HTPro LCD in trouble?

Post by **ElizabethD** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:38 pm

There is a black, shaded, section of a circle on the LCD.
Right on top. A tiny bit to the left. If I were to imagine where the center of the circle is, it'll place it a bit above the red LED on top of the remote.
Any ideas what's going on? And what to do? Is it going to get bigger and obliterate everything?

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:45 pm

LCD stands for "Liquid Crystal Display" and it sounds like your liquid crystal is leaking. I've seen this happen to a few remotes before. As the LCD is a custom part, the only way to repair the remote is to replace the LCD with one from a similar remote.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:03 pm

But there is no 'liquid" in the LCD

at least that's what I read once.
That said, if I send it to UEI they'll give me some other remote probably, which I don't want. Do you have spare parts? Do you repair such things? No rush, it's working now, but I don't know how long.

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:42 pm

All I know is that I've seen this happen to other remotes, and there's nothing you can do to fix it, except replace it.

I don't know whether UEI considers the HTPro to be an "upgradable" remote as it's not an OFA model, but even if they do, as it's a JP1-ready model, they would upgrade it and send it back, they only discard/replace the non-JP1-ready models (like the URC-6131).

I do have a few remotes that I could probably grab a screen from.

MaskedMan · Post by **MaskedMan** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:59 pm

You can't send it to UEI, the Ht-Pro was discounted so much, it was without any customer service.

call the phone # in the HT-PRO manual.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:28 am

I was pretty sure that would be the situation considering it cost next to nothing when X10 had that cool deal. Subsequently confirmed: a phone call to UEI (number in the HT pro book) told me to use OFA support. OFA wanted to know whether it was like that when I bought it (no) and then informed me they have no parts and no repair department

So is Rob the only person in this universe that just might have parts and skills to fix?

Post by **The Robman** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:22 pm

ElizabethD wrote:So is Rob the only person in this universe that just might have parts and skills to fix?

Skills are not really an issue as all you need to do is pop the old screen out and drop the new one in, so anyone can do that, the trick is getting a new screen to replace it with. These are a custom part, so the only people that would have them are the people back in China who actually make the remotes (ie, Computime), certainly OFA and UEI wouldn't have any.

I don't actually have any myself, so all I would have to do is retire a URC-8910 and take the screen from it.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:33 pm

There is no great rush on this. The black plague is not increasing. I'm just exploring what it will take. When the time comes, I'll retire one of my 8910s. As far as how easy it is to drop the screen in, well, I haven't yet managed to even open one of those remotes in spite of all the terrific instructions and pictures

They just won't give in.

MaskedMan · Post by **MaskedMan** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 3:35 pm

If you want, send the remote to me, I'll replace the screen with one out of a urc9911. So I wouldn't be out a whole remote like here:

https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4951

Post by **The Robman** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:03 pm

ElizabethD wrote:As far as how easy it is to drop the screen in, well, I haven't yet managed to even open one of those remotes in spite of all the terrific instructions and pictures They just won't give in.

What difficulty have you experienced? This is one of the easier remotes to open. First, make sure that you have removed the screws from inside the battery compartment. As for seperating the two parts, with this particular model, I can pretty much open it using my finger nails, I don't even need to always use a screwdriver.

Once you do get it open, you will need to remove 4 more screws that hold the PCB tight against the LCD screen.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:43 pm

Edmund, tons of thanks. For now, I'll just live with it. As I mentioned, I have a 8910 I could sacrifice if I really had to. Time will tell. I REALLY APPRECIATE your offer. And might take you up on it someday.

Rob, well, I put the credit cards in and all that, and unless I take a chainsaw to it, it just won't open. I only tried on 2 remotes. Too scared to do more, as I know the shell will crack. So the screws inside aren't even an issue. One remote I speak of I know you actually had opened or created from spare parts

, so I know it can be done. Just not by me.