# 222 Frequent "Info" Popup



## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

I'm now on my 3rd VIP-222 receiver but still w/same symptoms. In anything more than a totally dark room the "info" screen keeps popping up. We've narrowed it down to the IR receiver seeing something, but haven't a clue what's causing it. We've been able to reduce the severity (frequency) of occurrence by covering two of the three IR receiver "lenses" with electrical tape.

With either the ceiling light on or the blinds open in the daytime the problem is profuse. If you want to watch the 222 you've got to turn out all the lights & close the blinds.

Anyone else?


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## mattfast1 (Mar 26, 2008)

Don't know - if you've managed to stop it by covering the IR sensor, you might try getting a 6.3 IR/UHF Pro remote for TV1 and configure it for UHF mode. That should stop the problem, since you've obviously got some interference issues in that room.


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## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

You've mentioned that having the blinds open makes it worse, do you have any neighbors living close enough to you that maybe there's an IR remote being used next door that's causing this? Of course the best fix might be what Matt suggested, so long as you don't have anyone in the neighborhood w/ Dish using a UHF remote. That's my problem I have someone that lives near me that has Dish w/ a UHF and every so often my tv changes channels, usually to Hannah Montanna :lol:, so it must be in a kids room! I keep meaning to change the frequency code so I don't have that problem but it doesn't happen very often so usually it doesn't bother me.


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## mattfast1 (Mar 26, 2008)

As long as frequencies are different, it should be ok. I recommend staying away from 1 - as the default - and 7 - since that's usually the first one I try when readdressing to fix that problem.


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## kf4omc (Apr 11, 2006)

Yea just change the remote address if you think it is interferance.


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

For many years, there have been reports of Info screen popups from people that are using IR Pyramids, Leaf frog, ... IR Repeaters. Info only because of the value used when that button is sent. If you can't find an IR source and the address change doesn't help, you can use the UHF method in post 2, but you'd still have to cover the IR sensors since it makes TV1 be IR *or* UHF.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

Cap'n Preshoot;1522709 said:


> I'm now on my 3rd VIP-222 receiver but still w/same symptoms. In anything more than a totally dark room the "info" screen keeps popping up. We've narrowed it down to the IR receiver seeing something, but haven't a clue what's causing it. We've been able to reduce the severity (frequency) of occurrence by covering two of the three IR receiver "lenses" with electrical tape.
> 
> With either the ceiling light on or the blinds open in the daytime the problem is profuse. If you want to watch the 222 you've got to turn out all the lights & close the blinds.
> 
> Anyone else?


Do you have a Plasma TV in this room???


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## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

No plasmas, but a Sony 40" LCD. The 222 sits below the wall-mounted Sony on a dresser. There is a large mirror in the room on the wall oppposite from the 222 but not in direct "line of sight" - IOW if you stand in front of the dresser facing the mirror you cannot see the 222 because the 222 is higher.

This problem even occurs infrequently in the dark gloom of night. Certain scenes on the Sony apparently contain the "right frequency of light" to cause this, although without exception it's always the INFO screen that pops up.

If you don't acknowloedge/dismiss the first (translucent) screen it will next (in a minute or so) change to the solid info screen and then a while later will go away. Obviously the IR receiver is seeing this specific IR code.

*Extremely annoying!!!* because it keeps happening, especially during the day with the blinds open (normal daylight, no direct sun) it's also frequent (literally every couple of minutes) with the ceiling light on. I know what you're thinking and no, we do not use CFL lighting. These are regular frosted incandescent bulbs.

I think Mattfast has the solution, get a UHF remote and convert this receiver from IR to UHF. So now I guess I need to figure out where to find the remote and run through the config screens to figure out how to make the change. WE DO HAVE a TV-2 on this system as well, using UHF but if I understand this you can have both TV1 and TV2 configured for UHF remote.

Anyway, any good pointers (where to find the remote & config tricks) would be welcomed.
Thanks

.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

LCD backlights have been known to interfere with IR transmission, but it would take a coded pulse of IR at the right frequency to activate the info screen. Perhaps there is a problem with the remote itself - stuck or partially stuck button.

Aren't 2 of the three IR "windows" for blaster transmission - to control VCRs and the like with high intensity IR from anywhere in the room?


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

Any 6.2 or 6.3 UHF Pro can be used to control TV1 via UHF. There is another thread in this support forum (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=121708) with info. Your problem isn't specific to a 222, but be sure to try just changing the IR remote address first. If the false Info code is only on the current IR address, it is lots easier to change the remote and receiver to use some other address. If the false Info code happens to match address zero, it won't make any difference what address is used since the receiver always responds to address zero as well as its selected address.

You can find instructions for changing a 6.2 or 6.3 UHF Pro remote to control TV1 via UHF if you search DBSTalk for "toothpick" (tool of choice). A DISH "replacement" remote will contain a bag of plastic keys so you don't need a toothpick and retain the cosmetic integrity of the remote (where you use no key and change the switch manually). It USED to be that you could find very good prices for 6.2/6.3 remotes on eBay but that hasn't been the case as much recently. It would show you pictures of the "keys" that come with "replacement kits" - but not with the "regular" remotes.

I'd also try blocking the IR sensor with something like tinted glass that would allow the remote to still function but not sense reflection of "whatever the source".


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

Jim - I can't quickly find the code for the Info button, but it was something simple such as 0x40 - some single to two adjoining bits like 0x3F. They aren't 8 bits, but you get the idea - easy to generate. They aren't always from IR Repeaters, but you can find people complaining about Info popups from 3000, 3700, 4700, 501, 301, ... with a quick scan of http://groups.google.com/groups/sea...info+repeater+group:alt.dbs.echostar&safe=off

Since the LCDs generate IR, I'd guess it is the source here. Some times, it has been an IR Blaster from an A/V receiver. The code for "Info" is easy to duplicate, but I can't recall what the exact IR code was - too long ago.


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## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

Thanks all. Alas there's nothing else in the room, at least nothing obvious. If you read the thread you see that the problem always occurs, but is prolific with the (std. incandescent) ceiling light on or with the blinds open. In the darkest times (late night viewing) it is very infrequent, though it still occurs perhaps once every 30~45 mins or so. During the day (blinds open) or with the ceiling light on it is impossible to watch TV because the info screen is constantly popping up, literally every few seconds.

It is absolutely 222 related. It does not occur at all, ever, with the 722. I tried swapping receivers, putting the 722 in the bedrom in place of the 222 and it seems impossible to recreate the false 'info' popups. Ergo we can dismiss any theory of a 'poison environment'.

This suggests (to me anyway) that the IR detector in the 222 is overly sensitive or is being overdriven, or is simply a P.O.S. - the jury is still out on the latter possibility.

I have a couple more things to try before seeking out a 6.3 UHF remote. Thanks.


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.dbs.echostar/msg/b0131864b4bbb4e5?dmode=source


> Reorienting the IR receiver and sender reduced it but not eliminated it- the
> sunlight was also striking the receiver directly and fooling it as well.
> Closing the curtains fixed it completely!


That thread is almost 7 years old, and it got "repeated" with other receivers every year afterward. Before you dismiss your environment as the cause, you need to turn on the light with curtains open, but leave the LCD off. Put cardboard over the IR sensor so that only using the remote "down the tube" operates the receiver, ... Having one receiver not be effected doesn't mean it is a 222 problem - what happened to the 222 when it was swapped into the 722 environment?


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