Hi, I posted this on thegreenbutton website....

[Link: forums.thegreenbutton.com]

...and was directed here!

Basically when I use certain buttons on my philips (media center) remote it also sends a signal to my Sony tv to switch to channel 1. This is the only problem i`m having now after a few months of difficulty and its really bugging me!!

This is the remote i`m using:-
[Link: newegg.com]

Any ideas anyone ??

Don't know for sure what the problem is, my guess would be that the Sony and MC PC use the same codes for some functions. I doubt the remote is the culprit. If you tell me what MC buttons cause this, I can at least check it out on my Sony and confirm.

There is a Microsoft forum for media center, you could also ask the question there. Lots of Sony's out there - should've happened to someone else. Look here: [Link: microsoft.com].

Jim L

I don't either.


Very unlikely.

Sony is very consistent about using their own protocol for all their devices. The Sony Protocol is modulated at 40Khz and uses pulses of 600 and 1200 microseconds. The MCE uses a form of RC6 protocol. That is modulated at 36Khz with 444 and 888 microsecond pulses.

It makes no sense that a Sony device could ever misread part or all of an MCE signal as a Sony signal.


That also sounds unlikely, but what other choices are there? The MCE remote could be a deffective design or a defective unit (I'm not sure which of those you were specifically doubting).
The MCE remote could be sending a Sony command entirely as an unintended defect. Or the MCE remote could have a designed in (maybe programmable) feature to send a discrete command to a TV under some conditions and that is either misprogrammed or misdesigned.


Do you have the same MCE remote? You could learn those buttons to a Pronto and post the hex, so we can see if they contain anything other than the expected RC6-6-32 command.

Johnsfine,

Ok, if you say so. No, I don't have the same remote but my suggestion would eliminate some possibilites - however unlikely you feel they might be. Remember, it's not MY problem we're trying to solve. Perhaps some suggestions the poster could use might be of benefit. Would you recommend he try the original Media Center remote (assuming he has one) to see if the same behavior persists?

If it does, codes could be the problem, or possibly some problem in the TV's IR receiver circuitry.

If the behavior disappears, then the Newegg remote is likely the cause. His link to the Newegg remote says it will only operate the PC. So as you say a "designed in (maybe programmable)" TV feature is not the case.


Jim L

Ok, buttons causing me this problem, starting from the top, are:-
skip right
skip left (replay)
back
guide
ok
right arrow
the big green button.
If you could check with sony that would ne really useful, cheers.

I was never confused about that. I just thought you might happen to have that remote (and I see you're trying to help). I'm sure someone who reads this forum has that MCE remote and a Pronto and could check whether the MCE is sending something strange.


If I had any, I would have made them. All the ideas I have require a PC-connected learning remote. It seems likely that he doesn't have one of those.


Is there an "original Media Center remote"? My understanding was that the Philips remote mentioned in this thread is as closs as there is to an "official" MCE remote.

Of course, if he has any other remote that does MCE, it would be helpful to test and see if it has the same problem.

He could always buy a JP1 remote and JP1 cable and load the MCE upgrade from the JP1 forum. After that works right, he can discard the MCE remote. Who wants a non universal remote anyway. (If that fails, then something very strange is happening, that doesn't fit my understanding of how Sony TV's work).

Ok, turns out I do have the same remote. At least they're visually the same. Mine has absolutely no effect on either of my Sony TV's (or a Philips, Zenith, or Magnavox for that matter).

Johnsfine's right. At this point, it'd be best if you could borrow another MCE remote and see what that does. Failing that, take your remote to a store that sells Sony (preferably your model), and see what happens.

I'll post the codes later tonight when I get some time, and try to provide some additional thoughts.

Jim L

I'm back. First off, an additional question. The MCE remote is changing your Sony TV to channel 01, not a cable/sat box, a vcr, or some video/scart switch box that interfaces with the TV?

As above, if you're able to borrow an MCE remote and see if problem still exists, that would be best. If it doesn't that's an indication that your remote is malfunctioning. If it does still happen, that MIGHT indicate that the TV is responding in a manner it shouldn't. Taking your MCE remote to a store should give the same kind of info.

Below, I've posted the codes for Sony 0 and 1, as well as the codes off my MCE remote for skip left, right and the "big green button".

Sony 0
0000 0066 0000 000d 0062 0019 0032 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0032 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0032 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0426

Sony 1
0000 0066 0000 000d 0062 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0032 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0019 0457

MCE Skip Left
0000 0072 0000 0021 0060 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0030 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 09cf

MCE Skip Right
0000 0072 0000 0021 0060 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0030 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0020 0020 0020 0010 09be

MCE Green Button
0000 0072 0000 0021 0060 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0030 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0020 0020 09cf

As you can see, they're quite a bit different. Johnsfine is one of the code experts around here, I'm not. Hopefully, he'll chime in and tell us if anything looks funny.

I can't think of anything else to recommend other than above, and what Johnsfine said. His recommendation to get a Universal Remote with JP-1 capability is a good one - depends on if you want to invest the time to program it and the money. In any event, you should eliminate the possibility that the TV is at fault before you invest in another remote.

Jim L

Hi, cheers for helping guys.
Right, the remote switches the tv to channel 1. I dont have any kind of set top box or scart switch box.
It looks like this guy had the same problem:-
[Link: remotecentral.com]

My tv is also about 5 years old so I cant take the remote to a store to test it with, although I can take it to my parents house as they bought the same tv at the same time.
I`m not really in the position to get into J1 either, I was just looking for media center solution in my lounge.
I`ll report back on the testing the remote on my parents tv.
cheers again.