Point Anywhere RF Remote controls the receiver with the usb dongle but also controls the ir receiver

Question

U-verse TV Point Anywhere RF Remote Control controls the rf receiver with the usb dongle (as it should) but also controls the ir receiver.

The receivers are in the same room but the tv's are in separate rooms.

When I turn on the Kitchen TV with the RF Point Anywhere Remote it turns on both receivers located in the bedroom. The problem is the two tv's can't be watched at the same time unless we are watching the same channel. If I change the kitchen channel the bedroom channel changes also.

I thought the RF remote would only control a receiver with the USB dongle installed. Any help would be appreciated. May save our marriage!!!!!

Thanks

penny

aviewer · Accepted Answer

PennyD - What you describe now is the opposite of what I understood your original post. I thought you said the RF remote was impacting the IR TV. Meaning the RF remote is also send STB IR control. It must send TV IR control. You know these two are different because you have to program the remote to send the correct IR to your TV.

Now you are blocking the IR signal on the RF STB. This is the common problem because people think it is a total RF process. It is not. It is Remote - RF-dongel - IR-STB. So, the STB last leg can see IR from the other (IR) remote.

If it is working OK now, that is good. But, I think you are lucky. If you tape up the STB receiver very tight it will not see the IR generated by the dongel and not respond at all.

If it is not totally hidden (as it must be now) you may still get sporadic channel changes from the other remote. I once had the RF STB hidden under a cabinet in the back blocked with cardboard with an open crack. It still worked better than the IR STB on the top of the cabinet that I was trying to control with the IR remote.

My suggestion is - you make a cover out of cardboard, like a tissue box, that encloses the dongle and the front of the STB or put the whole thing in a closed cabinet. You really have to hide the RF STB from the open so that it does not see and react to the IR generated by the other remote.

aviewer · Accepted Answer

PennyD- You almost got me. A real conundrum. But, the light bulb lit. ( Do you know the difference between difficult and easy? - If you do not know it, it is difficult. If you know it it is easy)

The IR generated by the dongle for the STB it is plugged in to is "visible" by the other STB. This may actually be your original problem. But, it was an obscure answer.

This is another reason for making sure the RF STB is well hidden - shielded from both seeing the other IR as well as not sending spillover to the other STB.

I always learn from answering questions. This spillover is new for me.

Another thing I just remembered - If you want to see if the remote is generating IR, aim it into a digital camera & you can see it on the camera LCD screen. Of course, for the RF remote make sure you use a STB button, TV buttons will generate IR.

PennyD · Answer

Thank you for your response - I will do as you suggest. I have one more question - We have three other IR receivers - The RF remote we've been talking about does not work two of the IR receivers, which is correct - right? But it does turn on the IR receiver in the bedroom, where the RF receiver is also located. I can deal with that - but wonder why. Any suggestions.

So great to talk to someone that knows what they are talking about!!!

Penny

aviewer · Answer

PennyD - You are correct, the RF remote should send only RF. I have one & it works that way. I would see the same thing you do if it were sending IR.

There is a page 17 in the manual that talks about activate/deactivate RF. It really must mean toggle between RF and IR.

Your remote must be sending IR. Since the dongle converts RF to IR, that STB is working directly from IR (dongle not necessary). In fact, that is usually the problem the regular remote impacts both TVs. You have to hide the dongle STB from the IR.

Try programming att/ok - 915 to restore RF to the remote. 916 is supposed to deactivate the RF, but It must also activate the IR.

If you cannot get it to work, call in for replacement if still under warranty.

You can also consider replacing it with one of the remote apps available for iphone,ipad & ipod touch.

Another thought - Are you sure you have the RF remote - not just a black regular remote.

ScottMac · Answer

The dongle does the RF/IR conversion. I believe your remote also puts out IR ... try covering the front window of the remote with something (like duck tape, electrical tape ...) and see if that helps.

aviewer · Answer

ScottMac - At first blush, the tape sounds like a good idea. After further consideration - It has the disadvantage of blocking the IR needed for the TV.
Maybe that is not an issue in this instance. In any case it is a quick and easy test to verify what is happening,

PennyD · Answer

Thanks for your answer. I tried the activate/deactivate instruction. Sorry to say It did not help my problem. But I think I have it solved.

To reiterate: I have two TVs one is in the Kitchen against the wall - the other one in the bedroom on the other side of the same wall. There are two receivers both in the bedroom. The receiver for the Kitchen TV uses the USB dongle and Point Anywhere remote. The receiver for Bedroom TV uses a standard Reciever & Remote. One sits on a table about 3 ft. above the other. Both remotes were controling both receivers.

In Scott Macs reply he suggested the Point Anywhere Remote sends both RF and IR signals. The RF works the Uverse reciever with USB dongle and the IR is necessary to work the Kitchen TV that this receiver is connected to. So after reading that, I experimented convering the recievers with black tape. The end result - I covered the Kitchen Receivers (with USB dongle) front panel with black tape so only the USB dongle was exposed. So now the bedroom IR remote did not affect that (RF) receiver- yippee!!!! And low and behold the Point Anywhere RF Remote does not affect the IR receiver for the Bedroom TV. What's sad is I don't now why. I think this is all very confusing - but if you understand it, I'd be very interested to know why it worked.

Thanks again,

Peny

PennyD · Answer

I tried covering the remote with tape as suggested but the TV would not go on at all.

But I think I have it solved.

To reiterate: I have two TVs one is in the Kitchen against the wall - the other one in the bedroom on the other side of the same wall. There are two receivers both in the bedroom. The receiver for the Kitchen TV uses the USB dongle and Point Anywhere remote. The receiver for Bedroom TV uses a standard Reciever & Remote. One sits on a table about 3 ft. above the other. Both remotes were controling both receivers.

You suggested the Point Anywhere Remote sends both RF and IR signals. The RF works the Uverse reciever with USB dongle and the IR is necessary to work the Kitchen TV that this receiver is connected to. So after reading that, I experimented covering the recievers with black tape. The end result - I covered the Kitchen Receivers (with USB dongle) front panel with black tape so only the USB dongle was exposed. So now the bedroom IR remote did not affect that (RF) receiver- yippee!!!! And low and behold the Point Anywhere RF Remote does not affect the IR receiver for the Bedroom TV. What's sad is I don't know why. I think this is all very confusing - but if you understand it, I'd be very interested to know why it worked.

Thanks again,

Penny

PennyD · Answer

Well I sure learned alot - really appreciate all your help!PennyD

Jlhkw78 · Answer

I have 2 ref remotes and want them both to work the one stb dongle. Can I reset the home I’d with the same code in both remotes?

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