# UHF Remote Seems Flakey



## brucewilsonpa (Jul 3, 2006)

I've researched both the Dish Tech Portal and other threads here w/o finding what I'm looking for....

Just had a 625 installed and am trying to use in dual mode with TV2 being about 50 feet from TV1 (across the same floor - opposite corners of the house). The UFH signal seems flakey -- sometimes the remote works, sometimes it doesn't. Changed batteries, messed with UHF antenna on receiver but still behaves as though signal is too weak. Is this typical of these UHF remotes or do I, perhaps, have a bad one?

Thanks!


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## tnsprin (Mar 16, 2003)

brucewilsonpa said:


> I've researched both the Dish Tech Portal and other threads here w/o finding what I'm looking for....
> 
> Just had a 625 installed and am trying to use in dual mode with TV2 being about 50 feet from TV1 (across the same floor - opposite corners of the house). The UFH signal seems flakey -- sometimes the remote works, sometimes it doesn't. Changed batteries, messed with UHF antenna on receiver but still behaves as though signal is too weak. Is this typical of these UHF remotes or do I, perhaps, have a bad one?
> 
> Thanks!


With nothing blocking signal they should go much further. Anything metal blocking signal?

Some other models in the past had problems with antennas not being connected internally.


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## AcuraCL (Dec 12, 2005)

Move the orientation of the remote antenna around a bit, little by little. It's very sensitive. More likely, you are overloading it. Sometimes it works best with just a paperclip stuck in the jack. Mine works best at about 15 degrees elevation.


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## chainblu (May 15, 2006)

While 50 ft doesn't seem that far, I've noticed if the UHF signal has to pass thru a bathroom (or two) and a kitchen, the signal seems to be affected. If the receiver is located on the bottom shelf of the entertainment certer, this doesn't help either. 

Maybe you can physically raise the antenna by using that cheesy RG-59 jumper that comes with the 625, assuming the installer didn't use it... I never do. You will need some sort of barrel connector to make this happen.


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## sathq (Apr 5, 2006)

First, I would recommend calling DISH or retailer to come back and take care of this. They will know how to resolve this. You have a 90 day warranty on the installation. After that, if you were a new customer and chose the 18-month committment, you have DHPP for free till your contract expires. With DHPP your service calls will be $29. Don't procastinate if you are having problmes. It will cost you $$$ later.

As an installer, I find that the TV2 remote works well most of the time but does run into issues on occassion which are not always related to distance. The poster above who stated the kitchen/bathroom interference for example. That is one I haven't thought of and is a good tip. 

Block walls will cause problems, even over short distance. There could also be UHF interference. As mentioned above, relocating the antenna higher is a good first step. If that doesn't work, the splitter/combiner routine works well. 

I am always hestitant that PQ will suffer but I just did a house with the 625 in MB. TV2 backfed and split between LV and guest room. Guest room was attached to the house but there was no entrance to that room. You had to enter from the outside. Obviously I had problems here. Splitter/combiner worked like a charm. Suprisingly PQ was good with signal going through two diplexers and three 2-way splitters.


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

What polarity does the UHF remote generate?

Is it E or H plane?


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## Todd H (Aug 18, 2006)

My 625 UHF remote is doing the same thing. At first it worked like a charm, but lately it works intermittently. I've only had the dish about a month. I guess I need to call E*.


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## nmoulton (Jan 17, 2003)

I'll add my 2 cents. I have a 508 DVR with a UHF remote, and the range is anywhere in my house. I recently decided to place the DVR in my basement, and I can still operate it from my upstairs bedroom. (I have 4 TVs that share the signal, using an RF amp before going into a 4x splitter.)

Anyway, a while ago my 2 year old son threw the remote, and the UHF part broke. On my remote, (yours may be similar), there is also a infrared (IR) output, and that was still working, and could control the TV if you were in the same room. So I bought a new remote, and then decided to take the remote apart to see how it worked. Inside there is a very small folded dipole UHF antenna, about 2" long. The problem was the jolt of impact had caused the antenna to bend down and touch some other metal contacts on the circuit board. I bent it back into shape, and the that remote now works again, (both UHF and IR). 

That may or may not help anyone, but that's what happend for me.
-Norm


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## Kevin Brown (Sep 4, 2005)

I've used the UHF remote almost exclusively since I got mine 18 months ago. (I really like that you don't have to point the remote at the box.) In my case, it's been really reliable.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

GUys - the BEST solution to your problem is to get a short length of RG59 or RG6 cable and a barrel connector, put that remote antenna on the end and get that antenna up about 6 feet. Helps alot.


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