cracking open an HR20 remote

[DrZ]

Something has apparently broken off inside my HR20 remote. It still works fine but the thing rattles like like a baby toy every time I use it. Is there an easy way to crack it open and remove the offending object or do I risk great harm and thus should learn to live with it.

[veryoldschool]

I think it's glued together. I tried once and didn't get anywhere good.

[DrZ]

I did notice two tiny screws you can access by removing the battery cover. If this sucker is truly glued together then I wonder what they are for.

[or270]

The oval shaped part snaps on,pop that off and that is where the screws are,
also 2 screws in the battery compartment.

[DrZ]

What 'oval shaped part' are you talking about?

[or270]

The one that is around the dvr function buttons down to the colored buttons, color is also different.

[4yanx]

Still, the thing is sonically welded together, as far as I can tell.

[DrZ]

I see...maybe I'll give that a shot when I get home....any one ever successfully open one?

[veryoldschool]

Somebody need one of my spares? :lol:

[davring]

Edmund posted instructions to take one apart, they are not glued, IIRC. Two screws and remove a snap on cover I think uncovers more screws, again, Edmunds post.

[or270]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii11/or270/DSCF0153.jpg
You can see the four screws in the corners.

[veryoldschool]

Well that clearly shows why I had problems. :lol:

[DrZ]

Cool. Any chance that by opening it up I can break anything that will permanently ruin the remote?

[Stuart Sweet]

There's always that chance. At least when I do stuff like that :)

[DrZ]

I'd be more concerned that the top half and the bottom half were some how wired together and that I would accidentally sever those wires.

[lwilli201]

I'd be more concerned that the top half and the bottom half were some how wired together and that I would accidentally sever those wires.

All the internal wiring is integrated into the curcit board so no problem with braking any wires. Even after the two screws by the battery case and the 3 under the top cover are removed, the case has snapes that makes it still not just fall apart. Start at the bottom and work up when separating the halfs.

[Stuart Sweet]

Anyone who successfully opens a remote (that they have bought not leased of course), I'd love to see the pictures posted.

[Thaedron]

Well that clearly shows why I had problems. :lol:

LOL... I can sympathize. I've taken apart some things in the past that would have been tremendously easier with just a tiny bit of information when I started.

[Thaedron]

Anyone who successfully opens a remote (that they have bought not leased of course), I'd love to see the pictures posted.

And thus a project for later this evening is born. (unless 17 people who aren't tied up at work all day beat me to it...) :D

[lwilli201]

Anyone who successfully opens a remote (that they have bought not leased of course), I'd love to see the pictures posted.

Just popped one open. Will post pics in as soon as I can. The lady of the house is on the computer with the camera docking station.

[Canis Lupus]

Mine rattles too. I've seen posts before where the rattling is usually a piece of extra glue inside that fell off and rattles around in there.

Something has apparently broken off inside my HR20 remote. It still works fine but the thing rattles like like a baby toy every time I use it. Is there an easy way to crack it open and remove the offending object or do I risk great harm and thus should learn to live with it.

[lwilli201]

Remote pictures. The second pic is of rubber button pad removed from curcit board.

[wagman]

Mine just stopped working a couple of days ago. No rattling. No warning. No little light lighting up. It just stopped responding to button pushes. I tried every button. I replaced the batteries. I brought another remote in to test and it worked fine. I guess I will be calling service for a replacement. Strange.

wagman

[DrZ]

bitchin! Posts like these are why I love this place!

[wagman]

Nice pics. I just might crack my dead one open to see what I see.

thanks

[goober22]

bitchin! Posts like these are why I love this place!

You people are easily amused!!!

:lol: :D :p !Devil_lol :uglyhamme :icon_lol:

[JavaJohnNV]

Once you remove the screws you'll need to deal with a bunch of plastic snaps along the side that were never meant to come apart. Don't pry at it with a screw driver, instead I recommend cutting up an old credit card into quarter inch wide strips and working from the end of the remote, sliding a strip in at each snap point until the side comes open. Good luck!

[Canis Lupus]

Just make sure not to cut up the Credit Card you might need to use to buy another remote. ;)

Once you remove the screws you'll need to deal with a bunch of plastic snaps along the side that were never meant to come apart. Don't pry at it with a screw driver, instead I recommend cutting up an old credit card into quarter inch wide strips and working from the end of the remote, sliding a strip in at each snap point until the side comes open. Good luck!

[mikek]

OMG!!!!!!! You are voiding your lease agreement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-mk

[apexmi]

OMG!!!!!!! You are voiding your lease agreement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-mk

!rolling !rolling !rolling

[Stuart Sweet]

I presume that anyone who has opened his remote is doing so on a remote he has purchased, not leased, from DIRECTV.

[RobertE]

Cool. Any chance that by opening it up I can break anything that will permanently ruin the remote?

The ones that I've take apart have NEVER worked after I've put them back together.

Best bet, order a new one from D*. Should be $20 shipped. If you have the protection plan, then it should be free.

[Canis Lupus]

And if it's just a rattle, but still works fine, leave it alone :)

[Jeremy W]

I presume that anyone who has opened his remote is doing so on a remote he has purchased, not leased, from DIRECTV.
Remotes are not leased, even if they come with a leased receiver.

[DrZ]

opened mine up on Friday. Turns out the rattle was a piece of glue that had broken loose.

[paulman182]

Remotes are not leased, even if they come with a leased receiver.


Right, I've kept every remote that came with receivers I've sent back.

My remote rattles also and I may open it up. I have a few spare remotes but they are IR-only. Thanks for the info!:)

[Stuart Sweet]

Remotes are not leased, even if they come with a leased receiver.

I'm not super sure of that, I know they don't ask for them back when you return the receiver, but yet they are part of the original box.

[lwilli201]

Remotes show ware and get all that body oil all over them very quickly. Not worth cleaning them up for redistribution. :grin: :rolleyes:

[Draconis]

Remote pictures. The second pic is of rubber button pad removed from curcit board.

But you missed the fun part.

The board on the left came from a standard remote. The one on the right came from a RF-capable one.

[Lee L]

Hmm, so how can we up the power on that baby so it will actually work!! ;)

[veryoldschool]

Hmm, so how can we up the power on that baby so it will actually work!! ;)
First you'd need to determine if it was the transmitter or the receiver that had the problem.

[Jeremy W]

I'm not super sure of that, I know they don't ask for them back when you return the receiver, but yet they are part of the original box.
Check your lease agreement, it only covers the receiver. It doesn't cover anything else, including the BBCs, cables, and remote.

Since they don't ask for them back, does it really matter either way? A replacement remote is $20, so in the absolute worst case, if DirecTV decided to be remote nazis and demand you return your remote, you'll have to pay $20 for a new one. But they'll never do that, because even refurb receivers are sent out with new remotes.

[azarby]

I'm not super sure of that, I know they don't ask for them back when you return the receiver, but yet they are part of the original box.

When I returned leased receivers, the instructions said "do not rerurn the remote". With remote models changing every few months and new codes for aternate gear, it would cost more to update than to let you keep it.

Bob

[jimb726]

I have taken two of these apart sucessfully, mainly because I come home and I find juice or soomething on the remote from my kids, causing the buttons to stick. The only way to correct it is to wash the rubber piece in hot water.