# Philips VL1400 Video Sender - Remote signal intermittent problems!



## The Obo (Feb 22, 2005)

This is not specifically a TiVo issue, but you guys are a pretty clued-up bunch so I thought I'd post here and see what you come up with.

I have a Philips VL1400 video sender to send my TiVo upstairs that has been working great for over a year. But now I'm getting intermittent problems with the remote signal being sent back to the sender unit.

All the device remotes work fine: TiVo, FreeView & DVD - but only at certain times of the day.
At other times, NOTHING gets passed to the sender unit - not even the Philips VL1400 Sender remote itself! (I can't even get the sender to switch sources by using the Chan+, Chan- or the 1,2,3,4 buttons on the Philips remote).

It's a real pain - I somethimes even have to sit through adverts!!  

Then 10 minutes later everything works again fine.

Any ideas what could cause this? Some sort of interference?

I realise the picture & sound are sent over 2.4Ghz - what frequency is the remote signal sent back over? Does changing the unit's channel (1-4) only affect the picture/sound or also the remote control signal returned?

I often get a distorted picture when a microwave is running nearby, but I've never had a problem with the remote signals being sent back to the sender unit (I've had the unit running fine for over a year)

I also have a NetGear D834G wireless router, but this has never caused a problem in the past and I don't use any bluetooth devices in the house. Some new neighbours have moved in next door, maybe they are running something that could cause the problems....

Any ideas?


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

Funny you say that.

I have the one for all remote extender only. I think it transmits at 433Mhz.

I am having the same problems, sometimes ok and sometimes not.

It is really annoying when I forward through adverts and when I press the play button it does not work and sometimes takes 10-15 secs and the program is 10 minutes into its second half...

I was thinking it maybe getting faulty as it is old now, but maybe it is the frequency of 433Mhz that is causing the problems?


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

The VL1200, and probably the VL1400 too, is subject to electromagnetic interference on the low voltage mains cable. Apart from moving it clear of other devices and cables, you could try winding it round ferrite rings (from Maplins). If this is the problem, you would see the lamp (that shows that IR is being received) is constantly flickering.


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

Hmmm, Cheers for that.

The Red Led in the receiver flickers a lot, very intermittent. So interferance it is??. I will dig out my ferittes


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## The Obo (Feb 22, 2005)

iankb said:


> The VL1200, and probably the VL1400 too, is subject to electromagnetic interference on the low voltage mains cable. Apart from moving it clear of other devices and cables, you could try winding it round ferrite rings (from Maplins). If this is the problem, you would see the lamp (that shows that IR is being received) is constantly flickering.


Interesting - thanks for your help - I'll check it out tonight.


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## The Obo (Feb 22, 2005)

Looks like it's working so far! :up: 

Thanks iankb!


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## The Obo (Feb 22, 2005)

Well... it seemed to help for a while... but now it's back to playing up again!
It's weird - sometimes it works like a dream, other times it just won't send the dam remote signal downstairs - very frustrating.....


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## TIVO DUNIYA (Apr 3, 2006)

I think these wireless video senders are just prone to interference,and you've got to live with it.
Have you tried unplugging the power adaptor,(at least half an hour)as these do get hot,and interference creeps in this way too.
I've experienced this periodically with the VL1200.
Sometimes even just switching the tranmitter on/off button,can get rid of the interference immediately.


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