Fortec Lifetime NA Remote Dead?

[dougbrown]

Hey Guys & Gals, I have a Fortec Classic NA that I have been very happy with, at least up until this past weekend. I was trying to go to the PBS feeds to see if I could catch The Steve Miller Band in concert, but when I hit the sat button on the remote I got nothing. None of the buttons on the remote seemed to have any effect at all. Of course the first thing I tried was to swap out the batteries, then I reset the receiver, all to no avail. I was able to verify that the receiver was not hung up by changing channels on the front panel, but the front panel doesn't allow for complete functionality.
So my question is this, has anyone experienced this befor? I've searched and found some threads that seem to indicate that the Fortec remotes are not the best out there, but I could not find anything indicating that one would just up and die out of the blue. I knop Saudon has a replacement for $25 plus shipping, but that is half as much as I paid for the receiver itself, and I would like to get a little reassurance that this is the way to go here.
Thanks in advance for any input on this subject.
Doug

*Edit* Sorry I got the names mixed up, I have the Classic NA

 

[phlatwound]

Doug, I remember a post or thread within the last 2-3 months that detailed how to clean a remote, and possibly restore function.

Seem to remember something else about how to test a remote (with a camera or mirror maybe?) to see if it is functional? I suppose it is possible that the sensor in your receiver is bad.

 

[B.J.]

Hey Guys & Gals, I have a Fortec Classic NA that I have been very happy with, at least up until this past weekend. I was trying to go to the PBS feeds to see if I could catch The Steve Miller Band in concert, but when I hit the sat button on the remote I got nothing. None of the buttons on the remote seemed to have any effect at all. Of course the first thing I tried was to swap out the batteries, then I reset the receiver, all to no avail. I was able to verify that the receiver was not hung up by changing channels on the front panel, but the front panel doesn't allow for complete functionality.
So my question is this, has anyone experienced this befor? I've searched and found some threads that seem to indicate that the Fortec remotes are not the best out there, but I could not find anything indicating that one would just up and die out of the blue. I knop Saudon has a replacement for $25 plus shipping, but that is half as much as I paid for the receiver itself, and I would like to get a little reassurance that this is the way to go here.
Thanks in advance for any input on this subject.
Doug

*Edit* Sorry I got the names mixed up, I have the Classic NA

What is a common cause of what's happening with your remote is that you have accidently pushed one of the buttons that converts the remote into a TV remote or VCR remote, etc. I have 3 Fortec receivers and all have different remotes, but I think most of them have a button near the top right that puts the remote in sat mode. If one of the other modes has been pushed, the receiver won't respond to the remote at all.
There was some post by someone talking about looking through a videocamera I think at the end of the remote, since many videocams respond to IR. But for me, I have several devices that blink any time ANY IR remote's button is pushed, so I can always tell if a remote is sending.

All that being said, one of my sat remotes suddenly stopped working yesterday. Nothing blinked. Changed batteries, still nothing blinked. Opened it up, and found the wire leading to the batteries had broken off. Not a very common thing though. Only happened to me, because I've dropped the darn thing onto a hardwood floor about 500 times.

 

[dougbrown]

Thanks B.J. & P.W.

I did read about the Sat/TV button on the remote, and I tried switching it between modes, but it didn't help. Perhaps I'll try it again when I get home.
I do have a Camcorder that has a night vision feature, so perhaps that will tell me if the remote is doing anything.
I take a look at those things and see...
Thanks for the input

 

[Sadoun]

Try clicking on the STB button on the remote and see if works again.

Use the phone camera trick to see if IR is working on remote.

 

[dougbrown]

Saudon, everybody,
Well I checked the remote with our camcorder and it lights up brightly. Tried several times to hit Sat/TV button, no STB button, and then power. but no go
Now I thought I smelled something "ozone" like the other day when I opened the glass doors. I guess I know what it was now:river:river
So now the question is, Can it be fixed?
I've bad luck with the STB's I have bought so far, my Coolsat 6000:didn't even last 6 months, this one only about a year.
I hate having to rip these things apart, that means down time. Well at least I got a new multimeter for Christmas

 

[Sadoun]

Doug, is the receiver working fine when you hit the front panel buttons?

It could be the IR sensor connector on the receiver loose. You could fix that as follows:

Disconnect receiver from power outlet
Disconnect coaxial cable
Remove top cover off receiver
Check the the back of the front panel.
There should be a small ribbon cable with a connector plugged into the motherboard
Make sure that connector is snapped in all the way. Sometime it may come loose
Put the cover back on the receiver
Connect Coaxial
Plug receiver to power
Try remote/

 

[dougbrown]

I've never seen some one work so hard not to make a sale....
That said, Saudon You da Man!:clap
The ribbon didn't seem loose, but I removed it and reseated it and it worked!
Thank you:up

 

[Sadoun]

You are welcome. Hopefully, this will last for a long long time for you. But if you need an HD FTA receiver in the near future, you know where to knock.

 

[dougbrown]

I have been "Lusting in my heart" for one of those SatHawk or should I say SSR* recievers.

* Saudons Sexy Receiver

 

[Mr Tony]

glad it was something simple...had that happen on a receiver once and it bothered me for the longest time

 

[dougbrown]

Now the weird stuff starts, I put every thing back together and nada....
So apart it comes once again. There has to be an explanation there somewhere.

 

[dougbrown]

Ok here is the pattern so far
take the cover & front panel off, it works
put it back together, it doesn't
take it apart, it works

Then I put it together with the smoked plastic window removed, it worked, no it didn't, yes it did...Huh????
Then I tried moving the IR sensor with the window off, it works, move it again it doesn't, move it again and it works, I think I'm getting somewhere now....
So I'm thinking a bad solder joint or sensor now...
I guess I can take the front circuit board off and re-solder the joints on it...
Does any one know if any old sensor will work? Say off of a dead VCR?
Funny thing is it worked fine until this last weekend