Background:
Apparently most OSD's are equipped with a crappy IR demodulator module. (try saying "demodulator module" 5 times in a row! =) This results in you having to point the remote directly at the OSD, and poor range in general. Most IR products will easily receive the IR signal even if the remote it pointed away from the device, such as at the ceiling, your face, etc.
See my poll on this issue here:
http://forums.neurostechnology.com/index.php?topic=8670.0NOTE: Opening the case of your OSD will immediately void your warranty! If you don't have years of electronics experience, I do not recommend you take anything apart like this! Obviously if you do it anyway and blow your OSD up, you are on your own! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!A little experimentation and research revealed a much better functioning replacement for the factory equipped one. This picture shows the original one on the right and the 2 other ones I tried:
Both the other ones (left) worked significantly better than the original. I could not determine who manufactures the original.
The one I decided on was the one on the left, which is made by Vishay. It has the part number TSOP34838.
Here is the datasheet for those that are curious:
http://www.vishay.com/docs/81732/tsop348.pdfAll that's needed is to unsolder the existing one and solder the new part in. It is available for $1.20 from Mouser electronics:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=mI1nX2bqwFnDB6kD41OpRA%3d%3dTools Needed:
- #1 Phillips Screwdriver
- Soldering Iron & fine Rosin-core solder
- Desoldering Tool; a suction tool is best, but braid could work
- Cutting Tool; preferably some small electronic dykes (side cutters)
Instructions:
1. First unplug all cables from the OSD. Take the OSD to a static-free work area and use a wrist ground strap if possible. This is especially important in low humidity environments. If you have a humidifier, run it. A cheap way to ensure a static-free environment is to do it in a closed bathroom after a hot shower has been running. The steamy high-humidity air "shorts out" any possibility of static, just don't overdo it and get your OSD wet!
2. Remove the plastic stand from the bottom of the OSD, if installed. On the bottom of the OSD, there are 4 rubber pads, if you peel these up slightly from the outer edge, (don't take them off) each will reveal a small phillips screw. Unscrew all 4. You can leave them in the holes and let the rubber pads flap back over them, that way you won't accidentally lose the screws. The top cover should now lift off. There are 2 small slots on the bottom along the sides. You can stick the small flat screwdriver in these to help if it doesn't just lift off.
3. Remove the 2 small phillips screws holding the board to the bottom half of it's housing. Pull the board up from the front end first and then away from the back so the connectors clear the housing.
4. Look at this picture:
This is a close-up of the corner of the board nearest the USB connector. The arrow is pointing at a little silver rectangular thing, which is the IR module. This is what we must unsolder.
5. Turn the board over and apply your desoldering technique to the outer 2 pins, but NOT the middle one. This is the ground pin, and it is connected to the ground planes on both the top and bottom, as well as the metal shield "can" on the IR module. This causes it to pull the heat away too fast to unsolder in most cases. I recommend once you have unsoldered the outer 2 pins, just apply heat to the middle pin and pull the module out from the top. It might take a lot of heat! Worst case scenario is you cannot unsolder this pin, in which case, I recommend you break or cut it off. Don't damage the board!!! If it won't come out easily, give up and break the can off.
6. Clean up the pads and remove any excess solder. If you have a broken out lead still in the center position, don't worry. Leave it alone.
7. Get the new sensor and orient it correctly (bump towards the edge) and slide it down into the holes as far down as it will go. If you have the old lead still in the center hole, simply bend the middle leg out so it points in the same direction as the bump, then put the outer 2 pins in their holes and slide down as far as possible. It should look like this:
8. While holding the module in place, flip the board over and carefully solder the connections. If you didn't put the middle leg in, solder it to the gold area of the circuit board in front of the module. This is electrically the same. Trim the excess leads flush with the dykes. Check everything carefully, and make sure there are no solder bridges!
9. I recommend you tilt the sensor back at a slight angle. It seems to work better this way, especially if you use the OSD's foot. Connect the OSD to a TV and power it up. Test your remote! If all works well, unplug the OSD and re-assemble the case. Congratulations!
Enjoy your new enhanced remote functionality, you will find it works WAY better than the stock module!
