http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/ Engadget Comments for TiVo Series3 + plasma TV = big problems http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com]]>Mar 31st 2008 10:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/]]>Sep 26th 2006 12:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 12:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
Don't get me wrong, its fair to rap on poor products, but in this case I dont think it has anything to do with Tivo. ]]>Sep 26th 2006 12:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
What Plasma does do, like the sun, is give off light in the infrared spectrum, invisible to the human eye but obviously not to IR receivers.

Lenses can be tuned to filter out beams at certain frequencies and you'll see a lot of products for IR routing and bouncing advertised as Plasma-Friendly or Plasma-Safe.

This problem is hardly unique to the TiVo, but given its HD market, it's something that should have been tested a lot more thoroughly.]]>Sep 26th 2006 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
IR (infrared) remote signals are affected by lots of IR (infrared) interference.
The likely problems? The Tivo's IR sensor window is probably very omnidirectional. They probably put weak IR emitters (or a single emitter) in the remote.

RF has nothing to do with this, unless the remote communicates via RF.]]>Sep 26th 2006 12:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 12:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 12:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 2:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 12:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 12:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/I own 2 HD Tivos and 2 Different plasma TVs and I haven't experienced any issues with the remote
One is a Sony 42 inch and one is a Zenith 60 inch.
Maybe this issue is just with specific Plasma Tvs.]]>Sep 26th 2006 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 1:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 1:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
]]>Sep 26th 2006 3:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=317405

Here is the link to the pictures that lightrunner (not lightspeed) took while doing the fix.
http://public.fotki.com/lightrunner/tivo_remote_fix/]]>Sep 26th 2006 1:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
Later,

deijmaster]]>Jun 19th 2007 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 6:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 3:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 5:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 27th 2006 2:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 27th 2006 8:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 26th 2006 4:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
Rant over.]]>Sep 26th 2006 5:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
No, a mesh or bug screen on top of the TiVo (a poor man's faraday cage?) will not help. This has nothing to do with interference to the box (EMI and RFI already knocked down in the first few posts).

It's up to TiVo, coming out with a new product to make sure it is interoperable with other product on the market. A more narrow plastic filter in front of the IR sensor in the TiVo would help. As mentioned by someone else, so would strong IR emitting from the TiVo remote (likely not done to conserve batteries). With a stronger IR signal the receiver can be made less sensitive. But a better IR screen is always the best idea to keep out stray garbage rays.

Anyway, a quality IR repeater can fix this issue.
]]>Sep 26th 2006 5:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
i wonder if there is some sort of interference that projection or plasma/LCD tvs give off that CRTs do not....]]>Sep 26th 2006 7:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
Though I admit that the term EMI is usually used to refer to EM radiation created by electrical/electronics circuits and are usually in the RF ranges as opposed to the IR ranges....

Just my $0.02...

PS: Evan u owe me one for the defensive flame bait... ^_^]]>Sep 26th 2006 8:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
It appears that TiVo doesn't even bother to beta test their software updates, let alone their new products.]]>Sep 26th 2006 11:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Sep 27th 2006 7:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Jan 23rd 2007 7:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/Jan 23rd 2007 8:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/1-The Tivo IR reciever's center frequency is off (IR could be any where between 800 and 920 nm in wave length.The Tivo remote works well with other equipment.So if that is the case the TIVO IR reciever front end needs to be changed.
2-The IR reciever is placed badly behind the lexan screen or the Lexan dark red pigment is filtering the bulk of IR energy from the Remote.
3- Both of the above.
The reason some of the Kluges discussed works is that they help reflect more IR from the remote towards the IR RX.
Now if Tivo lets us know if that is the case we may be able to change the IR LED in the remote to better match the IR Rx in the Tivo although this may compromise performance when TIVO remote is used to control other equipment.I can not believe that TIVO have not yet owned up to this and offerd a fix.
By the way I love TIVO and that is why I am putting up with this issue on an 800 Dollar piece of consumer Electronics.]]>May 18th 2007 7:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
When I moved, I ordered Direct TV with 3 regular boxes and 1 dvr. I purchased a 58" plasma after placing my direct tv order but before i purchased the plasma. When the Directtv technician installed it, he put the direct tv box next to the tv. Just like most of you, the remote took 10-20 presses of a button to register. I thought it was the box initially. Today another technician came to upgrade me to HDdvr and they gave me a new box. I now have the same exact problem with the new box. Additionally, I hooked my pc up to the plasma. I have a wireless keyboard I was using with my 17" crt monitor. It was going crazy!! It was virtually useless until i took one of my moving boxes and put it between the tv and the receiver for the keyboard. Then it started working a little better.

SO IT IS THE PLASMA!!! Whether its the emi or rf or OPP, get your components as far away from the tv as you can!!]]>Jun 20th 2007 6:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/why does my receiver(volume control) reacts to the TV remote perfectly with the TV on or off. It's amazing to see so many people going round in circles with magic fixes.
The real shame of it is that no one from Tivo has chimed in and owned up to a IR Receiver mismatch in the TIVO and offer a fix or ask users to send the damn thing back for repair or replacement.]]>Jul 4th 2007 12:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
I tested my theory and used the wireless keyboard to do simple things on my pc that I didnt need visual confirmation based on the sounds my speakers were giving me to know the computer was receiving the commands given it. The wireless keyboard worked perfectly. Even after I turned the tv on it still worked ok for like two minutes. But after that the interference grew and it started acting up. Keep in mind also that my tv is a 58" plasma and probably generates more interference than the average plasma.]]>Jul 5th 2007 5:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
I tested my theory and used the wireless keyboard to do simple things on my pc that I didnt need visual confirmation based on the sounds my speakers were giving me to know the computer was receiving the commands given it. The wireless keyboard worked perfectly. Even after I turned the tv on it still worked ok for like two minutes. But after that the interference grew and it started acting up. Keep in mind also that my tv is a 58" plasma and probably generates more interference than the average plasma.]]>Jul 5th 2007 5:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
How can a tv interfere with a phone line? The modem is upstairs as far away from the plasma as possible and i've disconnected the digital decoders etc from the phone system but as soon as the tv is on all connections with the internet are lost.]]>Jul 23rd 2007 7:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/
I aligned this and carefully re assembled. Now the TIVO remote works better than perfect!. one reason that some the kludges above seems to have worked could be due the fact that thew reflected some of the IR signal sideways onto the receiver after a few bounces inside the front panel chamber.

You will need Torx screw drivers. If you are not a good with this sort of thing do not attempt this repair your self. See my pictures at]]>Aug 26th 2007 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/26/tivo-series3-plasma-tv-big-problems/http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=174200290/a=36474142_36474142/fromupload=true/t_=36474142]]>Aug 26th 2007 4:41PM