Boxee

Design flaw in D-Link Boxee Box remotes causes it to stop functioning

Details

  • Type: Bug Bug
  • Status: Open Open
  • Priority: P1 P1
  • Resolution: Unresolved
  • Fix Version/s: Operations
  • Component/s: Remote Controls
  • Labels:
    None
  • Severity:
    Critical
  • Version:
    1.0.5.17457
  • Operating System:
    Boxee Box
  • Number of attachments:
    1

Description

I have seen a lot of reports of boxee remotes that have just stopped functioning randomly - there have been many issues discussed, but no definitive cause. I have experienced this myself for several months, and have finally worked out what the issue is. I posted this information on http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=24042&page=3 and someone else replied with the same issue so this could be quite a common flaw!

There appears to be a design flaw with the d-link boxee remote. However, it's not noticeable - basically, the battery is losing contact inside the remote, but you can't physically see anything.

The way to check if this is your issue and to fix, is to just push on the battery cover at the bottom of the remote - that's all! It won't appear to move at all, but you're just pushing the battery a fraction of an inch further in which appears to restore contact.

Issue Links

is related to

Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents the functions of the product. BOXEE-7761 Boxee Box remote stopped working

  • P1 -
  • Closed - The issue is considered finished, the resolution is correct. Issues which are closed can be reopened.

Activity

Ascending order - Click to sort in descending order
Hide
Permalink
Eddy J Gonzalez added a comment -
I am experiencing the exact same problem. Only fix is to re-seat the battery.
Show
Eddy J Gonzalez added a comment - I am experiencing the exact same problem. Only fix is to re-seat the battery.
Hide
Permalink
Will added a comment - - edited
Mine is going crazy. See the above forum thread.

Re-seating the battery has made ZERO difference. :(

"erratic behavior - one click created multiple steps, button reacted not according to description etc.)this is usually caused by not pairing the remote or having an unpaired remote in proximity - make sure that you pair the remote by holding the remote very near (les than an inch) from the box and pressing the OK (central button) for 10 sec or more, if after this you still detect erratic behavior please try to pair again or check if there are other devices with unpaired remotes nearby (since it is an RF remote the neighbors are not such a distinct possibility)"

That's what I am having. :( Debug logged attached.

It makes it look like I hit the button more than once, I of course did not. Notice how fast it registers the key press. Crazy!

Simple fix in software would be not to register them so darn quickly. The user cant hit the button that darn quick.
Show
Will added a comment - - edited Mine is going crazy. See the above forum thread. Re-seating the battery has made ZERO difference. :( "erratic behavior - one click created multiple steps, button reacted not according to description etc.)this is usually caused by not pairing the remote or having an unpaired remote in proximity - make sure that you pair the remote by holding the remote very near (les than an inch) from the box and pressing the OK (central button) for 10 sec or more, if after this you still detect erratic behavior please try to pair again or check if there are other devices with unpaired remotes nearby (since it is an RF remote the neighbors are not such a distinct possibility)" That's what I am having. :( Debug logged attached. It makes it look like I hit the button more than once, I of course did not. Notice how fast it registers the key press. Crazy! Simple fix in software would be not to register them so darn quickly. The user cant hit the button that darn quick.
Hide
Permalink
Will added a comment - - edited
OK I replaced it with a Energizer CR2032 battery from http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-2032-Battery-CR2032-Lithium/dp/B0042A9UXC and no more problems.

BB comes with a Newsun Coin Cell Lithium 3V CR2032 battery. Which appears to be very cheap and is crap. Lots of bad reviews on this 1.

BB and Dlink teams need to choose a better battery for the BB remote.
Show
Will added a comment - - edited OK I replaced it with a Energizer CR2032 battery from http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-2032-Battery-CR2032-Lithium/dp/B0042A9UXC and no more problems. BB comes with a Newsun Coin Cell Lithium 3V CR2032 battery. Which appears to be very cheap and is crap. Lots of bad reviews on this 1. BB and Dlink teams need to choose a better battery for the BB remote.
Hide
Permalink
Scott F added a comment -
Same issue here.
Show
Scott F added a comment - Same issue here.
Hide
Permalink
Chris Williams added a comment -
Mine does this occasionally too. I thought my roommate was crazy when he told me to play with the battery when the Box didn't seem to be responding.
Show
Chris Williams added a comment - Mine does this occasionally too. I thought my roommate was crazy when he told me to play with the battery when the Box didn't seem to be responding.
Hide
Permalink
Andrew Emerson added a comment - - edited
I have done everything to try and fix my remote. change battery, factory reset, pairing. Nothing worked. Now I'm going to have to send the entire box in for an RMA. Not fun, and I have to pay for shipping to get it replaced. This should work for much longer before failing. What gives? I know its probably not the softwares fault. But boxee needs to work closely with dlink to figure this one out
Show
Andrew Emerson added a comment - - edited I have done everything to try and fix my remote. change battery, factory reset, pairing. Nothing worked. Now I'm going to have to send the entire box in for an RMA. Not fun, and I have to pay for shipping to get it replaced. This should work for much longer before failing. What gives? I know its probably not the softwares fault. But boxee needs to work closely with dlink to figure this one out
Hide
Permalink
Clinton S added a comment -
I replaced the battery with an Energizer and it seems to have fixed the problem.

I would assume the OEM battery may be slightly too thin to give proper contact at all times.
Show
Clinton S added a comment - I replaced the battery with an Energizer and it seems to have fixed the problem. I would assume the OEM battery may be slightly too thin to give proper contact at all times.
Hide
Permalink
Andrew Eller added a comment -
No issues here for either of my Boxee remotes. I have a launch day BB and I purchased a remote separately for my Mac mini.
Show
Andrew Eller added a comment - No issues here for either of my Boxee remotes. I have a launch day BB and I purchased a remote separately for my Mac mini.
Hide
Permalink
Bradley Sessions added a comment -
i've found that i occasionally have to turn the remote upside down and tap it a couple of times in my hand. so the battery compartment is facing up and i tap the remote towards my palm. it then starts working. i do think the battery compartment is of poor design. it's also a pain to open without marring the plastic, or i'm doing it wrong. i've been giving the BB a lot of slack because i loved the software and i know it takes time to get things right, specially when you have a rabid fan base
Show
Bradley Sessions added a comment - i've found that i occasionally have to turn the remote upside down and tap it a couple of times in my hand. so the battery compartment is facing up and i tap the remote towards my palm. it then starts working. i do think the battery compartment is of poor design. it's also a pain to open without marring the plastic, or i'm doing it wrong. i've been giving the BB a lot of slack because i loved the software and i know it takes time to get things right, specially when you have a rabid fan base
Hide
Permalink
Sean Blanchfield added a comment -
I had this problem and fixed it by bending the negative terminals back a little with a paperclip.
Description and photos here: http://seanblanchfield.com/index.php/2011/08/fixing-the-boxee-box-remote/
Show
Sean Blanchfield added a comment - I had this problem and fixed it by bending the negative terminals back a little with a paperclip. Description and photos here: http://seanblanchfield.com/index.php/2011/08/fixing-the-boxee-box-remote/
Hide
Permalink
Daniel Orum added a comment -
Have had the same problem where the remote suddently stopped responding, i tried changing the battery but it didn't make any difference. After some hours the remote would periodically work and now it's been working fine for 2 months.
Show
Daniel Orum added a comment - Have had the same problem where the remote suddently stopped responding, i tried changing the battery but it didn't make any difference. After some hours the remote would periodically work and now it's been working fine for 2 months.
Hide
Permalink
Jairo de Souza added a comment -
Same here. Pulling the negative contact with a paperclip just resolved my problem for momentaneously.
I put a piece of paper under the battery to restore negative contact and I fixed the problem. It is similar the "paperclip approach", but I think putting the paper is more effective.
Show
Jairo de Souza added a comment - Same here. Pulling the negative contact with a paperclip just resolved my problem for momentaneously. I put a piece of paper under the battery to restore negative contact and I fixed the problem. It is similar the "paperclip approach", but I think putting the paper is more effective.
Hide
Permalink
Sergey Maysak added a comment -
well, i'm here just because of googling for anything that could resurrect my boxee remote which became non-functioning. In the morning it was working and the same day at the evening it could not even turn boxee on by remote.... I've already tried paperclip and even piece of paper under battery and battery is already replaced to the super-puper swiz-made battery for 10 bucks - still not alive... nothing... and factory reset and update to the newest fw does not help... pressing center button for 15 secs every half an hour in attempt to pair-repair still nothing.. bummer.
Not sure what can I do next. Any suggestions are appreciated. Remote was working OK for mostly 4 moths. The only thing left is at the same evening remote died I replaced TV with the new one and the new one has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for 3D grasses - is it possible that my new TV killed my remote? something about interference of signals? TV is Samsung 46D6530.
Show
Sergey Maysak added a comment - well, i'm here just because of googling for anything that could resurrect my boxee remote which became non-functioning. In the morning it was working and the same day at the evening it could not even turn boxee on by remote.... I've already tried paperclip and even piece of paper under battery and battery is already replaced to the super-puper swiz-made battery for 10 bucks - still not alive... nothing... and factory reset and update to the newest fw does not help... pressing center button for 15 secs every half an hour in attempt to pair-repair still nothing.. bummer. Not sure what can I do next. Any suggestions are appreciated. Remote was working OK for mostly 4 moths. The only thing left is at the same evening remote died I replaced TV with the new one and the new one has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for 3D grasses - is it possible that my new TV killed my remote? something about interference of signals? TV is Samsung 46D6530.
Hide
Permalink
D. Rennie added a comment -
Sergey, I recently ran into this problem with my Boxee after I purchased it in Sept. The first time the remote stopped responding I took the battery out cleaned it then put it in and no problems. Then about a week later the remote started to not respond at all, so I did the usual reset, reload fw, new battery and nothing then in this forum I read about turning off the Boxee then unplug the power and hdmi wait a couple off of minutes plug them back in and fire it up. Surprisingly this fixed all the problems I have had with the remote issues (knock on wood). Hope this helps. Also from what I have read from Boxee employees it's unlikely that there is interference from the tv.
 
Show
D. Rennie added a comment - Sergey, I recently ran into this problem with my Boxee after I purchased it in Sept. The first time the remote stopped responding I took the battery out cleaned it then put it in and no problems. Then about a week later the remote started to not respond at all, so I did the usual reset, reload fw, new battery and nothing then in this forum I read about turning off the Boxee then unplug the power and hdmi wait a couple off of minutes plug them back in and fire it up. Surprisingly this fixed all the problems I have had with the remote issues (knock on wood). Hope this helps. Also from what I have read from Boxee employees it's unlikely that there is interference from the tv.  
Hide
Permalink
Sergey Maysak added a comment -
D. Rennie, thanks for point this out - I tried this several times already today with no luck so far (being paranoid at the end with powering off and replugging all available cables from both sides ;) including tv, receiver etc) - still no response from remote. I even tried to unpair 3d glasses from tv (in assumption that maybe theirs bluetooth kills any other kind of radio) - again a bit paranoid since wifi works fine...
Show
Sergey Maysak added a comment - D. Rennie, thanks for point this out - I tried this several times already today with no luck so far (being paranoid at the end with powering off and replugging all available cables from both sides ;) including tv, receiver etc) - still no response from remote. I even tried to unpair 3d glasses from tv (in assumption that maybe theirs bluetooth kills any other kind of radio) - again a bit paranoid since wifi works fine...
Hide
Permalink
tronbrain added a comment - - edited
A couple of points about this:

1) I noticed that my down button on the front face of the remote is starting to malfunction. I have to press down on it pretty hard to get it to work properly. If I don't press down hard on it, it's flaky. Which makes scrolling down through a list of items jerky, unreliable. It stops frequently during scrolling. At first, I thought this was an issue with the software, but now it seems not. All the other keys seem to work reliably, still.

2) When I removed the battery recently to check if it was low (after over 1 year of use, it's still totally fine), I replaced it incorrectly - which is to say, with the top-side facing up. The correct way to insert the coin cell battery in the battery caddy is in fact, upside-down. However, it is completely possible to insert it top-side facing up. Since this is what most people would consider logical, I suspect a lot of people are doing just this, replacing the caddy, and finding that their remote does not work altogether. It's just a theory, but if you have any experience with this, please post a comment under this bug.
Show
tronbrain added a comment - - edited A couple of points about this: 1) I noticed that my down button on the front face of the remote is starting to malfunction. I have to press down on it pretty hard to get it to work properly. If I don't press down hard on it, it's flaky. Which makes scrolling down through a list of items jerky, unreliable. It stops frequently during scrolling. At first, I thought this was an issue with the software, but now it seems not. All the other keys seem to work reliably, still. 2) When I removed the battery recently to check if it was low (after over 1 year of use, it's still totally fine), I replaced it incorrectly - which is to say, with the top-side facing up. The correct way to insert the coin cell battery in the battery caddy is in fact, upside-down. However, it is completely possible to insert it top-side facing up. Since this is what most people would consider logical, I suspect a lot of people are doing just this, replacing the caddy, and finding that their remote does not work altogether. It's just a theory, but if you have any experience with this, please post a comment under this bug.
Hide
Permalink
adam zielinski added a comment -
Have the same problem. Tried everything and remote is still not working. Should i send it for repair? Where do i send it? What do i send?
Show
adam zielinski added a comment - Have the same problem. Tried everything and remote is still not working. Should i send it for repair? Where do i send it? What do i send?
Hide
Permalink
Jason added a comment -
tronbrain,

that's how my issues started a while ago. down wasn't responding unless I waited 1 full second between button pressings. Now it's to the point where the remote isn't working at all unless I re-pair it.. but then it just slowly stops responding.

I've tried:

- re-pairing
- factory resets
- the updated 1.5 beta firmware
- replacing the battery

I used an Android remote app yesterday, but that's annoying to have to do (and it was buggy as hell).
Show
Jason added a comment - tronbrain, that's how my issues started a while ago. down wasn't responding unless I waited 1 full second between button pressings. Now it's to the point where the remote isn't working at all unless I re-pair it.. but then it just slowly stops responding. I've tried: - re-pairing - factory resets - the updated 1.5 beta firmware - replacing the battery I used an Android remote app yesterday, but that's annoying to have to do (and it was buggy as hell).
Hide
Permalink
tronbrain added a comment -
There is a good chance that many, if not all, the problems with the remote, are traceable to a problem with the RF transceiver inside the Boxee Box, and that there is nothing wrong with the remote at all. Problem is solved by unplugging the Boxee Box from the wall outlet, i.e. forcing a hard reset of the RF transceiver, which remains powered on as long as the Boxee Box is plugged into the wall.

Jira ticket is: Boxee Box remote stopped working in 1.5 - NOT a hardware fault, remote confirmed as still functional - http://jira.boxee.tv/browse/BOXEE-12439
Show
tronbrain added a comment - There is a good chance that many, if not all, the problems with the remote, are traceable to a problem with the RF transceiver inside the Boxee Box, and that there is nothing wrong with the remote at all. Problem is solved by unplugging the Boxee Box from the wall outlet, i.e. forcing a hard reset of the RF transceiver, which remains powered on as long as the Boxee Box is plugged into the wall. Jira ticket is: Boxee Box remote stopped working in 1.5 - NOT a hardware fault, remote confirmed as still functional - http://jira.boxee.tv/browse/BOXEE-12439

People

  • Assignee:
    Tom Sella [Boxee]
    Reporter:
    Gil Hamlin
Vote (17)
Watch (6)

Dates

  • Created:
    Updated: