How to Check if a Remote Control is Transmitting an Infrared Signal

Co-authored by Jocotra Cathey

Last Updated: August 2, 2024 Approved

Many households have 5 or 6 remote controls laying around the house. Sometimes, it stops working and you don't know what happened. Most remote controls use infrared light to transmit the signal. The human eye cannot see this light, however a camera can. This article will explain how to detect whether or not your remote is still giving a signal.

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Note: some buttons may not transmit signals via default. Best button to try first is the power button.
While holding the button on the remote and viewing the digital camera screen if you see a blueish light, that means the infrared signal is working properly, there is a problem with the direct connection (if it's a universal remote, try setting it up, if its not, you're probably not pointing it correctly).

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Question

Will the remote work if the infrared light goes off after the TV switches on?

Community Answer

The only time the infrared light in a remote is lit is during a key press. The TV has no infrared light; it has an infrared receiver instead. Many digital cameras and cellphones can detect infrared lights, however, so you can check to see if the bulb in the remote is working by viewing it thru the camera on your camcorder or phone.

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The remote will turn on my Sony Hard Disk recorder, but no other functions work. What could be the issue?

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Place your remote's LED in front of your mobile phone camera. It will show a glow in the camera when you press any button of the remote.

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How can I determine if the sensor on the TV is working?

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Most sensors also have a light next to them. If the light does not flash or pulsate, it may not be sensing a signal, which only happens when a button on the remote is pressed.

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Tips

This also may help you detect infrared security cameras and AIR (Active Infrared) alarm sensor. However, this will not work on a passive infrared detector,the cheapest and most often used type.

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If everything you've done has failed, consult the Related wikiHow section.

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Try a Universal Remote Control.

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Warnings

This will not help to repair it if the remote is broken, this is only how to do a diagnosis.

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Things You'll Need

The remote control you think is not working.
Good tested batteries installed properly into remote control.
Any digital camera (camera phone and computer cams work too)
A helper to press the remote button (optional)
Try pointing remote control towards the back of a radio (switched on) on an empty channel on the am band and listen for "clicking" sounds