Remote backlighting not working?

My remote has backlit hard buttons, rebooted it in a room with no light at all I'm 100% positive about that. Is there a chance that it doesn't have a IR emitter?

Will there be updates to the remotes android app and a simple way to update it?

Instead of trying to turn off the remotes screen to black what about a white on black digital clock sort of like what the newer samsung phones do in sleep mode?
Thanks

Nillaz wrote:

David Li wrote:

Nillaz wrote:

David Li wrote:

bowlingbeeg wrote:

Is the screen supposed to turn on when you pick it up? Because mine does not. It also never goes dark .. well every once and awhile it does but not very often.

The screen goes DIM (never "dark") when it hasn't seen ANY motion or vibrations for a few minutes.

BTW, some of the hardware features did change through the design / manufacturing / testing process.  And as posted, there were multiple versions of the hardware.  The final change was adding IR emitter into the remote itself and upgrading the Android OS version that provided a little better battery life.  Some of the documentation (spread across many forums, websites, Kickstarter description etc) didn't get all updates.
It's always a balancing act of what can be packaged, at what cost, within what timeline to target a certain customer group that needs that feature at a price.



 

So which list is the definitive list of hardware features then?

The list on the Kickstarter is probably 90% good.  When the system is stable and the current customers are able to use what they have in hand, then we can look at the marketing tidbits.

 

That's fine, but I would really like to know what the deal is with the button lighting.

DaveP answered it
"The hard buttons on the remote are not backlite. The labels will slightly fluoresce in a dark room. When the SmartRemote apk is not running the display should time out and turn off after a few minutes. When SmartRemote is running we set the display brightness to 0 and any movement of the remote should bring it back to 100%.  Because Android does not allow a display to be dimmed to zero it really goes to about 5% brightness."

The buttons are etched with Radium .  The etching absorbs light energy during the day, and emits it lightly when in the dark.  Very subtle.
No battery power is needed.  Part of the battery conservation.

Sat32 wrote:

My remote has backlit hard buttons, rebooted it in a room with no light at all I'm 100% positive about that. Is there a chance that it doesn't have a IR emitter?

Will there be updates to the remotes android app and a simple way to update it?

Instead of trying to turn off the remotes screen to black what about a white on black digital clock sort of like what the newer samsung phones do in sleep mode?
Thanks

You could apply a Black Overlay according to an event (button push, timed, etc) which would "cosmetically" reduce the light.  But the battery would still be consumed which is why Sleep is a better solution IMHO.  Would need to see if that is a variable that tracks the "dim" current value...myServer could have an Automation Rule to slide the overlay into place whenever it sees a Dim value is set.  Not sure if that action will "non dim" the remote.
Something to investigate.

The ability to update the smartremote.apk exists in the AndroidTV driver today.  There are no newer apks because there hasn't been anything to fix identified yet.
The Android Firmware is more difficult.  Allonis would have to do that IF there was an OS update (likely not).

But the great majority if things that need customization are in the webpages and that is very customizable by myDesigner 6.  This is where the Magic Lives.

David Li wrote:

Nillaz wrote:

David Li wrote:

Nillaz wrote:

David Li wrote:

bowlingbeeg wrote:

Is the screen supposed to turn on when you pick it up? Because mine does not. It also never goes dark .. well every once and awhile it does but not very often.

The screen goes DIM (never "dark") when it hasn't seen ANY motion or vibrations for a few minutes.

BTW, some of the hardware features did change through the design / manufacturing / testing process.  And as posted, there were multiple versions of the hardware.  The final change was adding IR emitter into the remote itself and upgrading the Android OS version that provided a little better battery life.  Some of the documentation (spread across many forums, websites, Kickstarter description etc) didn't get all updates.
It's always a balancing act of what can be packaged, at what cost, within what timeline to target a certain customer group that needs that feature at a price.




 

So which list is the definitive list of hardware features then?

The list on the Kickstarter is probably 90% good.  When the system is stable and the current customers are able to use what they have in hand, then we can look at the marketing tidbits.


 

That's fine, but I would really like to know what the deal is with the button lighting.

DaveP answered it
"The hard buttons on the remote are not backlite. The labels will slightly fluoresce in a dark room. When the SmartRemote apk is not running the display should time out and turn off after a few minutes. When SmartRemote is running we set the display brightness to 0 and any movement of the remote should bring it back to 100%.  Because Android does not allow a display to be dimmed to zero it really goes to about 5% brightness."

The buttons are etched with Radium .  The etching absorbs light energy during the day, and emits it lightly when in the dark.  Very subtle.
No battery power is needed.  Part of the battery conservation.
 

David as I responded to DaveP the buttons are not as you describe. Mine are 100% backlit, with no radium. I tested this yesterday when I set it in a window directly facing the sun for awhile and then took it into my basement utility closet with zero lights turned on. There is no glow whatsoever, subtle or otherwise. When I reboot the remote the backlight turns on while the remote is booting and as soon as it gets to the android desktop the backlight turns off. 

This is the case with both remotes that I have opened. I have not opened and checked the third. This was also corroborated by another user as well.

My remote is the same.

Tom

Maybe upload a quick video to YouTube showing it?

Andrew