How to (Cheaply!) Repair Your TV Remote Control

 Cheap and Cheerful!

The other day I scored a TV to fix.  It also came with a remote that needed some attention.  The volume buttons didn't work nor did 'Channel Down'.

This is usually due to the conductive pads on the rubber membrane wearing out.  You can buy conductive paint to rejuvenate the buttons, but that stuff isn't cheap, and probably isn't lying around when you want to fix something RIGHT NOW.

So I thought I'd share a little trick I know.

The Patient, Tools and Operation Table.

1.  Raid the Cupboards.

Find some glue.  Super / Krazy / Contact types work a treat.  Anything for wood / paper will not suit.

Find some aluminium foil, and a disposable pointy thing.  I went with a kebab stick.

2.  Get It Apart!

Then pull the remote apart.  Jumble the bits up if you like puzzles, or be careful and take notes / pictures of the disassembly order if you don't.

If you remembered which buttons are faulty, find them on the back side of the membrane.

Well, there's your problem!

3.  Glue It.

Carefully apply a dot of glue to the problem pad.  I used contact adhesive which needs a short wait to go tacky.  Apply with the pointy thing, otherwise it;s a mess on the fingers.

While waiting for the glue to go tacky, I cut 4 small rectangles of the Aluminium Foil.  Then drop on the pads, and mould any overhang around the buttons.  Or trim them with a sharp knife if you are a neat freak.

4.  Reassemble

Reassembly is achieved by following your notes / photos in reverse order, or by solving the 3D puzzle of what your wife thinks is the ruined remote control.

5.  Test

Check if it works by giving it to the kids.  If they stop complaining, it works!

Oh yeah, I sorted the TV out too.  THE REMOTE WAS BROKEN!