Do Solar flare / Coronal Mass Ejection events affect IR etc. remote controls?

[J. PUPSTER]

A couple of days ago, I was settling down to watch some TV in the evening hours and noticed that all my remote controls were acting up considerably. I was attempting to use the remotes (more specifically) for my oppo UDP-205, an AT&T U-verse receiver, a Marantz SR8500 A/V receiver, and my Samsung TV. They were all acting up with sluggish response or no response and other odd things like when reviewing my U-verse schedule when moving side to side for channel time programs, it would occasionally jump to the upper or lower channel (which I've never seen it do before.) I was able eventually to hobble along and get my Apple TV 4K running to watch something but it was a little sluggish also.

At first I thought to check the batteries of each, and did find a couple that were low, but not all of them. Next I thought maybe my next door neighbor (whose family room/entertainment system) is about 12-15 feet probably from mine; might be fiddling with some new universal remote setup and screwing up mine, but I don't believe that's it, he said nothing new at his place.

This situation of screwy remote access has happened before at times in the past, maybe once of twice a year, but never this bad.

Finally, I thought maybe there is some sort of interference, like solar flares etc. and found this news below-

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g1-and-g2-watches-30-nov-1-dec-2023
Also, when I tried my TV setup the next morning, it was all working normally!

I'm in central California; so did anyone else notice this type of behavior within the last few days, and any thoughts (serious!!!) on this?

 

[stoopid]

Anything's possible. Electronics are still 'new' in the sense we're living history and the test subjects for all sorts of "what happens when" scenarios. Because major population zones tend to be away from the poles, where geomagnetic effects are most often experienced, it stands to reason it will only be during the most impactful events we'll be getting new data on its effects.

 

[marpow]

Boy, J-Pup, your really asking for all the expert QQ members to come out and start the never ending thread .

Hopefully you got a box of band-aids on hand.
Personally, I know nothing.

 

[jefe1]

I think the North Koreans are testing an EMP device over @J. PUPSTER s compound......

 

[stoopid]

I think the North Koreans are testing an EMP device over @J. PUPSTER s compound......

The chances of this being the cause are not zero. Close to zero? Yes. But not zero.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

@J. PUPSTER Connecting the dots I ran into some erratic RC behavior about the same time as you. It was limited to my Oppo and basically the unit just wasn't responding correctly. If after several tries I could get into the menu than it took another couple of minutes of effort to make a selection. So I changed the batteries and no improvement. I turned off & disconnected the power for a bit and tried again. Did OK at first then got wonky again. Oh boy I thought... is this the beginning of the end for my 105? The next day & following it's worked fine.

I don't recall any errors using other remotes but I was so focused on the Oppo I didn't really experiment. For decades before any kind of smart home devices I have extensively used the X-10 remote controls. These being RF controlled systems it would seem these would be most susceptible to solar flares or North Korea hanky panky. However those familiar with these devices know as fun as they are, they are also demon possessed. . It would be hard to tell induced misbehavior from usual wonkiness.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

@J. PUPSTER Connecting the dots I ran into some erratic RC behavior about the same time as you. It was limited to my Oppo and basically the unit just wasn't responding correctly. If after several tries I could get into the menu than it took another couple of minutes of effort to make a selection. So I changed the batteries and no improvement. I turned off & disconnected the power for a bit and tried again. Did OK at first then got wonky again. Oh boy I thought... is this the beginning of the end for my 105? The next day & following it's worked fine.

I don't recall any errors using other remotes but I was so focused on the Oppo I didn't really experiment. For decades before any kind of smart home devices I have extensively used the X-10 remote controls. These being RF controlled systems it would seem these would be most susceptible to solar flares or North Korea hanky panky. However those familiar with these devices know as fun as they are, they are also demon possessed. . It would be hard to tell induced misbehavior from usual wonkiness.

Good to have some company on this issue

Being something like a CME, I wouldn't believe that it would be all the same dispersion over the earth; probably very spotty as the flare would probably be. So very localized with varying strengths I'm guessing? I believe there was also some aurora's visible into the south of the USA during this event.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/article/northern-lights-aurora-18532650.php

 

[stoopid]

... I believe there was also some aurora's visible into the south of the USA during this event.

Brief glimpses even happened as far south as southern Nevada. It was a big event. Seems like there's building evidence that was your culprit.

 

[barfle]

I’ve had a handful of issues with my Oppo over the past couple of years, but most of them seemed to clear up when I removed a USB stick. I had a bit of trouble about a week ago when I tried to play “Jaws 3” and the menus wouldn’t show a picture for more than a couple of seconds. By chance I got the 3D “extra” of the movie, which played fine (although it’s one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen, bikinis notwithstanding), and then the menus and all the 2D stuff worked after that.

I can’t say what’s going on. Computers (and almost EVERYTHING electronic has one or more in it these days) don’t give upmtheir secrets easily.

 

[Tribby2001]

Good to have some company on this issue

Being something like a CME, I wouldn't believe that it would be all the same dispersion over the earth; probably very spotty as the flare would probably be. So very localized with varying strengths I'm guessing? I believe there was also some aurora's visible into the south of the USA during this event.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/article/northern-lights-aurora-18532650.php

What time of day was it when this happened to you and for how long?
FYI- Some remotes use radio frequencies (UHF) others use invisible infrared light.

(BTW - Have you recently viewed the new 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray release of The Exorcist? )

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Another interesting article on the topic:

https://mashable.com/article/nasa-sun-solar-flares-active

 

[Soundfield]

Coincidence is not evidence of causation.

 

[DuncanS]

A couple of days ago, I was settling down to watch some TV in the evening hours and noticed that all my remote controls were acting up considerably. I was attempting to use the remotes (more specifically) for my oppo UDP-205, an AT&T U-verse receiver, a Marantz SR8500 A/V receiver, and my Samsung TV. They were all acting up with sluggish response or no response and other odd things like when reviewing my U-verse schedule when moving side to side for channel time programs, it would occasionally jump to the upper or lower channel (which I've never seen it do before.) I was able eventually to hobble along and get my Apple TV 4K running to watch something but it was a little sluggish also.

At first I thought to check the batteries of each, and did find a couple that were low, but not all of them. Next I thought maybe my next door neighbor (whose family room/entertainment system) is about 12-15 feet probably from mine; might be fiddling with some new universal remote setup and screwing up mine, but I don't believe that's it, he said nothing new at his place.

This situation of screwy remote access has happened before at times in the past, maybe once of twice a year, but never this bad.

Finally, I thought maybe there is some sort of interference, like solar flares etc. and found this news below-

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g1-and-g2-watches-30-nov-1-dec-2023
Also, when I tried my TV setup the next morning, it was all working normally!

I'm in central California; so did anyone else notice this type of behavior within the last few days, and any thoughts (serious!!!) on this?

There are Telluric currents generated by the magnetic fields in the ionosphere, they can be very large and can lead to corrosion in long distance pipes for oil etc. They use Cathodic protection on the pipes to minimise the effect, if I remember correctly the currents tend to flow North-South aligned. Unlikely to mess up your remotes though.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I will gladly consider any other possible causes of this unusual event, besides CME/Flares

However, if it happens again in the future, I'll be looking closely at disruptive solar occurrences as a possible "causation!"

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Here's an earlier event that caused a lot of disruption back in 1989-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm

 

[stoopid]

There are Telluric currents generated by the magnetic fields in the ionosphere, they can be very large and can lead to corrosion in long distance pipes for oil etc. They use Cathodic protection on the pipes to minimise the effect, if I remember correctly the currents tend to flow North-South aligned. Unlikely to mess up your remotes though.

I would be curious to know why not? It's my understanding with a powerful enough storm everything electronic could/would be affected. Solar storms have caused issues in the past with electronics and the electrical grid, so it's definitely a thing.

[the issue here wouldn't be the infrared signal/emission, but the electronics sending/receiving that transmission glitching(?)]

 

[DuncanS]

I would be curious to know why not? It's my understanding with a powerful enough storm everything electronic could/would be affected. Solar storms have caused issues in the past with electronics and the electrical grid, so it's definitely a thing.

[the issue here wouldn't be the infrared signal/emission, but the electronics sending/receiving that transmission glitching(?)]

The Telluric currents are due to the magnetic fields and are at a very low frequency so won't couple well to small devices, they are caused by a variety of things, including solar flares.

Solar flares can damage electronics especially satellites, its more likely to be damaged/glitched by much higher frequencies. If its messed up a remote its likely done it to other things in the house as well. Equally it could be due to high levels of man made interference, years back I had radio break through on my hi-fi, looked out of the window and it was due to the Fire Engine parked outside putting the fire out on the house opposite.

 

[MidiMagic]

Another possibility is that you have an unrelated infrared source putting out noise.

 

[jimfisheye]

And the noise was from solar flair interference in the power lines...

I blame solar flairs for things sometimes. Everyone is trying to be serious here though. At least a few bits. Like there was that time the telegraphs self powered. Things can happen. So it could really be related this time. Can't disprove it!

 

[Soundfield]