Repairing a TV remote control - new LED

[Zak]

Apart from cleaning my TV remote control (see other thread) I
would like to put in a more powerful infrared LED

The remote control is about 10 to 15 years old. The spec is
below. Note that I am in the UK.

I would guess I can get an LED nowadays which draws the same power
as the orignal LED but with a noticeably better light output.


Q. What is the spec of the infrared LED I need to get? Here is
one LED I came across. Is it ok? http://tinyurl.com/d3qcp
And here is a list of half a dozen other infrared diodes which I
can get relatively easily: http://tinyurl.com/8heeq

Q. Maybe I can put in a LED which actually draws a bit more power
than the original one?

Q. Is the way to do it to put two LEDS in parallel?

COuld anyone kindly advise me. Thanks.

Zak

-------------- SPEC OF REMOTE CONTROL ------------

UK Sony television.

Remote control model is:
Sony RM-657
3 volts
Is original remote control

On circut board it says:
1-598-168-12
1-623-978-12
RC

RCW
K PEI 208 02
K PEI 207 02.

Single chip on circuit board:
BU3870F
033 079

For Sony TV model:
KV-M19TU
BE-1 chassis

Remote control Sony RM-694 also works on this TV
but is not the original one.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

Apart from cleaning my TV remote control (see other thread) I
would like to put in a more powerful infrared LED

It is more complicated than that. It is designed for the one it has
AND is likely not going to feed more power to a different one without
adjusting the circuitry.

The remote control is about 10 to 15 years old. The spec is
below. Note that I am in the UK.

I would guess I can get an LED nowadays which draws the same power
as the orignal LED but with a noticeably better light output.

Not really how it works. The improvements made on some products, or
components are only in the lifespan arena. Also, the circuit would
likely have to push more.

Q. What is the spec of the infrared LED I need to get?

I don't recommend the change, so I will stop here.

snip remainder.

 

[GregS]

Apart from cleaning my TV remote control (see other thread) I
would like to put in a more powerful infrared LED

The remote control is about 10 to 15 years old. The spec is
below. Note that I am in the UK.

I would guess I can get an LED nowadays which draws the same power
as the orignal LED but with a noticeably better light output.


Q. What is the spec of the infrared LED I need to get? Here is
one LED I came across. Is it ok? http://tinyurl.com/d3qcp
And here is a list of half a dozen other infrared diodes which I
can get relatively easily: http://tinyurl.com/8heeq

Q. Maybe I can put in a LED which actually draws a bit more power
than the original one?

Q. Is the way to do it to put two LEDS in parallel?

Why not just try another new remote. May work better. You could try using the new
LED. If it does not work, go backwards.
Most new stuff has higher energy than the old stuff.
Adding LEDs has 2 problems. Current capacity of the driver, and voltage drops.

greg

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

Why not just try another new remote. May work better. You could try using the new
LED. If it does not work, go backwards.
Most new stuff has higher energy than the old stuff.
Adding LEDs has 2 problems. Current capacity of the driver, and voltage drops.

greg

That would be the other point. How much is one's time worth? Buy the
new $15 remote, and fix that one casually or just pitch it... :-]

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

It is more complicated than that. It is designed for the one it has
AND is likely not going to feed more power to a different one without
adjusting the circuitry.


Not really how it works. The improvements made on some products, or
components are only in the lifespan arena. Also, the circuit would
likely have to push more.

Why not? There may indeed be LEDs with the same wavelength and much more
output power at the same operating current.

But, probably not needed if the rest of the remote is working properly.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
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[Graham W]

Apart from cleaning my TV remote control (see other thread) I
would like to put in a more powerful infrared LED

The remote control is about 10 to 15 years old. The spec is
below. Note that I am in the UK.

I would guess I can get an LED nowadays which draws the same power
as the orignal LED but with a noticeably better light output.

possible - but...

Q. What is the spec of the infrared LED I need to get? Here is
one LED I came across. Is it ok? http://tinyurl.com/d3qcp
And here is a list of half a dozen other infrared diodes which I
can get relatively easily: http://tinyurl.com/8heeq

Q. Maybe I can put in a LED which actually draws a bit more power
than the original one?

Q. Is the way to do it to put two LEDS in parallel?

COuld anyone kindly advise me. Thanks.

The most problematic case is where the handset uses two cells
in series and you try to use Nicads which only provide 1.2Volts
each instead of 1.5volts. This leaves the circuit short of voltage
and the only solution is to use Alkalines to give the circuits their
correct supply.

You can assess the brightness of the LED by observing it in the
LCD viewfinder of a digital camera.

HTH

 

[Anthony Fremont]

It is more complicated than that. It is designed for the one it has
AND is likely not going to feed more power to a different one without
adjusting the circuitry.

If the OP finds an LED with a lower voltage drop than the original, then
it will most assuredly have more current flowing thru it with no changes
to the rest of the circuitry.

Not really how it works. The improvements made on some products, or
components are only in the lifespan arena. Also, the circuit would
likely have to push more.

Hardly. LEDs are MUCH more efficient than they were 15 years ago. Not
to mention that the LED in the remote may be below 50% of its original
brightness due to being driven hard.

I don't recommend the change, so I will stop here.

Good for you.

 

[Ben]

Apart from cleaning my TV remote control (see other thread) I
would like to put in a more powerful infrared LED

The remote control is about 10 to 15 years old. The spec is
below. Note that I am in the UK.

I would guess I can get an LED nowadays which draws the same power
as the orignal LED but with a noticeably better light output.

HI,

Buy a cheap universal remote control (for Euro 3,- available at local
drugstores over here )

Try if it works with your Sony equipment (at my place it works with all Sony
equipment I have)

Be satisfied with this remote, or disassemble the remote control, steal the
LED and use it in your original remote control.

Kind regards,
Ben

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

Why not? There may indeed be LEDs with the same wavelength and much more
output power at the same operating current.

But, probably not needed if the rest of the remote is working properly.

I see no reason for your assertion to be incorrect.

However I also see no reason for there to have been such "great
strides" in said diode manufacturing efficiency such that it would be
the case *at the same current*. Were it a transistor or FET perhaps,
but a simple single junction device hasn't changed much. No?

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

If the OP finds an LED with a lower voltage drop than the original, then
it will most assuredly have more current flowing thru it with no changes
to the rest of the circuitry.

The current fed to LEDs is typically controlled and limited for a
reason. There is no reason for you to be correct if said circuit is
one such regulated circuit.

Also, single junction diodes such as that discussed here have
changed very little over the DECADES. The junction threshold voltage
hasn't changed much at all. Do you have any examples?

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

Hardly. LEDs are MUCH more efficient than they were 15 years ago.

They are also being fed more current. DOH!

Not
to mention that the LED in the remote may be below 50% of its original
brightness due to being driven hard.

May be? Do you know ANYTHING about the drive circuitry in question?
"Driven hard"? Such remotes are designed to last at least a decade
and their MTBF is NOT related to the LED.

Good for you

**** you asshole! You don't get to claim to be diplomatic in one
part of a post, then turn into an asshole at will without being called
on it. **** off!

 

[Anthony Fremont]

The current fed to LEDs is typically controlled and limited for a
reason. There is no reason for you to be correct if said circuit is
one such regulated circuit.

If the current limiting is done with a resistor, as it often is, then
the resistor would be forced to drop more voltage. This means more
current thru the resistor and consequently more current thru the diode.

Also, single junction diodes such as that discussed here have
changed very little over the DECADES. The junction threshold voltage
hasn't changed much at all. Do you have any examples?

Then please tell me how an LED can now be blindingly bright with 20mA if
they aren't more efficient? They're a far cry from the things of
yesteryear. Examples abound, traffic lights, tiny flashlights etc....

 

[Anthony Fremont]

They are also being fed more current. DOH!

Not necessarily.

May be? Do you know ANYTHING about the drive circuitry in question?
"Driven hard"? Such remotes are designed to last at least a decade
and their MTBF is NOT related to the LED.

Usually they die from a cracked resonator or worn keypad, but blown LEDs
are not unheard of. It's common knowledge that LEDs driven by excessive
currents will dim over time. Here's some info on it:
http://www.signweb.com/moving/tips/movingtips1.html

**** you asshole! You don't get to claim to be diplomatic in one
part of a post, then turn into an asshole at will without being called
on it. **** off!

You can change your nym all you want Darkmatter, but you're still the
same ole same ole. BTW, I didn't claim to be diplomatic. After all the
crap you've thrown at me over the years, I'll likely never be polite to
you.

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

I see no reason for your assertion to be incorrect.

However I also see no reason for there to have been such "great
strides" in said diode manufacturing efficiency such that it would be
the case *at the same current*. Were it a transistor or FET perhaps,
but a simple single junction device hasn't changed much. No?

Go look at all the varieties of LEDs with essentially the same maximum
current but output power all over the map.

In fact, LEDs in general is one of the hottest areas of R&D with efficiency
being one of the most important considerations, especially for lighting
applications.

I don't know whether the vanilla flavored IR LED has improved greatly
though.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

If the current limiting is done with a resistor, as it often is, then
the resistor would be forced to drop more voltage. This means more
current thru the resistor and consequently more current thru the diode.


Then please tell me how an LED can now be blindingly bright with 20mA if
they aren't more efficient? They're a far cry from the things of
yesteryear. Examples abound, traffic lights, tiny flashlights etc....

The discussion is about NON visible spectrum LEDs and no, IR remotes
do NOT "typically use a resistor" for the current limiting, it is a
controlled, driven circuit.

There has been no reason for IR LED makers to make versions that are
like those of the visible spectrum arena, which is far more diverse,
and has far more applications being addressed. That is why "high
brightness" versions even ever came to be. It called demand. There
has been no demand for making communications IR LEDs any more powerful
than they are, though I am sure some are out there, one poster
mentions buying an entire new unit and pulling the LED from it. It
would likely be cheaper than digging one up somewhere.

How much is one's time worth?

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

You can change your nym all you want Darkmatter, but you're still the
same ole same ole.

As are you... you are the same old RETARD.

BTW, I didn't claim to be diplomatic.
Hahahaha...

After all the
crap you've thrown at me over the years, I'll likely never be polite to
you.

I was merely trying to put the shit where it belongs... on the
shitpile.

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

Go look at all the varieties of LEDs with essentially the same maximum
current but output power all over the map.

In fact, LEDs in general is one of the hottest areas of R&D with efficiency
being one of the most important considerations, especially for lighting
applications.

That would be VISIBLE spectrum LEDs.

I don't know whether the vanilla flavored IR LED has improved greatly
though.

I don't think there has been much demand. Maybe in the machine
vision arena, ie picker placers for PCB assembly contract
manufacturing.

 

[Anthony Fremont]

.


The discussion is about NON visible spectrum LEDs and no, IR remotes
do NOT "typically use a resistor" for the current limiting, it is a
controlled, driven circuit.

Elaborate on that if you would.

There has been no reason for IR LED makers to make versions that are
like those of the visible spectrum arena, which is far more diverse,
and has far more applications being addressed. That is why "high
brightness" versions even ever came to be. It called demand. There
has been no demand for making communications IR LEDs any more powerful
than they are, though I am sure some are out there, one poster
mentions buying an entire new unit and pulling the LED from it. It
would likely be cheaper than digging one up somewhere.

You're a lunatic and I'm quite sure that Vishay thinks so too.

 

[Bennett Price]

You might consider a LED with a narrow beam angle - it concentrates its
energy in a narrow(er) spot - like the difference between a spotlight
and a floodlight. Of course, you'll have to aim the remote a bit more
carefully.

But as others have said, a cheap universal remote is the easiest way to
go. Are you trying to change channels from three rooms away?

 

[Roy L. Fuchs]

The most problematic case is where the handset uses two cells
in series and you try to use Nicads which only provide 1.2Volts
each instead of 1.5volts. This leaves the circuit short of voltage
and the only solution is to use Alkalines to give the circuits their
correct supply.

Good call!