We have a Dish ViP722k DVR-HD receiver. The Dish remote controls that came with it are starting to show signs of buttons that must be pressed more firmly for them to work. I've successfully cleaned other remote controls by removing the plastic cover and using fresh household hydrogen peroxide with a cotton swab to clean the contact surfaces of the printed circuit board and conductive rubber pad. The problem is that I can't find any screws in the 722k remotes, nor can I separate the plastic covers using a sharp blade or any other sharp instrument. It's like they're bonded together such that I'd have to use a dremel tool with a sharp mini-saw to carefully cut them apart. Is there an easier and more practical way to get the plastic covers apart, or must these remote controls be replaced with new Dish remotes or by separately purchased third-party remotes?
remote control cleaning question
- Thread starter Joe4U
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try searching a couple weeks back there was a post on repairing his remote. With protection plan the remote should be free.
Found it! http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/293733-Cleaning-Remote-Contacts?highlight=clean+remote
Looks like Mike88 figured it out.
Looks like Mike88 figured it out.
I have cleaned Dish remotes a few times, with moderate to very good success. I used methods people have posted, either here or at other forums. It does give you more usage from a remote. It's easier to just get a new remote especially when they can be had for so little on Ebay. But sometimes I just feel like it's waste when I can get more use out of the one I have...
Yep, my self cleaning has either resulted in a partial or complete non-functioning remote, or a soon to be a non-functioning remote. One slight mis-alignment putting it back together will mess it up. Just get a new one. This goes for other than just Dish remotes...ie Harmony.
It took a lot of pressure on that edge joint to unhook the first tab. My wife held the remote on edge so that I could really press down hard with a small screwdriver. I figured there was nothing to lose since it was not working properly anyway.
My "wheel" around the select button on one of my remotes doesn't work properly (channel up won't work at all and the others are sluggish). What's this about free with protection plan? I've always paid $7/month for the protection plan, but when I went on the DISH site it looks like they want to charge me for a replacement. Is that fee just automatically waived if you order?
Call instead - or better contact a DIRT member. I don't know if the system is sophisticated enough to know you have the protection plan.
It appears that the modern Dish remote controls are basically designed like a high quality yet very inexpensive disposable razor, one that "just so happens" to be notoriously difficult to open up in order to clean it (how can that not be deliberate on the part of the designer or manufacturer -- no doubt to sell more new OEM remotes that similarly cannot be readily opened up for cleaning, either?). Brand new replacements can be purchased off Amazon dot com for as little as 5 or 6 dollars. So I just ordered two of them and will not attempt to crack open the old ones until the new ones arrive and are proven functional. I appreciate all the replies to this thread. I'll post a follow-up as to my success in forcing the old remotes apart without breaking them. FWIW, I did notice that the little plastic tabs at the bottom front of the units (with the numbers 1 and 2 on them, respectively) can be popped off with a thin flat head screwdriver.
An old credit card works better than a screwdriver and does less damage to the remote case.
Start opening the case at the rear where the key is situated up one side, when you reach the top it should pop open.
I cleaned my 5.3 IR remote with alcohol and a cotton ball, then picked off the cotton lint and allowed it to thoroughly dry.
I cleaned both the circuit board and the rubber membrane.
For reassembly, there are small plastic pegs that anchor the rubber membrane in correct position, if you carefilly position the membrane over the board then attach the cover with the holes for the buttons, everything should line up and work satisfactorily.
Start opening the case at the rear where the key is situated up one side, when you reach the top it should pop open.
I cleaned my 5.3 IR remote with alcohol and a cotton ball, then picked off the cotton lint and allowed it to thoroughly dry.
I cleaned both the circuit board and the rubber membrane.
For reassembly, there are small plastic pegs that anchor the rubber membrane in correct position, if you carefilly position the membrane over the board then attach the cover with the holes for the buttons, everything should line up and work satisfactorily.
Initially I did try a 1" plastic scraper but could not get anything to unhook. I tried both sides, top & bottom, but to no avail. I had to switch to a metal screwdriver & eventually got the one corner free and then used the plastic for everything else.
I cleaned the circuit board & rubber keypad with isopropyl alcohol & Q-tips at the offending key areas that had residue on them. Notice that the area of the rubber keypad that touches the circuit board has a dark coating on it. This is actually a conductive coating that creates an electrical path when pressed into contact with the circuit board. So you also need to carefully clean it.
I cleaned the circuit board & rubber keypad with isopropyl alcohol & Q-tips at the offending key areas that had residue on them. Notice that the area of the rubber keypad that touches the circuit board has a dark coating on it. This is actually a conductive coating that creates an electrical path when pressed into contact with the circuit board. So you also need to carefully clean it.
Thanks for the detailed reply. I received the new remote and got it operational. It cost $5.89 plus $5.49 shipping. The old remote still works, albeit some of the most-used buttons are getting quite stubborn. I'll attempt to follow your instructons on refurbishing it, though from my limited experience, fresh hydrogen peroxide does seem to work very well for cleaning electrical contact surfaces. I've read that various types of topical alcohol, isopropyl, denatured, and plain acetone, may work just as well if not better.
