I've had a cinema 7 IQ for about 3 months, programmed with 7 devices, advanced codes, learning, remapping, etc. It was working perfectly. Yesterday we came home and found the babysitter had made the remote nonfunctional. In other words, the lights would blink, but nothing would respond. I know it wouldn't be because the batteries were removed because the c7 has non-volatile memory. What key combination could she have pressed to render the remote in this state?

Minesh,

When you try to play back one of your macros, does the visible LED still blink multiple times like it is stepping through your macro sequence, or does it just light up and stay lit for as long as you the hold the button down, like a regular key?

If your macros are gone, I suppose it is possible the babysitter found the notorious 9-8-1 code and set the whole remote back to factory defaults, including device setups (usually RCA TV and VCR, GI cable box). Try setting up your devices again to see if they come back.

If not, have you checked that the remote is still sending IR? (The visible LED circuitry is independant of the two IR LEDs.) If you have a videocam look at the front of the remote thru the videocam viewfinder while pressing a button. You should be able to see the IR LEDs flashing, the CCD light detectors used in most video camera systems are sensitive all the way down into the IR part of the spectrum. If you can't see anything, something may have quit in the IR drive circuit.

No, the macro buttons don't do anything. I tried recalling the codes and the remote spit back codes for equipment I don't have, so it may indeed have been reset to factory defaults. I tried reprogramming just my cd and it works, so the IR is transmitting. The babysitter is a bit of a spaz, so it is possible she began pushing buttons at random :( Looks like I'll be reprogramming my remote. Luckily I took notes and should be able to recreate my previous settings pretty closely.

Then again, perhaps the babysitter was actually a POD-person. They emit a strong EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) when replicating which screws up most electronic and unsheilded devices. Was there any evidence of TWO babysitters in the house at the same time?

Just a thought. ;-)

Dave

Or perhaps you just didn't TIP the babysitter well enough the last time she'd been there.

Dave ;-)

i have owned a cinema 6 and had this happen. the remote just up and dicided not to work. i reprogrammed the devices, but the learn buttons would not work. i bought a cinema 7 after that and got the c6 working again after using the 981 factory code. just yesterday my cinema 7 did the same thing, learn buttons would not allowed to be programmed until i used 981 code. i have a toshiba tv, toshiba dvd, kenwood amp and memorex vcr. i have no kids and thus no babysitter. :)

I had the same problem with my URC6800 (lasted just under a year for me). One day it just didn't work. When I reprogrammed it, accepted everything but learning buttons. Had to 981 rest it before I could learn codes again. Took me over an hour to reprogram it properly again (I've since setup a step by step text file, and had to reprogram it again, only took 10 min this time).

The second time it quit on me, was after I was playing with it while talking to someone, I dropped it twice onto the carpet. When that person left, I went to use the remote and it was toast. 10 min later I had it reprogrammed again.

As long as it doesn't happen to often I won't complain (what can you expect for 20 bucks cdn).

Perhaps the remote was dunked in water. Coulda been the sink. Coulda been the toilet. I doubt any babysitter would confess to doing either.

More seriously... Any jolt may "bounce" the batteries against their contacts. Not many electronic devices will survive perfectly if the current to them flickers or sparks. That's why my floor is padded and carpeted, and I don't let babysitters play with my nice remotes.

Normally my TV audio goes thru my amp, and thus requires a macro to turn everything on and set the remote to use the amp for volume and mute, etc.. But when a babysitter is coming, I retrieve my original TV remote, and set the TV to local channels. The babysitter is supposed to be watching the kids, so only having 5 channels to choose from should not be a problem. The Pronto and the Cinema7 are tucked safely in a drawer.

Dave