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My TiVo Remote Stopped Working Well . . .

We get this a lot by email and by phone: My TiVo is responding to my remote very slowly. I think my remote or my IR board is bad. I’ve changed the batteries and rebooted the unit.

We’ve got a strange answer for this, but it’s the right one almost every time: IR interference.

For some reason, TiVos are unusually susceptible to other IR waves. So other remotes, IR blasters, and other products can cause this behavior. Half the time, there’s a remote jammed under a couch cushion with a button stuck down.

So we tell people to just take all of the other remotes out of the room, and see what happens. That almost always does the trick.

The key way to know if this applies to you? “My TV still works fine with my TiVo remote . . .”

159 replies on “My TiVo Remote Stopped Working Well . . .”

I find that my TiVo remote works better if I bounce the signal off the wall to the side of it. For some reason it never fails.

If you have a wall nearby, try “banking” the signal like you would a pool shot.

I’ve had this same issue with my Tivo remote and after reading this post, now believe that the remote signals put off by my Slingbox are causing it.

Scott

Just hooked up my new HD TiVo DVR ,and my Remote Control is not working. Would I be able to get a replacement for it?

Update to previous comment!

It is NOT my Slingbox that is causing the issue. I’ve since removed the TIVO from its current location, to a completely different location (different room) and do not have the Slingbox connected. Now, my Tivo doesn’t respond at all. (I checked my remote at a neighbors house and the remote still works, so now I’m worried that my IR board is malfunctioning.

I am SO Grateful for this entry! Prior to checking the website, I spent countless hours on the phone with both Humax and Tivo trying to figure out what the problem was (especially since I had a brand new remote!) Neither of them, in all that time, had the tip above, which totally worked! I am so psyched! Thanks so much!

i am so glad I stubled upon this! I had tried resetting the TIVO, unhooked my whole system and hooked it back up again, and was on the verge of wiping everything and trying once again when I decided to look it up online. My TV control was jammed into the drawer at an odd angle and was continously sending a signal. Removed it and no more problems. Thanks so much for the easy fix!

This happened to my comcast box. Noone could figure it out… it went on for three days. After the repairman left I googled this site and tried it. sure enough, with all the other remotes gone, worked like a charm.

We have Time Warner. Time Warner only uses a multistream single cable card. This cable card is also not capable of On Demand. Time Warner said we must get an HD On Demand capable box and have two boxes running to separate inputs on the TV. The Time Warner box controls power to the TV no matter what. The Tivo box controls power to the TV no matter what. I am not a retard I don’t have either remote lodged in a drawer or couch. If the TV is off ,regardless of whether the Time Warner box is off or on, then the Tivo remote is in sync with the Tivo box and the yellow light blinks as expected. Once you press the green TV power button on the Tivo remote, to turn on the TV and the Tivo the remote never controls the Tivo box again. What the heck is this all about?

The TV power, time warner box power and Tivo box power are all separate. The time warner box is running to the component 1 input on a samsung series 6 HD. The Tivo box is running to the HDMI/DVI input. I found that the problem is anytime power to a JVC stereo receiver or the samsung television is turned off or on the remote for the Tivo becomes out of sync. A global reset or batteries out on tivo remote for 30 seconds will never solve this issue. So basically if you program the remote for samsung series 6 and jvc stereo receiver and you have lets say a power outage, your Tivo remote will never work properly again. Tivo is sending me a new remote in 2 days. If this does not fix the issue a logitech harmony 1 might. If a logitech harmony 1 does not fix the issue then the IR board on the tivo box has become corrupted and the box will need to be replaced. Thanks Tivo for creating an amazingly terrible product.

we figured it out after the statement above happened we found that you had to tough the remote sensor to the box sensor and push buttons while backing it away now ever time after power on after programming the remote. do not program the remote for jvc stereos it corrupts the IR

We spent all afternoon trying to figure out what was going on and as soon as we saw this we immediately found the DVD player remote under a stack of magazines and PROBLEM SOLVED! THANK YOU!

My remote works fine, except for the menu button. I can go to my To Do List, and I can program by time, channel, etc. I can display info about the current item but when I press the menu button, no Directv menu. (I have a refurbished Phillips DirectV DVR.) Any ideas? When I press the menu button, the green light on the front of the DVR turns temporarily amber, so it looks like it’s getting the signal, but not responding.

I laughed at this site at first and the suggestion of a “rogue remote” somewhere in the room. I was all set to spend money on a new Tivo, remote, or to at least lose my saved shows.

The remote to my stereo was mashed underneath a bunch of books on my nightstand. I freed it, and now my Tivo works flawlessly.

thanks all.

I had to replace the power supply after Tivo Series 2 would not boot. I replaced it and left the original hard drive in there. After boot up I realized 40g was the wrong drive. I used the remote to look around on the old drive then shut down to replace drive. I put the Large drive in (350 gig or so) and it boots all the way up but no lights at all on the front (there were when the old drive was there) and remote will not work. I have to two of these Tivos and the remote from the other will not work either. No IR interference (already worked with the old drive in, just not the new). Any ideas?

We purchased a Samsung Tv (model 32A300J10) and have a Philips Tivo (Model PTV100). How do we make the Tivo remote control compatible with the TV so we can change the volumn and turn the tv on or off?

Les

My Tivo is NOT responding to my remote. Usually when the remote is used, the little “yellow light” flashes quickly….the yellow light no longer flashes?? The remote is fine, it works on my other Tivo. I moved all my other remotes (which had been next to the Tivo remote for 4 years) & it’s still not working. I have deduced it’s my “Tivo” that’s got the problem, any suggestions anyone, please….?

D.C.

That’s ok. I bought a NEW HD Tivo & “swapped” my Lifetime Subscription from my OLD machine to my NEW HD Tivo….

LIFE’S GOOD NOW, LOL!

D.C.

So the remote stopped working. I then took the tivo apart, put it back together and the remote worked for a little while but then stopped again. Any ideas.

So the remote stopped working. I then took the tivo apart, put it back together and the remote worked, who knows why, for a little while but then stopped again. Any ideas.

OMG! After reading a few of these posts, I tried looking for a stray remote. Not one remote control worked for my TV, cable box, DVR, stereo, etc. Sure enough under a weighty AD Magazine, I found the f… VCR remote with button(s) being squashed. It was hidden but aimed at the AV equipment
This after two days of reading about IR interence, turning on/off all IR controlled appliance., florecesent lighting ballasts removed and replaced. Conferring with a Comcast service guy who changed out the box without success. Going to the f.. Comcast store to replace the remote.
I’m now an expert on IR interference but still an idiot!

My remote signal receiver in the TIVO series 3 HD box jams. The yellow light does not flash when a remote button is pressed. It stays on and scrolls through menu lists over and over. One cannot accurately stop it on a given line. When fast forwarding it goes to speed 1, then speed 2, then speed 3, then back to speed one, and on and on. I have an old second remote control and the box responds the same way.

What about using a digital camera and scan the room for unexpected sources of light? Whenever I have an IR remote that I suspect might have dead batteries, I point the digital camera at it and if I see light coming from the emitter I know the remote is good.

Yup – that’s a good trick. We often recommend it for people who can’t tell if their TiVo IR blaster is sending out proper signals or not.

DirecTV DVR. Does not powerup, recording and power light blink repeatedly, but the unit does not power up. I want to salvage the recordings from this unit. It has 160GB HD. Is there a way to fix the unit? Is there a way to backup the HD unit and load onto a new DVR unit? Either option works for me. Let me know if you have a solution. Thanks!

I have an old tivo, the first one that was sold. Remote worked until 2 days ago. I tried removing the tv and vcr remote but no luck. Tried replacing batteries multiple times. Muting and volume keys work fine on tivo remote but when another key is pressed, a red light flashes . Any suggestions?

Yes. I have powered off and back on. You think problem is with tivo and not remote? IIs there anyway to do anything (move around) without remote?

I believe tivo has been dying…gets stuck and hesitates sometimes while playing back recordings. I want to purchase another one but have been putting it off. I want it to work with fios which I am also going to purchase. Anything I need to know before purchasing another tivo?

Thanks

If the TV still works with the remote (volume, on/off) then the remote is probably fine. Sounds like the TiVo, and there are no buttons on that unit.

New TiVo DVRs for FiOS are great since they use CableCARDs (no more cable box!). Those are here:

http://www.weaknees.com/3

A number of the earlier posts come close to describing my issue…but not exactly. I’m getting interference from my TV (SHARP AQUOS 37″), which intermittently renders my remote worthless. When I turn off the TV, the TiVo immediately responds to the remote. (e.g. when the pushing the pause button the amber light comes on) When I turn on the TV, the remote works for 5 to 10 seconds and then once again doesn’t.
When I move the TiVo unit (It’s a Series 3HD) on the floor about 6 feet from the TV, I’m able to shield the TiVo with a piece of aluminum foil and the remote works. I remove the foil and it doesn’t.
It seems to be an interference problem. Short of a lead wall or moving the TiVo into the car, what can I do to prevent the interference from making my TiVo useless?
Thanks!

Remote is working in slow motion. I have a RCA DVR80 and the remote is a Direct tv remote it works the TV the AV1 (dvd player) when i try to turn the channel it will only let me program the first digit. for example if i want to turn to 362 i type in 3 6 2 and on the screen info comes up on station it is already on and the channel goes to 3.

I have another remote and it is a Direct tv remote and programmed for the tv and dvd player and it works but can not work the DVR-80 with the new remote

any IDEAS thanks

Did anyone find an answer to the problem of remote not working after replacing TiVo power supply? My TiVo power supply died and I replaced it – now the unit powers up with no problem and I get the whole powering up sequence, but no reaction to the remote – no light comes on on the front of the unit. The remote itself is fine – it works with my other TiVo in the other room.

I had the “no-yellow-light/remote-only-controls-TV” problem. After several calls to Tivo, they sent me a new HD TiVO. It worked for ONE DAY and now the problem is back- MY REMOTE IS USELESS!

Erick or DC– Did you find any solutions to your simular problems?! Anyone?! I’m going crazy. Thanks. K

I have the same problem as John Tomlinson. My IR receiver seems to jam on the operation from the remote. The amber light on the front of the Tivo box stays on when a remote button is pressed and the operation continues. The Tivo will just keep scrolling
down lists or stepping through forwarding/Reverse in play back. This does this on any Tivo remote (I’ve tried 3).
Ideas?

Follow up. . .
My problem did turn out to be a remote from another device in the room.
Thanks, it was the advice on this page that led me to check for this.
Bill

I have the same problem as Erick…Sharp Aquos TV. If you turn off TV and then back on, the remote works for about 10 seconds and then stops working… Very strange. Any thoughts?

Brilliant … earlier in my day my baby boy threw up on another remote and it turned out that it was causing my trouble lol. Thanks for the advice

I have similar problems, the remote shows a red light when pressed but the Tivo unit does not show anything but the green light. I cant find any other interference with another remote. I have tried unplugging Tivo and also a global replacement command, also set the remote to Zero which is supposed to make it work with any Tivo unit. It does not control the TV on/off or volume control which it used to. I took the batteries out last night so that our 6 month old could play with the Remote and now i can not get it to work with the TIVO. The baby was not interested in the Remote, and now I cant watch any Tivo.
Please help. Thank you.;

For about two years I’ve been struggling with an erratic remote. I tried directtv’s new reciever and promptly sent it back. They wouldn’t give me a new tivo box as I prefer their software. So off and on I researched to no avail. Then I ran across weaknees. I thought I would try a new faceplate. $30,what the heck. It just came in the mail and I finished installing it. I just wanted to say I LUV YOU GUYS!!!

Hi,
I have a Tivo DVD burner that I bought from weaknees a couple years ago, over the past 9 months the remote has only been working intermittently. I bought a new remote/batteries and same thing. Removed all other remotes from the room (checked for hidden remotes too).
It will work fine and then not at all…especially annoying when fast-forwarding through commercials and then can’t get it to stop FF’ing when the show’s back on…
Some times I’ll have to keep pushing a button 10 times before the box responds (sometimes no response at all, then I’ll try it later and it works fine).
Any thoughts?

Travis –

I’d recommend moving the unit to a different room and trying it there. Most likely, something in that room is causing the interference.

Alright, I never post and I’ve never been on this site until 5 minutes ago. I was going to reboot my TiVo because the remote stopped working, but I decided to search on the internet first. I came across this post and am so happy that I did. After reading it, I found all the remotes and then took them out of the room and… my remote still didn’t work. Then I noticed the DVD remote was missing so I searched for that, found it under some magazines, took it out of the room and alas my TiVo remote worked!!

I have 2 tivos in the room – S3 and HD – and suddenly switch 1 (white tivo remote) which controls the S3 stopped working, switch 2 controlling the HD works fine. Neither tivo shows a signal received for switch 1.

Pulled out 2 other remotes – the original grey one and glo black one – same problem with those. Took all other remotes from the room.

I have no idea what sort of interference it could be, or why only switch 1 would be affected.

Our Tivo remote would not stop on the right program selection and gets stuck at either the top or the bottom and other wacky things. It suddenly happened. So the suggestion about looking for a rogue remote was right on target. I used a digital camera to try to locate IR interference. I was able to find a micro tool set on top of a remote on the cabinet shelf. The small tool set was moved there from the dining room table in haste due to unexpected company coming. Thanks for the help. WoW!!!!

@Holly King I have had the TiVo button stop working on several remotes. I suspect it is due to poor design of the button itself and the frequency and pressure with which we use it.

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