# Roamio Remote Battery Door!



## kdmorse (Jan 29, 2001)

This would be the 9'th tivo I have purchased and set up, and the first one that is defeating me.

How the hell do you open the battery compartment on the remote (default that comes with a Roamio Pro)?

The cover doesn't obviously slide one way or another. There's kinda a lip on one side you can press or pull, but I don't want to do either with too much force. And without knowing which way it goes, I don't know if I'm not pushing hard enough, or if there's a hidden latch, or.... I can't find anything in the materials that ship with it (a simple picture would help so much), or see it in any of the various unboxing videos I've skimmed.

I'm feeling so stupid right now...

Help?


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

kdmorse said:


> How the hell do you open the battery compartment on the remote (default that comes with a Roamio Pro)?
> 
> There's kinda a lip on one side you can press or pull, but I don't want to do either with too much force.


pull


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## kdmorse (Jan 29, 2001)

poppagene said:


> pull


Ahh, it peels open like a banana! Thanks!

(Already have guided setup running using a different remote - now I can switch to the right one)


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## moonscape (Jul 3, 2004)

Ha! Now I don't feel so stupid for wrestling with it when it first arrived. At least you have more courage for asking the question. Me - I just paced around stupidly doing battle until it finally popped open!


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## deoliveiraf (Oct 7, 2014)

Maybe I am a little slow here, but I am almost cutting my finger on the lip portion trying to pull it down. Seems like I am applying too much force to open it. Any better advice than just "Pull".


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## L David Matheny (Jan 29, 2011)

deoliveiraf said:


> Maybe I am a little slow here, but I am almost cutting my finger on the lip portion trying to pull it down. Seems like I am applying too much force to open it. Any better advice than just "Pull".


Hook your fingertip under the end with the gap, pull straight out away from the body of the remote, and it should pop open.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

Tivo's wording: *I can't open the battery cover*
The Roamio Remote has a slightly different battery cover than previous TiVo remote controls. Instead of sliding the battery cover, place a finger in the indentation at the bottom of the battery cover. Then pull the cover out away from the remote.


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## deoliveiraf (Oct 7, 2014)

Thanks "L David Matheny".
Due to my compulsive nail biting, I was able to just another tool and it popped right open.
Thanks!!


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## Balzer (Nov 12, 2006)

telemark said:


> Tivo's wording: *I can't open the battery cover*
> The Roamio Remote has a slightly different battery cover than previous TiVo remote controls. Instead of sliding the battery cover, place a finger in the indentation at the bottom of the battery cover. Then pull the cover out away from the remote.


Or you can do what I do several times a week it seems. Drop it off the arm of the couch onto the hardwood floor and the cover will conveniently pop off. As an added bonus, the batteries will usually spill out for you too.


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## opus472 (Jul 4, 2007)

Obviously, nobody should need to post this question. Tivo should have recognized that this is a different (unique?) configuration for the battery door and provided some instruction with the remote.


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

opus472 said:


> Obviously, nobody should need to post this question. Tivo should have recognized that this is a different (unique?) configuration for the battery door and provided some instruction with the remote.


Agree. It puzzled me too. A simple little sticker saying "pull here" with an arrow is all it would take.

Reminds me of typical shrink-wrap packaging. I wish the people who design it were forced to open it.


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## wtkflhn (May 12, 2006)

What I would suggest to open the remote door, would be to put a quarter under that lip, and twist it. The cover will pop right off.


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## opus472 (Jul 4, 2007)

wtkflhn said:


> What I would suggest to open the remote door, would be to put a quarter under that lip, and twist it. The cover will pop right off.


That'd work (I used a screwdriver). The thing is, though, without any instructions it's easy to think you might just snap off the battery door and break it. Some of them are a lot tighter than others. Once you're certain that's the proper way to remove it, it's not a problem.


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## HD_Dude (Sep 11, 2006)

I also thought I was breaking it.

It's ok, and not broken, but just sayin'.


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## seattletwodogs (Aug 21, 2008)

Same issue for me today, April 29, 2017. Thanks for the post and reply which I saw while waiting for Tech Support.
This was my third TiVo . You'd think there might be a sentence about this with the box or in the manual.
I, too, didn't want to chance a forced opening without looking into it.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Balzer said:


> Drop it off the arm of the couch onto the hardwood floor and the cover will conveniently pop off. As an added bonus, the batteries will usually spill out for you too.


Heck, dropping it just a foot or two onto the carpet seems to make the [email protected]$# thing pop open for me.


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## ClearToLand (Jul 10, 2001)

It hurts my (old) fingers too much to pull, so I just use a small flathead screwdriver to pry it open.

Whenever my TiVo reports the 'Battery Level' at (or near) 20%, although it still controls my TiVo, it no longer controls my TV. Also, if you own a (even a simple) Battery Tester, *ONE* of the 2 AAs is *ALWAYS* dead while the other still reads 'Good' (IIRC, the right one is the dead one, but don't hold me to it).

When I move the left one to the right position and install a fresh AA into the left position, my TiVo now reports 80% to which I reply "Woo-Hoo!" :thumbsup:. While most folks would have just BLINDLY replaced *BOTH* cells (and granted got 100%), I replace just one, get 80% *AND* another couple of months of service.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

My suggestion? Put the remote somewhere close by and just wait. Within an hour, you will somehow knock it to the floor and the battery door will pop off and the batteries will fly out and scatter to the wind. Most confounded remote I have ever seen. I have never dropped a remote 1/10 the number of times I have these smaller peanuts in the year and a half I have had my Roamiio and Minis.


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

So, clearly the take-away from this thread is: Rather than struggling to open the battery door, just drop the remote 2 feet onto a carpeted floor and the door will pop off and the batteries will self-remove! Very clever design feature!

Really, this issue is down about #10 on my list of problems with TiVo.


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## Meadowsong (May 6, 2017)

Oh my gosh, you guys were so helpful!!! After spending 30 minutes putting dents in my fingers trying to pry the back off my new remote, I got that coin out someone suggested and, pop, it came right off!!! Thank you, thank you!!


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I always thought the cover came off easily. With the 15 or so RF TiVo remotes I have, i thought the newer remotes were easier to get the battery cover off than some of the previous TiVo remotes I've owned.


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## russdog (Aug 22, 2004)

dlfl said:


> So, clearly the take-away from this thread is: Rather than struggling to open the battery door, just drop the remote 2 feet onto a carpeted floor and the door will pop off and the batteries will self-remove! Very clever design feature!.


Well, when the little battery door loses the little tab that hold it in place, what then?

Where can I get a replacement battery door? Anybody know?


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## Nickipedia (Jul 18, 2015)

russdog said:


> Well, when the little battery door loses the little tab that hold it in place, what then?
> 
> Where can I get a replacement battery door? Anybody know?


You could always use a piece of black electrical tape. Or try eBay for a used one. Doesn't even have to work as long as the cover stays on.

To TiVo's credit with the black RF remote, it's pretty durable, other than the batteries popping out in certain situations. When I put up an antenna I take the remote up with me to change channels and monitor the signal meter, via a FaceTime call with my iPad. One time the remote slid down the 2nd story roof (more like flew at the speed it went), bounced across the concrete deck, and rolled off into the grass. I got down, found the batteries, replaced them, replaced the cover (which didn't' break) and *pow*, it worked like nothing happened. Even looking it over there wasn't any real noticeable damage. My first thought as it started it's decent down the roof was "*@#!, guess i'm buying a new remote!" To this day it's never had a problem.


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