TV Remote Control Unresponsive

[Ross.H]

TV Model: KD-55X8500E

Remote Model: RMF-TX300P

My TV remote has suddenly become unresponsive. The only working button is the voice control. I have tried replacing batteries as well as purchasing a replacement Sony remote, however none of which have solved the problem.

I thought the IR receiver on my TV may be the issue, however I am able to control the TV using a mobile app. Does the app connect via IR or wifi?

Any suggestions as to what I should try next?

TIA,

Ross

[royabrown2]

@Ross.H 

IR needs a magic eye sender, which I doubt your smartphone has. So I would think WiFi there, which is why it still works. And I would suspect that the voice control on the remote itself likewise uses wifi, which is why that button still works.

The magic eye receivers on Sony TVs are set very low; make sure nothing, such as a soundbar, is obstructing it.

Is any light on the Sony flickering when you use the remote, even if that doesn’t translate into action?

[Ross.H]

@royabrown2 

Thanks for coming back to me.

I removed my soundbar to avoid it obstructing the receiver and yes the light appears on the remote when I press the button.

[royabrown2]

@Ross.H 

Cheers!

I was thinking more of a light on the TV when you use the remote - the Samsung I am looking at (the Sony isn’t handy at the moment to check, and it might not match yours anyway) has a light where I can see it is receiving remote commands, even if it isn’t acting on them.

Which is happening a bit at the moment, because we have been watching a DVD on our Sony BluRay player, and after using this, even when it is switched right off, the TV becomes unresponsive to remote commands; the light flickers to show that it is getting them - showing that the magic eye works - but the TV takes no action.

Why this happens, I don’t know, and it is my problem, largely unrelated to yours, to solve long-term, except that the Samsung-suggested immediate remedy is to disconnect the TV from the mains for two minutes.

And this does clear the problem until next time. So it might be worth trying it with your Sony, as it sounds like a pretty generic remedy, not make-specific.

Failing that, the usual remedy with these Sonys, and the first thing that Sony Support will sUggest if you call them, is a factory reset, so try one of those next.

[rooobb]

So @royabrown2 you have your share of problems also with sammy?

[royabrown2]

@rooobb 

Only when I try to use it with a Sony product 😛

[Ross.H]

@royabrown2 

Just to update, I carried out a factory reset, but as the remote was unresponsive I was unable to complete the setup.

So I had to admit defeat and called out a Sony engineer. When he opened the TV up he found water damage to the magic eye receiver from cleaning fluid.

He mentioned this is very common as the magic eye is located at the front centre of the TV, so any liquid from the screen runs down and into the receiver.

Quick replacement of the receiver and everything is back up and running again. 

Thanks again for your help.