Emerson tech support fails to solve problem

kenj60 · Post by **kenj60** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:56 pm

I recently signed up for Comcast service and have a new Motorola DVR with a Comcast 3 in one remote. I have tried to the point of frustration to get that remote to control just the basic functions of my Emerson HDTV. I have tried all the Emerson remote codes and any other untried remote codes for the other Funai Electric TVs such as Westinghouse, Magnavox, Symphonic and Sylvania. For the last couple of weeks I have been corresponding with Emerson tech support and they are either unwilling or unable to help me. What shoddy tech support!

I have already tried getting a learning remote to learn the codes but the Radio Shack 15-100 was only able to learn volume up and volume down. It claimed to learn Mute but it never did function. So I gave up on it and returned it.

This situation makes me angry! What on earth has Funai done to make their remotes incompatible with the rest on the world? Checking various forums I see that others who bought these brands of HDTVs are having the same problem.

Sorry, but at the moment I am not really interested in getting a JP1 cable even though I see that the Comcast is a Universal with JP1 pins. This is not a hobby to me. I should be able to simply insert the proper device code and be operational.

I could post the entire email correspondence here but it may be too tiresome to wade through. Emerson keeps saying something about "frequency". What on earth are they talking about. These devices use digital codes on an IR carrier which, IIRC, is not too particular about frequency. So, I wonder what they are talking about?

HDTV = Emerson LC32EM8AN
Remote = Comcast 3-in-1 with 5 digit codes

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:28 pm

We often see posts dealing with this sort of frustration, and they usually include anger at either the tech support of the TV company or the cable company, but in either case the anger is not justified.

The TV company supplied you with a remote that works their TV, and that is all they are obliged to do. They are not obliged to ensure that all the universal remotes in the world will work their set. In fact, what usually happens is that a company makes a device (be it a TV, DVD player or whatever) and if it becomes popular, the remote companies will incorporate the code for it in their remotes, but it will usually take a year or so for remotes with the right code in them to appear on store shelves.

The cable company also supplied you with a remote that works their cable box, and that's all they're obliged to do. The fact that they supplied a universal remote should be viewed as a courtesy, and the word "universal" is used loosely, it is not meant to imply that the remote will work every device in the universe.

I'm guessing that your TV uses the same code as this one:
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=5957

If that is the right code, then I can confirm that the code is not in any UEI remote that I know of, including your Comcast remote. A JP1 user would have no trouble loading that code into their Comcast remote, but you've already decided that JP1 is not for you, so you're SOL I'm afraid. You'll just have to get used to juggling two remotes.

As for the "frequency" issue that you raised, IR signals do indeed use a carrier frequency, so if the frequency is wrong, the remote won't work. However, in this case they may well have been BSing you, because this code uses a very standard protocol (NEC1) with a very standard frequency (38kHz).

kenj60 · Post by **kenj60** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:48 pm

Thank you, Rob, for the first truly useful response anywhere to my question.

Your points are well taken. However, if I was a manufacturer of TVs I would make darn sure that my remote codes would be interchangeable with any remote controller out there, especially since I would expect my TVs to be used in some rather nice theater rooms. The standard codes already available in the remote code tables strongly implies that this TV ought to work just fine! Wouldn't they strive to avoid such a fiasco? I would.

I thank you also for the extra information regarding frequency. NO ONE else, anywhere, even mentions these things! So......, I am surmising that not only does the remote control issue codes but it must also be frequency agile. Fascinating!

I may have to reconsider programming through the JP1 - after I get over my anger. Thanks again for being a fount of useful information.

Ken

Edit: I guess I'll have to learn what an rmdu file is.

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:01 am

Read about JP1 here:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/jp1/help

An RMDU file is simply a JP1 upgrade file that was created by the RM program.

Most people who use JP1 do not treat it as a hobby, they look at it simply as a way to get their remote working and they don't come back to us until they get a new TV or DVD player or whatever.