, this will resolve the problem.
Check the IR Emitter
Most remote controls communicate with their respective televisions using infrared light. Thiscan’t be seen with the naked eye, but should be visible through a cellphone camera, albeit barely. After focusing their cameras on the IR LED at the top of the remote, users shouldpress the control’s power button so that it sends out a signal. This will usually be a pale purple color when captured by a cellphone camera.
If there’s no visible signal and the batteries definitely have charge, there’s a good chance that the IR LED is dead. If this is the case, the remote will likely need to be returned to the manufacturer for repair or replaced with a new one. For those whose televisions are out of warranty, it is possible to replace the LED manually, though this will require the use of a soldering iron and is not guaranteed to rectify the problem.
Clean the Remote
Sometimes, remotes break not because of a manufacturing flaw, but instead due to user error or the way in which they’ve been handled. For example, given that they’re usually stored on coffee tables and sofas, it can be very easy for liquid to be spilled on remotes. Likewise, due to how often they’re handled, they can also become very dirty very quickly, and, in some instances, this canprevent them from working as intended.
While opening up a television remote control will not necessarily void its warrantyif done correctly, it’s highly recommended that users send their remotes in for repair if they’re still covered under any sort of warranty rather than trying to take them apart by themselves.
By wedging a thin piece of plastic (or even a fingernail) between the remote control casing and sliding it all the way around, users will be able to disassemble the remote. It’s important not to use force, however, as there are little tabs around the seam where the two halves of the remote meet that will need to be disengaged before the pieces can be pulled apart. After doing so, users canwipe down the green PCB with an alcohol wipeandwash the buttons and plastic casing in warm soapy water if needed.
Once everything’scompletely dry, users can put the remote back together again and test it out. To do so, they shouldplace the buttons into the top half of the remotefirst and thenadd the PCB to the back half, being sure to slide the metal battery coils into the slots that lead to the battery compartment. They can thenput the two halves together by sliding the IR LED into the hole at the top of the front half of the casingand then pushing the two pieces gently back together.
Other Problems
In most cases, one of the above solutions should be enough to fix the problem. However, if the remote has been placed in direct sunlight for too long or has had liquid spilled on it, it’s possible that the printed circuit board is damaged beyond repair (or to the extent where the cost of repair would vastly exceed the cost of simply buying a new remote). If this is the case, thenusers may be better off replacing the remote rather than wasting any more time trying to repair it.
