IR sensor ALMOST dead - any cure?

[paf]

Hello

After 5 years of faithful service, my Squeezebox Touch has developed a problem.

The IR remote control only works when i hold the remote very near to the Touch, and it seems to become worse every day.

As the problem happens with several remotes (two original SB remotes and a Harmony 785), it must be on the side of the Touch.

Does anybody know this problem already or any solution? As an electrical engineer, I'm not afraid of opening my Touch and soldering, but with such a partial malfunction, no schematics and no advice, there is not much place for hope!

Thanks and regards
Patrick

[Fizbin]

Have you tried the simple things? Like unplugging the SBT for awhile (overnight), and try the reset procedure by pressing the little button at the back, for around 15 seconds. You can also perform a factory reset from the Settings > Advanced menu.

[DonOregano]

I've got the same problem with two Touches! Very annoying...
I've been thinking about doing some soldering and replacing the ir sensor, but I'd prefer to hear from someone who's successfully done this before I try it myself.

[yeomanspc]

Are you sure that nothing else in the room ( like an or extender) isn't also sending IR. If it is then the touch is being flooded and will not pick up the remote correctly. I'd be surprised if it's the sensor. I once had an extender (blaster) where interference was causing it to be on low transmit all the time

[paf]

Hello

I have tried all possible resets and power-offs. There is no IR sender which could perturbate in the room.

The problem looks like the value of some components drifting somewhere between the sensor (diode?), filtering circuitry (is there any?) and decoding chip.

The minimum to have a small chance of finding the problem would be to have the electric schematics of this part of the circuitry of the Touch.

==> anybody knows where I can find the schematics?

Regards
Patrick

[toby10]

.... anybody knows where I can find the schematics?

AFAIK They are not and will not be published.

[paf]

... there are many devices whose schematics are not published officially, but still available on the internet...

After all, Logitech has destroyed the SqueezeBox line, so they could at least publish the schematics... if they want to sell something again to their frustrated SB customers like me.

I'm not far from telling "never again Logitech" after the SB experience.

Patrick

[atrocity]

Does anybody know this problem already or any solution?

This has recently suddenly happened to one of mine as well. In my case, it barely works even if I hold the remote right up to the Touch. I've changed batteries, tried different remotes, verified that remotes that won't work with that touch work with others, etc. I'm convinced that you're right and the sensor is on the way out.

I have another touch in a different room that sometimes responds quickly to remote commands and sometimes does not.

The only solution I've found is to use a tablet or phone as the controller.

[alfista]

IR sensors can fail but they are generally very reliable so it's worth ruling out other possibilities before giving up on them.
If you haven't already I would test it in a dark room, there are some light sources, including flat panel TVs, that are known to interfere with IR signals.

[paf]

The technical side
A SqueezeBox Radio just next to the Touch works perfectly with the same remotes ==> it is definitively a problem in the Touch.
Yes, IR sensors are usually very reliable, but the failure can be anywhere in the chain between the photodiode/transistor and the digital signal, so there are some possibilities. And it seems that the IR sensors of the SB Touch do fail (see the other messages in this thread).

==> the only chance I see of solving the problem without schematics is if the SB Touch used an integrated IR receiver module (i.e. an IR diode, amplifier, filter with digital output all in a package) which I could replace. Anybody knows if it is the case?

The commercial side
I asked the local Logitech office (here in Switzerland) and got the answer, that

• they don't repair or replace devices which are out of warrany
• they don't give any technical information (e.g. schematics) which would allow a third party to repair such a device
• but I could try to ask a repair service (but how would they know how to repair without any documentation?)

For the last 20 years I believed that Logitech had great hardware and an excellent service but now I realise that I was wrong.

So... bye bye Logitech

If anybody knows an alternative to the SB Touch (network player and radio with big display, no amplifier and more reliable software than the Logitech Media Server), please let me know!

Regards
Patrick