Welcome to Over50sForum! The site for people over 50 to chat, make friends, discuss, share, and generally be part of something that's fun and friendly :)
I repaired two of my remote controls today though I only photographed one.
One was much used and belonged to my WD TV Live player, the other is rarely used and from my Topfield PVR.
We have talked about this elsewhere but it was some time ago so I thought I would start a new thread.
The remote controls had several buttons which either didn't work or required several operations to get a result.
Both remotes came apart in a similar fashion which was basically by prising them apart at the seams. I used my spudger (see photo) but in fact I think a thin bladed screwdriver might have been better. However I checked them both carefully for screws before prising them apart - look under rubber feet or in the battery compartment. I initially tried at several points but found that near a corner worked best on both. once there was a gap it was easy but getting that initial break was a bit nerve racking.
The WDTV remote was harder to prise apart and the plastic was slightly damaged at the seam from the prising though nothing a trim with a Stanley Knife couldn't repair. The Topfield remote actually broke some very tiny pieces of plastic off and I thought I might have to glue the two halves back together but in the event it didn't seem to make any difference as both cases snapped back together firmly.
The circuit board and the rear of the press buttons I cleaned with alcohol - meths or lighter fluid would have done but I had a small spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol which was fine.
After making sure it was dry I put everything back together and both remote controls now work 100%. Quite pleased.
The picture shows the board and keypad after cleaning.
BTW the WD remote looked as if some liquid had been spilled inside it but the Topfield remote had no visible problem. AS I say both were as they should be after cleaning.
Anyway if you have a dodgy remote control they are not difficult to repair with a little care.
I had to do one of mine recently. Several of the buttons stopped working. On internal examination, some liquid had got into it. Mr. Nobody had had done it of course.
Washed all parts in warm soapy water, rinsed with clean warm water, dried thoroughly with a hair dryer and reassembled. Works as new.