Verizon FIOS Remote Range

[Clara710]

I have to locate my Verizon FIOS Remote DIRECTLY in front of the STB. If I am off to the side, and I change channel with the remote, The FIOS Help Channel appears. I love the nice young lady's happy voice, smile, etc. but I can only stand so much of her. If I contniue to try to change channel without moving my position, the FIOS lady channel appears and appears and appears........until I have to get up or s t r e t c h so the remote is directly in front of the STB. The STB and remote was installed in June. I tried putting new batteries in the remote, but I still have the problem. Anything I can do to fix the problem?   Also, is there anything I can do to temporarily remove the Verizon Help Channel from my lineup?

[spacedebris]

Do you by chance have a plasma screen tv? Or a TV with those mood backlight? If so you may be picking up interfearance if the STB is too close to the tv. Try moving the stb away from the tv and see if that helps.

[Keyboards]

This is the opposite of my experience.  I have an STB in my family room and one in my kitchen.  Changing one can cause the other to also change due to reflections of the IR signal (they are 180 degrees apart from my chair in the family room).  Sounds more like Spacedebis' possibility of interference or weak batteries.

[GaryDoug]

I am interested in this issue also. I never have this problem with my 6416. Neither does my wife with her 6416. And neither of us can remember ever seeing the lady on the fios help channel. I can point the remotes almost in any direction in my rec room and living room and it still works. In the few directions I can point it and it doesn't work, it simply does nothing. But my mother has this problem sometimes with her 7216, keeps getting the help channel. Same remote but a 7216 DVR instead of 6416. I would like to know how and why the help channel comes up at all. And is this limited to certain units.

[spacedebris]

GaryDoug,

Same question for you. Does your mom have a plasma screen? The interference problem with Plasma screens most often affect the 7xxx models. They seem to have an IR receiver that is more susceptible to IR interference then the 6xxx or 2500 models.  There is even some reports that the 'mood lighting' of those tv's with the back light causing the same issue. If that is the issue, then moving the stb 2 feet from the TV should work.

[Justin46]

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@spacedebris wrote:

GaryDoug,

Same question for you. Does your mom have a plasma screen? The interference problem with Plasma screens most often affect the 7216 models. They seem to have an IR receiver that is more susceptible to IR interference then the 6416 models.  There is even some reports that the 'mood lighting' of those tv's with the back light causing the same issue. If that is the issue, then moving the stb 2 feet from the TV should work.

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Or turning off the light sensor on the plasma TV will sometimes fix the problem. I have never turned on the light sensor on my LCD so I don't know for sure, but I have read that some LCDs can also interfere with the remote.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248

[GaryDoug]

It's a 46" Samsung LCD (not LED or Plasma). Nothing is set for any adjusted lighting effects. There is at times some reflected sunlight in the room, since it is next to a river to the west and the afternoon sun occasionally lights up the room a bit. But I haven't noticed a correlation.

[PJL]

It's not just plasma TVs that cause the interference.  My Sharp LCD (the freevie I got from Verizon) causes the remot to be non-functional for about 20 seconds after the TV is turned on.  After that, the remote works fine. 

In fact, LCD backlighting is the cause of the problem on many models.  This is what's happening on my Sharp LCD.  If you search Bing for "LCD IR interference" you'll get more information about it than you ever need to know.

[Clara710]

I have an Sony NX800 HD LCD TV. I don't know if it has backlighting. The problem continues. Where can I find the model number for the remote? I sit about 5 feet from the TV, off to the side about 1 1/2 feet.

The same problem occurs on a Samsung LCD in another room connected to a HDSTB, but, thank goodness, not as often. I am really tired of seeing the FIOS lady. Please help.

[GaryDoug]

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@Clara710 wrote:

I have an Sony NX800 HD LCD TV. I don't know if it has backlighting. The problem continues. Where can I find the model number for the remote? I sit about 5 feet from the TV, off to the side about 1 1/2 feet.

The same problem occurs on a Samsung LCD in another room connected to a HDSTB, but, thank goodness, not as often. I am really tired of seeing the FIOS lady. Please help.

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All LCD TV's have backlights or we couldn't watch them. Most of them are like flourescent tubes you might see in a shop or office bldg., but smaller. I think my mom's Samsung is turned up bright, because it looks brighter than mine. You might try setting your backlight lower in the TV's setup menu. Use the following path to the backlight setting using the Sony remote:

i-Manual ---> Using the Home Menu ---> Picture & Display ---> Picture Adjustments ---> Backlight

The  model number of the remote is probably on a label inside the battery compartment. You may need to remove at least one battery to read it. The remote's setup should be ok if you don't leave a battery out too long (<20 seconds?).

Or you could try to identify it by it's appearance at the following site:

http://www22.verizon.com/ResidentialHelp/FiOSTV/Remote+Controls/User+Guides/User+Guides.htm

Here are two testimonials from other forums about fixes for this problem:

"Solved the IR conflict. Easy fix. We had an unused IKEA component cabinet with smoked glass front. Placed the cabinet to the left of the LCD TV and put the set-top box inside. Joy!! Now have a cable box that works with the Comcast remote!"

"Hey everyone, I just bought a 42" LCD and had the same issues. HOWEVER! I was able to find a work-

around. I got some electrical tape and covered 90% or so of the IR sensor on each of the devices I use

and everything works like a charm. The obvious: it blocks out most of the random IR interference from

the TV. Also, make sure you position the tape accordingly for optimum reception. Took me a few trys

but, I finally got it to work just about anywhere in the room."

They also report that other things may complicate the issue, including mirrors, large glass panel, and the like.