After no trouble with our STB for the first three or four months, it started having trouble changing channels. It seemed to match the normal symptoms of a remote control with a weak battery, but got no better with multiple battery changes. After more experience, it seemed more like some of the buttons on the remote were only working intermittently, like maybe there was a somewhat fried contact. Griped to Verizon, got a new remote, didn't help. Just muddled along for several more months -- i.e. walked across the room to change channels by twiddling the rocker-switch on the STB itself. How nineteen sixties.
Recently discovered a "work-around" -- only slightly less annoying than having to cross the room. Instead, if I turn the TV off, the STB has no problem whatsoever, receiving and reacting to the commands from the remote. Sure makes channel-surfing a drag. Consequently, whatever the flaw is, it has nothing to do with the remote. It seems like it is more to do with some sort of electrical interference between the TV and the STB.
I doubt very seriously I've "discovered" a new problem. Please advise how I can work this out, and advance into the early seventies. Otherwise, I will soon be terminating my cobble TV contract. Thanks.
Thank you Nick. My TV is a Sharp. After hacking around in the setup menus, I think I settled on twiddling the "OPC" setting, changing it from On to Off, and then manually setting the "background light", which is what it alleges to control. I seem to have regained remote control of the STB, although the past intermittent behavior leaves me to wonder if I just got "lucky" for the moment.
With the hint you have given me, I googled the topic of "Sharp OPC interfere", and see that the problem is well documented, but the solution is disputed; some say that disabling OPC fixes the problem, and some say otherwise. I happen to have my STB at the relative position to the TV that most people say is bad -- STB just below the wall-mounted TV, and in my case, I don't have an alternative. But the STB is set into a bookcase, so that should act as a shrowd for shielding the IR. Well, maybe it will now simply work, now that OPC is shut off.
Thank you for the insight!
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