Intermittent TV Remote

First obvious question: have you tried new batteries? My One For All remote drops successful PVR operation as soon as the batteries lose their initial power surge, and require the PVR button to be pushed again to wake it up. For some unknown reason, the TV buttons don't exhibit the same behaviour, they just work.

But another remote behaves the same way.

I have two remotes. One is a 'universal' remote that you have to programme relevant buttons for each action (on/off, channels up/down etc) which is a pain and I can never remember what button does what. The other is a Humax remote appropriate to the TV. But even that's been getting unreliable recently and requiring harder and harder button pushes to work. Provided I remember that, it's OK, but if I'm not really thinking about it, it doesn't work immediately so I have to push again but harder. Presumably the contacts inside are getting dirty and need cleaning, but I'm reluctant to do that because the previous Humax remote I did that with, now doesn't work at all!

I got a new Humax remote for £7 off eBay.

That sounds as though the TV is not processing the information properly.

I have two remotes like that, both the same type. The second one was bought because of the problem, but was no different.

It's the battery connections. The dimensions of the cavity and the batteries are such that there's very little contact pressure, sometimes none. Often, just rotating the batteries or shaking the remote will fix it temporarily. I solved it by putting a blob of solder on the battery

I *think* LG remotes have an unusual protocol, and the OFAs don't work reliably. I remember this from some years ago trying with my LG TV, and not getting very far - despite OFA claiming it should work.

Probably best getting a compatible LG from ebay etc.

Aluminium foil

Is there a forgotten r/c buried in the sofa, activating when sat near, or another source of pulsed IR in the room

Transport plastic still covering the front of the remote sensor on the TV? The Tv may be second hand but the previous owner may not have been aware of the plastic film to protect the sensor window.

Or objects (partially) obscuring a direct line between the remote and the TV's sensor? My wife decided to place an Owl (not a real one obv.) on the table just below the TV - wondered why the TV started playing up.

There has to be a joke there somewhere.

Probably scared it shitless.

I had a small owl fall down the chimney. Beautiful bird. If I'd known that people do keep them as pets I might have tried.

Anyway, once I caught him he didn't struggle like the crows. Just looked at me...

Out the window and off to OwlLand he went...

When I think of one, Owl let you know

To wit, to view.