One more "tech hiccup" that I've had to deal with lately is the remote control to my (smart) TV acting up - as in its on/off button (rather essential) not working properly. For quite a while I've had to press that button multiple times to get it to respond at all - and sometimes, when I got a bit too impatient, it turned things off, but then straight back on again...
At the same time as I bought my new mobile phone (5+ weeks ago now), I also bought a replacement remote control for the TV; but what with all the other new technology to get my head round (also a new computer since then), I put that remote aside for "later" (and meanwhile have kept struggling on - and off - with the capricious old one).
This week I decided it was time to finally try and get that sorted as well, though. Seemed easy enough at first - but then caused a bit of headache anyway...
How many of these have you got to deal with?
From left to right, here are mine:
1/ The new TV control
2/ The old TV control
These are used to turn on/off the TV, to switch between TV vs streaming apps, and to handle the apps. (Hopefully I'll only need the new remote now, but until I'm sure that I've figured everything out, I'm keeping the old one as well...)
3/ Separate control for the TV box from my cable company. I have to use this one to switch TV channels - can't do that from the main control.
4/ Control for the BlueRay disc player (to which I can also attach a USB drive). (This player can partly also be controlled from the main TV remote - but not completely.)
5/ Control for the tuner/amplifier. The TV usually connects to the amplifier automatically but I need the separate remote if I want to just listen to the radio (or if auto connect with the TV doesn't work properly for some reason...).
6/ Control for my old DVD-player.
To my relief, the new TV remote at first seemed to work just like the old one. However, some of the buttons in the middle "wheel" are a bit different, and I discovered that one I really missed on the new remote was a very convenient shortcut button on the old one to take me straight back from streaming apps to TV. I found another way to do it, but that took two or three steps rather just one. - However, the next day (reading the instructions again) I found a way to program another button to perform that trick with just one click. So that problem is now eliminated.
BUT it also seemed (for a while) like the new remote had mysteriously managed to completely put the BlueRay remote out of action - because that one suddenly refused to react at all, to anything. This had me seriously puzzled, and I tried "all sorts" without result... Until it suddenly occurred to me to try to change the batteries in it - which immediately revived all of its functions... So just an unfortunate coincidence, nothing to do with the new remote after all! (...phew & lol...)
So for now, I think I'm (more or less) "in control" again... How long that may last, may be a matter of whether I also manage to get all the recent changes of "this, that and the other" properly stored in my own brain!
It all reminds me of this meme that pops up every now and then on various social media:
8 comments:
Good GRIEF, the tech things you are able to figure out and fix!!
That’s a lot of remotes! I have three in permanent use and one that rests in a drawer because I need it so rarely. #2 in your picture is exactly the same one that I have for my BlueRay player, and that is the one in the drawer.
My most used ones are the one to turn the TV on (the device as such), the one to control the satellite receiver and the one for my AppleTV box.
The main button on the TV remote does not work any longer; I now have to turn the TV on at the device itself – like in the old days before remote controls! But it does not matter, because I keep the entire rack of „media“ devices in my living room on a power plug that I turn off completely when not watching TV, to save energy (as we all know, even on standby mode, our devices consume energy), and to switch that main plug on, I need to walk up to the TV set anyway.
Funny that my TV controler got dropped and broke, I tried to get it working again but ended up getting a replacement from Amizon, I'll toss the old one, I don't keep them
😁
Meike, the on/off button on my TV is very inconveniently placed on the back of it, which is why I felt I really needed a replacement remote. The old TV remote I'll dispose of it when I'm sure I've thought of everything and don't need it any more. The DVD one is rarely used so usually has its place in the bookshelf with the device itself. So "only" four usually on my table (in a basket when not used)...
Billy I won't hold on to the old one either, once I'm sure I don't need it any more.
I feel your techie pain! We only have three in the living room, the one for the cable and the one for the smart tv, one for the bose speaker. all three are totally different, I have three others for the tv in the bedroom. they are making me crazy, since I rarely use the tv, i forget between times which one will make what work... last night I sat looking at the remote that ame with the TV trying to remember If we were watching netflix, prime and which button did what. you are doing great with yours. I also get the impatient pushing of a button. been there done that.
we are to the place now, if bob pushes a button he yells for me to come fix it. due to memory problems he remembers all the old ways he has done it but can't retain how to do the new way... I tossed a few remotes a month ago. we have two remotes in a bag in a drawer that go to the AC in the garage, the one we put in the window if the central ac goes out. and one to the roll around AC that we use if the AC goes out for more than a day. there are two other remotes I don't know what they go to but am afraid to toss
Thanks Sandra. Yes, it's really a lot to keep up with these days, and a lot of devices partly similar and yet not identical... I know what you mean about being afraid to toss things you don't remember what they are - I once threw out a cord I thought belonged to something I'd already got rid of, but it turned out to belong to a fan which was still in working order - or would have been, if I hadn't got rid of the cord...
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