Should be simple..... but Magnavox doesn't know [Text View]

KenJ58

12-27-08, 09:46 PM

This thread is the closest to my problem so I thought I would add to it:

The following is my email correspondence with Emerson tech support. They were useless and either unwilling or unable to help. The latest response, of course, is on the top. I have added a few comments at the bottom.

================================================
Thank you for your inquiry,

Understand. We are one of the largest tv manufacturers in the world. If we had lists of codes for every big and small universal remote manufacturer out there. The list would wrap around this building 5 times and this is a very large building. When a cable company contracts an universal remote manufacturer to make a remote for them. Or even a small buisness starting out. They will call the tv manufaturers and find out what frequency the tv's run on. They will put that frequency in the remote and then THEY make a code to access our frequency in there remote. Since we make a lot of tv's for Magnavox, Emerson, Sylvania and Symphonic. We just rotate our frequency throughout those brands. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Jim 1599
Customer Support

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:47:19 -0800
To: <CustomerService@emersonaudiovideo.com>
Subject: Re: [362-10B3E70A-66DB] Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message ID xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for the reply, Jim 1599
Customer Support

Interesting, so it's the remote manufacturers fault. It is strange that
earlier products with the various Funai Electric brands such as Emerson
worked with commonly available remote codes.

I have been corresponding with you for a solution to a problem shared by a
large number of people. I find it puzzling that you are not willing to make
a substantial effort to resolve the problem for "US".

My plan is to post this email in its entirety on some of the Internet forums
that I have been researching the problem. The exposure of this topic to a
world wide audience can't be good for Emerson sales. Is it possible for you
to escalate this problem to a corporate level?

If I were you, I would make damned sure the remote codes were published in a
robust, pro-active manner. That would be good customer support.
? ? ?
-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-

-------Original Message-------

From: CustomerService@emersonaudiovideo.com
Date: 12/19/2008 11:06:51 AM
To: ken.jarstad@gmail.com
Subject: [362-10B3E70A-66DB] Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message ID
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for your inquiry,

What i mean by make the frequency is, that a remote runs on a frequency.
The universal remote manufacturer contacts us (WE DO NOT CONTACT REMOTE
MANUFACTURERS) TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT FREQUENCY IS AND THE they make a code
to access our frequency in THEIR remote. We don't make codes.

Jim 1599
Customer Support

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:56:50 -0800
To: <CustomerService@emersonaudiovideo.com>
Subject: Re: [362-10B3E70A-66DB] Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message
ID xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for the reply, Jim 1599
Customer Support

As I mentioned in previous included correspondence I (we - lots of folks)
have already discovered that Funai makes a number of brands and I (we) have
tried them all.

Your explanation is incomprehensible. You said "we just make the frequency."
What exactly does that mean? Either the newer codes have not been supplied
to universal remote companies so they can be published and upgraded or Funai
has started using a non-standard way of transmitting codes which the
learning remotes cannot handle.

Please be more forth coming. Thank you.
? ? ?
-=xxxxxxxxxxxx=-

-------Original Message-------

From: CustomerService@emersonaudiovideo.com
Date: 12/18/2008 11:27:48 AM
To: ken.jarstad@gmail.com
Subject: [362-10B3E70A-66DB] Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message ID
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for your inquiry,

We do not have remote codes. The universal remote companies make the
codes, we just make the frequency. Because we manufacture for Magnavox,
Emerson, Sylvania and Symphonic you can find access to our frequency with
those name brand codes.

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:33:12 -0800
To: <CustomerService@emersonaudiovideo.com>
Subject: Re: [362-10B3E70A-66DB] Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message
ID xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To Jimi 7015
Customer Support

It has been eleven days since I sent my last email to you in customer
support. So far, I don't feel very supported!

Last week I bought an 8-in-1, universal, learning remote control from Radio
Shack to try and find out what codes are being sent from my Emerson remote.
The RS remote was able to learn volume up and volume down. It claimed to
learn Mute but it didn't work. Power did not appear to work. This is very
disappointing.

As I was researching this problem on line I found someone at ww
remotecentral.Com who claimed that NONE of the recent Emerson TV remote
codes are published or available for multi-function remote controls. Is this

a screw up on the part of Emerson? If it is I wish you would just say so.
All of us have screwed up in our lives and we usually try to make some
amends or remedy. We understand screw ups and are usually patient and
understanding while remedies are being prepared.

Remote codes that do not follow industry standards is a pretty big screw up!

I am actually contemplating buying a new HDTV - of a different brand - just
because of this problem! I won't elaborate on the one (1) and only one HDMI
port.

I would suggest a considered and considerate reply. I am loath to be
obnoxious, demeaning or demanding to anyone but this is a serious big deal
to me and a number of other folks I have read about on Internet forums. A
few postings on prominent Internet forums of my experience with this product

may not reflect well in future Emerson sales numbers. On the other hand, a
well executed response ought to play very well. Please be sure to follow up
on this!
? ? ?
-=xxxxxxxxxxx=-

-------Original Message------- Sent 12/6/2008

Thank you for your reply,

I do not intend to dispose of my Emerson HDTV remote control. It will always

be handy for the special functions that I only occasionally need. I have a
Comcast/Motorola DVR with a multi-function remote. The DVR is quite complex
and I need to use THAT remote all the time. It has the capability to control

the most often needed TV functions - power, volume and mute.

There they are, staring at me - power, volume and mute - and yet I cannot
use them. So, I sit there with a lap full of remotes, just to facilitate my
TV watching.

Searching the Internet, I already found that my Emerson HDTV is made by
Funai. And I also already found that Funai makes Sylvania, Magnavox and
Symphonic. I have tried remote codes until I thought I would go crazy! I
found many other people are having the same problem with this model Emerson.

It appears that Emerson gave it non-standard remote codes. What is it about
this model Emerson that is so difficult to find remote codes for? ?If
Emerson/Funai has added new remote codes in the last year or so, please
supply them so I can ping on Comcast/Motorla.

-=xxxxxxxxxxx=-

-------Original Message-------

From: CustomerService@emersonaudiovideo.com
Date: 12/5/2008 9:33:18 AM
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [362-10B3E70A-66DB] Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message ID
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for your inquiry,

I wouldn't recommend using a universal remote control with our televisions.
There are too many features on our unit that you wouldn't be able to access.

Any remote codes would be available through the company that manufactered
the remote, so in this case you would want to contact your cable company and

see if they have any codes available for you televison. Some brand names
that you would want to try are: Funai, Sylvania, Magnavox, Symphonic and
Emerson. They are all manufactered by Funai and you may be able to access
some codes under those names.

Jimi 7015
Customer Support

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:25:46 -0800
To: <CustomerService@EmersonAudioVideo.com>
Subject: Emerson Customer Support Inquiry - Message ID xxxxxxxxxxxxx

On 11/14/2008, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx requested assistance from
www.emersonaudiovideo.com

Contact information:
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Street Address: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
City, State, Zip: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Product Info: LCD TV
Model #: LC320EM8AN
Serial #: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Problem: I need the 5 digit control code for multiXfunction remote
controls. My ComcastXMotorola DVR remote will not work with any of the
supplied codes. Other people on the Internet are having the same
problem.

Comments: DVR model is Motorola DCH3416.

Message ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Please contact me via Email.

================================================

They talk about "frequencies". Does anyone know what they mean by that? I thought IR was a range. The important part is the digital codes. Did Funai change the operating range of their remotes to the point that universal remotes have trouble even reading them? Inquiring minds want to know!!