fIREFLY WORN OUT?

[jerryheere]

I'M BRAND NEW HERE SO i HOPE I'M POSTING IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
I'm currently on my 2nd Firefly remote and am having the same problem as my first one. The contacts under the buttons appear to be "worn out".
IE: They no longer respond accurately. Sometimes they respond and other times I'll get a double response and still other times no response at all. Also, I usually have to press harder than normal to get any response. To be fair this latest remote has been in daily use for a couple of years but it's just my wife and I--there are no kids abusing the product.
I hesitate to spend $50 again but if it's necessary.....
Thanks for any suggestions.
Jerry

[nfn06010]

I am on my third FF mini. I got my first with BTV, my second free with a Link license, and my third on eBay. It was the 'enter' button then the "up: button that failed. Always make sure you have good batteries.

[jerryheere]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm using the regular remote and you mentioned the mini. What's the difference?
Jerry

[RiderFan]

The mini is IR based, and the regular one is RF. I use a Harmony remote with my mini's receiver for many many years (5+). My mini remote is in a drawer somewhere.

[jerryheere]

Originally Posted by RiderFan

The mini is IR based, and the regular one is RF. I use a Harmony remote with my mini's receiver for many many years (5+). My mini remote is in a drawer somewhere.

I picked the RF on purpose because my Media Center computer was in a
different room on a different level in my home.
Things have been changed recently so both are in the same room and I can
probably switch to an IR.
Do you know if your Harmony remote will work with the Firefly receiver? If
yes, does your Harmony allow you to enter text for doing a program search in
Media Center. The RF remote would not allow text entry so if I needed text
I always had to hook up a keyboard. Big pain in the neck. Would be great
to have the text input capability in the future.
What model Harmony are you using?
Thanks,
Jerry

[Bill1426]

My Acoustic Research remote (ARRX18G) does IR and RF..

Or, How about something like this..??
It comes either 2.4ghz RF or Bluetooth..

[SmokeWatcher]

Originally Posted by jerryheere

I'M BRAND NEW HERE SO i HOPE I'M POSTING IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
I'm currently on my 2nd Firefly remote and am having the same problem as my first one. The contacts under the buttons appear to be "worn out".

If you can open the remote, try taking a pencil eraser to the contacts. You'd be amazed at how a simple cleaning can help these types of buttons.

[jerryheere]

Thanks, I tried that on my original and didn't help but I'll try it on this one.
Jerry

[jerryheere]

Originally Posted by Bill1426

My Acoustic Research remote (ARRX18G) does IR and RF..

Or, How about something like this..??
It comes either 2.4ghz RF or Bluetooth..

That looks a lot like my QWERTY remote that came with my Samsung TV,
Too bad I can't use that, it would sure simplify life.
Jerry

[Terminal]

Originally Posted by jerryheere

Do you know if your Harmony remote will work with the Firefly receiver? ......

What model Harmony are you using?
Thanks,
Jerry

It works great, that is what I use. I have a Harmony 700, but have also used the 550.

[TVsoundguy]

I had recently been experiencing the same problem with my original Firefly. A few of the buttons had become less responsive, exhibiting the same symptoms as the OP. Fortunately, once you manage to open up the remote, it's very easy to fix.

Prying the Firefly open is a bit tricky, but not impossible. First, remove the battery cover and batteries. Starting near the botton, carefully pry the top and bottom halves apart, working the seam up the sides toward the top. This is the tricky part, as you can break the tabs that hold the top & bottom halves together if you're not careful. I was able to use my thumbnail without breaking either the remote or my thumbnail but you could likely use a thin, rigid piece of plastic, such as an old credit card or a plastic knife. The tabs will pop free one at a time, and as you work your way to the top, they'll become easier to pop.

Once the Firefly is open, simply separate the rubber button panel from the circuit board. I cleaned both the conductive rubber button contacts and the circuit board contacts with a paper towel partially soaked in rubbing alcohol. Pure isopropyl alcohol or electronic contact cleaner would be better as it wouldn't leave a residue, but rubbing alcohol worked great in pinch for me. I then dried both surfaces and repeated the cleaning/drying process two more times.

After cleaning and drying, simply lay the rubber button panel back on the circuit board, being careful to line it up properly. There are a few small guide posts and holes on both surfaces to help line it up. Place the top half of the Firefly outer case back on top, maintaining that everything is still lined up, and snap it back into place starting at the top.

After that 10-minute procedure (gettting it open was the hardest part), My old Firefly works like new.

The Firefly has quite a few plastic tabs holding the case-halves together, so even if you break one or two, it should still snap together, though possibly with a bit of "play." Taking my time, I was able to separate and re-assemble the halves without breaking a thing.

[lsilvest]

If you need a Firefly, I got one HERE for $20 with free shipping.

It's only the remote and doesn't include the receiver. Didn't look exactly new, but very close and it works fine.

Directron.com also sells them, new in retail box for $39, but shipping not free unless you are ordering more items. They also have good prices on computer hardware and a good selection.