Remote control failed

[BiscuitTin]

Hi,

I have recently purchased a VGX-TP1E media centre but I've found that the remote is unreliable. Since this is one of the most important user interface components of a would be 'set top' box I took the complete machine it back to the Sony Centre for refund. Because the machine worked fine when set up in the shop this was flatly refused, despite my having purchased it only 2 days earlier.

The problem is that the control works for a while then completely fails. The machine refuses to come out of standy and even when woken up from the keyboard or by pressing the button on the 'biscuit tin', the remote refuses to launch or operate Windows Media Centre. Logging off an on again or restarting the machine has no effect. Pressing any button causes an LED to flash in the little remote sensor window, but it would seem that the signal is not being passed to Windows or the Media Centre.

It is possible to get the remote to work by completely powering off ther machine and unplugging it for a while. For example, if I leave it unplugged overnight and try it again in the morning, the remote works again, but only for a short while. I think it is failing when the machine goes into standby, but not neccessarily the first time. I can send it into standby and out again 2 or 3 times, but you can be sure that eventually it fails.

I've look on Vaio Link but there do not seem to be any driver updates or patches. Curiously, I cannot find any of an infra red or MCE remote driver in Windows (Vista Home Premium) Device manager. Is it one of the HIDs?

Unfortunately without a functioning and reliable remote control, theis device fails miserably as the TV 'set-top' box replacement that it was intended to be. Since I'm now apparently stuck with it, I'm hoping that someone out there might know how to fix this or whether Sony/Microsoft/Intel have a fix?

[Blencogo]

Hi BiscuitTin and welcome to Club Vaio.

You are not alone! We have had a few threads on this.

It appears to affect a small number of TP1Es and the fault seems to be with the IR receiver as everything works perfectly if you buy a MCE Remote Control with its own IR Reciever.

You can try reinstalling the driver - it should appear as "eHome Infrared Receiver" in Device Manager.

Most previous users have taken their TP1E back to the shop for an exchange - they should not refuse this. Have you got a video camera? I suggest you try this again or buy something like this: -

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=28750&source=googleps

It works with your existing Remote Control.

[BiscuitTin]

Thanks Blencogo.

I did find a Microsoft article on the subject today so will give this a go first:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928631/en-us

I've had a look around for a driver for the "eHome Infrared Receiver" you mention, but I can only find drivers for Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP and 2003, but not for Vista.

The Compro remote control is low cost so its an option. Thanks for that. I would however like to have exhausted posibilities of getting the built-in sensor working first. I also had, a while back an USB 'idDA mouse' which was purchased for getting a mobile phone to communicate with a PC. I was thinking that I might can dig this out of the cupboard and assuming I can get a driver for it, might save me the cost of the Compro. The problem is that I don't know whether being for mobile phone usage, this is likely to work with an MCE remote?

[BiscuitTin]

Just thought I'd post an update.

I applied the suggestion in the Microsoft link in my last post and it appears to have fixed my problem. The only caveat was that I downloaded and attempted to apply the Hotfix, but on running it was informed that the hotfix did not apply to my system. I surmised that the system must be at a later patch level already so i proceeded with the registry edit.

I found the appropriate USB class key corresponding to the eHome infrared device but there was no ForceHCResetOnResume value present. I added the value and set it to 1 as recommended. I then restarted the system. On re-start the remote sprang into life and has kept on working for the last 3 days so the problem appears to be solved.

I would just point out that the class key did not start with 36FC9E60... but was a 4....... Also the HardwareIds did not resemble the examples. In the end I simply trawled through all of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\ keys until I found the one that described the eHome infra red device driver.

I do not think I have SP1 installed as I can find no reference to it in WINVER or My Computer properties.

[BiscuitTin]

Looks like I posted too soon! Its failed again and this time I can't get it back no matter what I do. The registry key is still there so I don't know what the problem is.

Looks like I might have to purchase the Compro afer all.