Occasionally I experience missing keypresses on Vero V with its own OSMC remote. With Vero 4K+ in the same spot I didn’t have the issue. There is a wifi AP in about 4-5 meters away what I cannot move. Can this be due to interference? Could it be that the inbuilt RF in a metallic case make the signal more fragile compared to Vero 4K+ where the receiver was outside of the case? If yes, is the RF receiver soldered now on the mainboard or there is an usb plug inside the case, so it would be possible to move it out from the case?
Also, what is the process to pair an other OSMC remote on Vero V? I would like to pair my older OSMC remote instead of the new one, but the process available for Vero 4 cannot be used, since unplugging/ replugging the usb rf receiver is not possible.
I doubt it would be from a wifi router that is that far away. The internal receiver is a regular dongle like the previous models just plugged into an internal port, but I would discourage anyone from taking their device apart. This would void your warranty and the wireless antennas are not all that hard to break if you take it apart. If one wanted to relocate their dongle to a more favorable position then I would suggest to contact support@osmc.tv and inquire about procuring an extra dongle. I’m not sure if Sam has any in stock at this very moment but it has been discussed having this as an offering for anyone with the need. As for using the dongle from an earlier Vero model the dongles that have shipped since something like April (don’t quote me on this date) are compatible with the remote that ships with the Vero V, but any earlier model you would have to move both the remote and dongle from the earlier model to the Vero V. You will probably not be able to pair the external dongle while it is plugged into the Vero V if you have the need to do that, but you can plug it into a PC and pair it connected there, and then plug it back into a Vero. There will be an update in the future that will remove this limitation.
I’m seeing some missed key presses as well. Three Vero V’s installed to replace Vero 4’s where the old remote was working fine. It’s a minor but definitely present issue in the lounge and bedroom, for the kitchen the internal receiver is unusable as the V is in a nearby server cupboard and the supplied remote hardly works at all. Fortunately I have several old remote/receiver pairs that work.
Just an FYI, I am using Flirc dongles on all 3 of my Vero Vs with no issues. They were on my Vero 4K+ units and I just carried them over to the Vero Vs. I do my key mapping with them and have a standard template I program for them all vs. the Kodi key mapper addon. I also use the same Flirc dongles and programming for my Intel NUCs. Keeps it simple.
Perhaps the RF receiver sensitivity and/or TX output power can be tweaked to improve performance ?
I had noticed that covering up the end of the remote with my hand stopped it working at a distance of about 2-3 metres. ac16161 also mentioned that one of his V’s inside a server cupboard hardly responded to its remote.
There is not a software solution which can modify this behavior. Can you state exactly what is connected to your Vero and its physical location in relation to the front of the Vero? If you unplug any devices from the blue USB 3 port and plug them into the USB 2 port does the issue go away? If so then the problem is rf noise emanating from the high speed USB communication. You may find that using a different USB cable, extension cable, and/or placing the USB device to the rear of the V may improve the remotes behavior.
I’m not using USB2.0 or USB3.0 for anything, nor is it used nearby. The only other connections are the power supply, the HDMI cable to the AVR and an RJ45 Ethernet connection to a switch which in turn is connected to a Mesh Wifi AP.
I’ll try moving stuff around as you suggest.
Although I do note from the internal and photos as provided on the product safety web site here that there is an internal USB socket with a dongle plugged in.
There is a metal plate (heatsink?) on the top cover, which would rest on top of the dongle partially covering it.
I guess his might be for EMC compliance purposes. This will probably affect the RF reception and transmission via the dongle in this socket, as compared to having another dongle plugged into a external USB port.
Dont worry it’s not really a problem, if I am near enough to the Vero-V with the remote then its fine.
Yes, but that is not USB 3 and as such doesn’t radiate rf noise.
The heatsink isn’t blocking the reception from the remote if the remote is pointing towards the front of the Vero. There has been testing done in this regard by more than one person on the team.
The idea with an external dongle would be primarily to allow it to be used with an extension cable to provide for an optimal placement opportunity when there becomes environmental factors that are reducing its range. Just pulling the dongle from the inside and plugging it into the side does not provide any significant benefit from my testing.
TBH I’m a bit stumped on why your range would be reduced given your description of your setup. In my testing line of sight and without peripherals I was getting good response upwards of 40 feet.
I attached the old usb rf dongle (from Vero 4k+) directly into one of the side usb port of Vero V (without extension cord). Using it also with the paired old osmc remote for a while and so far so good, so in some cases even this might provide enough benefit to stop the issue. I will continue to test and report back.
No need to report back. We are aware that previous generation dongles perform differently than the current model. The previous model is no longer available though so that really isn’t an option going forward.
I also attached the older USB RF dongle (from Vero 4k+) directly into the side USB2.0 port of my Vero-V (without extension cord), and paired it with the older remote.
The ‘range’ performance of the older remote/dongle is much better than the remote/dongle that shipped with the Vero-V.
As described earlier, I had noticed that covering up the end of the remote with my hand stopped it working properly at a distance of about 2-3 metres, with line of sight. This was not a problem with the older Vero4K+ remote/dongle. Performance is definitely different.
I’m guessing then that the battery life of the newer remote/dongle will be better !
Just got my VeroV about 30mins ago, and now trying to setup.
I am experiencing exactly the same issues with the remote, it just seems to freeze. At first I thought it was linked to the scrolling text on the ‘browse’ page restarting but it isn’t in sync.
A thought as well, some “wallwarts” can also effect radio signals. Not the VeroV’s, but if you have a lot of them(for what ever equipment) bunched together the chance are higher of “radio pollution”.
For me, the new remote is unusable. The Vero V is located at 4m from my couch after a 80cm wall.
The old remote and dongle work just fine so I’m glad that I still have them.
I guess that the new remote (and/or) receiver are very sensitive to interference as there’s some other electronics nearby like a receiver and a switch (no wifi router).
EDIT: I found a solution for now: when I remove the USB stick (for backups) the Vero V remote starts working much better! I also noticed that the USB stick becomes hot so I’ll try to replace it with a metal version (or test it with the USB3 port). Could it be that the Vero V is constantly accessing the USB stick or is this just a way for the internal heat to escape?
