I've got a Sylvania combined DVD recorder/player and VCR. The unit itself works just fine. The remote, not so much.

Some of the buttons on the right side (FF, etc.) have stopped working. The problem seems to be spreading, since the eject button (again, on the right side) used to work and now doesn't. I've changed the batteries several times and that makes no difference.

This morning, I took the screws out of the remote, but haven't yet figured out how to get the top and bottom halves separated without breaking anything. Assuming that I accomplish this, does anyone with electronic experience have any suggestions? I don't think this happened from being dropped or anything, and even if it were dropped, it would have been on carpeting. Besides, it hasn't been treated roughly at least since the problem started and it's still getting worse.

I can get a replacement online, but if it can be fixed for nothing (or for under $10), I'd rather not go through the hassle.

Any Universal Remote should work.. they can be picked up at Radio Shack.. Best Buy.. Kmart.. WalMart.. the basic unit should be no more than 15/20 bucks I would imagine.. and not have to go through the hassle of buying " On Line"

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SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

I'd also try a universal remote.

There are small nubs on the back of the push buttons that make contact with a circuit board inside the remote. These can be dirty, but more commonly just wear down. You can try cleaning the nubs and where they make contact with alcohol, but if they are too worn out it may not make much difference.

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- The Federalist #46 -

The question is whether there's a code for that particular unit in that particular remote. I've had problems with that in the past.

If you figure out how to separate the two halves, I would try the no cost option, which has worked for me in the past. That option is to use a cotton Q-tip soaked in alcohol to scrub the back of the buttons and the face of the printed circuit board. After letting it dry, put it all back together. You may find that it works fine then.

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Quoth the raven:
"Nevermore"

Repaired mine. A Phillips remote, 10 mins. after I read this thread. You can use a pencil eraser on the circuit board etches. I cleaned as best as posible with eraser then some cicuit board cleaner I had. Works good now.

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SOS USA

I've found that putting a knife blade into the gap around the remote, you can gently pry the two halves apart. Once you do that, then take a pencil eraser and gently rub the oxidation off the circuit board and rub the little black buttons on the rubber membrane that is between the buttons themselves and the circuit board. Try to locate the little buttons that fell out and ran under the bench and hid. Then as mentioned, use rubbing alcohol to clean up the area. Re-assemble. New batteries. Cuss because it still doesn't work. Buy universal controller. Cuss because none of the freekin' codes work. Go out and buy new unit....

Glad to be of help.

Hobie

I ended up buying a Logitec universal remote at Target. It hooks up to your PC via USB and programs the remote after you configure your devices online at their website. There were some buttons either missing or undefined for the DVD recorder when it was first configured, but I just went into the online configuration utility and added the functions I needed (eject and setup for timer programming) to a couple of buttons I wasn't using in DVD mode. It's good enough now.