Xperia ZL, IR-Blaster doesn't seem to work with Remote Control App

[mlonline]

Hello everyone.

A week ago I bought the xperia zl phone and I tried to also use the pre installed "Remote Control" App to use the built in Infrared blaster. I can't make it work though. What I did is:

- I manually installed two deviceds (projecter / av receiver).

- Through the remote control software I programmed some keys in holding the original remote of the device in front of the infrared blaster of the ZL. The Remote Control App told me that it 'Learnt the command'. I then saved everything and tried to use the programmed button but both deviced don't react. It seems the infrad signal is not sent out.

- I also tried to hold the infrared blaster of the zl really close to the deviced - still no reaction.

Do I miss something? Does infrared have to be switched on seperately? I checked in the apps and all Remote Control Apps / Service seem to be running.

I did uninstall / disable some sony apps before but I don't think I disabled relevent apps for the remote control to work....

Anyone having the same problem? or a solution ?

Michael

[shail0101]

Job No W113112603239 Almost 20 days.

Service Center at Ghatkopar (Mobile Technology) And the Great Mr Ashish Parikh specialised to address consumer complaints through consumer court only.

Getting replacement and timely solution is joint effort by Service center and Regional SONY Service Head. Unfortunately in Maharahtra we are unlucky.

Someone from Sony INdia or AP please ptich in here to take care of our problem.

Do I need to to go Consumer Court. ??

[unhappy]

Ticket ID 1311602747

Its been over a month since I have given my phone. Digicomp solutions - Mumbai Service centre

Spoken with Mr. Ashish Parekh - has lied to me and bought himself time over and over again. I have also spoke with his boss - who told me, and I quote " you have not had the phone for a month, so give us another 4-5 days to get back to you" WHAT A JOKE!!!>> you call this customer service? Why must a customer voice his opinions on every media outlet possible and still get no proper service - If Mr. Raj Singh thinks this is acceptable service SHAME ON YOU SONY for hiring these people. 

Mr. Parekh has lied to my face on several occasions and despite the service centre trying to get in touch with him since the 25/11 he had not even gotten back to them. Initially he told me that he had checked the phone and" there is no feature to manually set ups the phone, only items on the list will work." When I told him that this phone was sold to me under the pretences it had this capability and hence would like a refund, he changed his story and said that he will speak to the technical team.  He told me to get my replacement phone from the service centre yesterday, but they handed me my old broken phone back saying that he has instructed them otherwise - when i call him - he changes his story totally and after speaking to service centre people, they told me the phone was sent to him without their knowledge?!! what a liar! 

Anyways.. for any of you facing these problems.. please get directly in touch with Mr. Raj singh and make him 'escalate' ( how many times has sony used that word when you were complaining??) the problem and find you a quick solution. His email address is raj.singh1@ap.sony.com and cell phone number is 9833870804. Please get in touch with him, and if you wish to make a complaint in writing ( like I will be ) about  Mr. Ashish Parekhs incompetence and rudeness, I suggest you please do so as soon as possible to flood them with emails regardsing this problem! 

Good luck! 

[moonsand]

I gave up the idea of using the IR blaster as it is one useless piece of feature more so because once we put the cover that comes with sony free then the same is hidden and non usable as such. Taking to servicew center is useless as Sony Customer Support here is as bad as Chinese phones -- aka no actual support only yapping and talking nonsense.

Before buying this phone had contacted Sony showing them this thread and they India support said.. there's no such problem. They love playing game of musical chairs instead of supporting customers who fund their salary in the entire supply chain.

[Bouvrie]

Well, I went ahead and sent in my phone for replacement. I attached Sony's swap letter to the service call, and stressed the fact that the repair center should not try to find and repair the phone (as they did previously, not finding nor fixing anything) but instead replace it with a new unit as per Sony's decree. I put this instruction in red letters and capitals, twice.

Despite me trying to ask Sony repeatedly how a unit swap works (whether the support center will send me an unused one they have laying around, or whether Sony will instead send them a new one from the latest batch to ensure product quality), I didn't receive proper answer to this.

This is probably my last chance of doing things by the books (the way Sony wants). If I don't get a proper unit that works as advertised, I will sadly have to resort to different tactics.

[shail0101]

Sony service has handed over to me some refurbished piece i denied to accept it. Anyway even this unit did not work for learnt ir code. now they have created another job code. closing the earlier one. The time they took to create this new job number was only 10 days what a super support. Solution is still awaited but mr raj called me atlast this wasthe only positive point.

Now its one month phone is lying with service center. The issue can be only resolved by providing handset with latest manufacturing batch but these ppl are simply trying to resolve by providing me another refurbished handset.

Is SONY so dumb to understand this. I will continue to fight whatever it takes to get this resolved. We have not paid such high cost for this phone just for show, we are techno savvy customers who buy and use each and every phone feature.

[Bouvrie]

I just received word that my support center is awaiting the replacement unit. Thanks for the heads up, I took the opportunity to inform the center that my unit will have to be one from the latest batch (in the off chance they have any say in this).

I really hope I will get a fully functional unit back.

*edit*

Received a reply from support. Roughly translated: "I have asked the manufacturer for you. This order is available. The order backlog will be delivered in a timely manner."

I don't think they at all address my question on which batch it came from; rather they seem to think I am informing on whether I will at all receive a replacement unit.

Miscommunications like this happen all the time throughout the lines, which is why this support thread is growing longer and longer.

I sometimes even wonder why I bother trying to explicitly ask for something the receiving party doesn't understand anyway.  But at least I tried.

[Bouvrie]

Well, I finally got a replacement unit. The postman thought it wise to just put the parcel in my street mail box, luckily I checked it before anyone else took it out...

Due to lack of time, I only tried to learn a few random IR signals, but no luck here again. Same issue: remote says it learned something, but it's apparently still sending a bogus command.

I will perform further testing when I find the time, but if it indeed doesn't work as intended, I have lost all faith in Sony, making me pay extra (TWICE!) for sending a broken unit (out of the box) in for repair, only to keep getting returned a faulty unit...

[Bouvrie]

Sadly, it seems like I am out of luck . I tried to control 6 IR-enabled devices over the weekend, none of which worked from learning IR commands:

1 LED controller, 2 TV's (one Sony), a Cable set-top box, a Hifi set and Media center laptop; none of which I could operate with learned commands. I learned both from my Logitech Universal Remote, as well as the original remotes in case that could make a difference. Ironically, controlling devices using commands from the built-in list of supported devices does infact work, but that's not what I want.

Now, I suspect my new unit is either from the same (faulty) batch my original one was, OR the Sony Xperia ZL isn't fully capable of learning IR commands period. If the Remote Control app would be more open, perhaps I could program some command directly, by entering the RAW (hex) text equivalent. But as-is now, the one USP this device had for me is down the drain.

All in all, I wasted EUR 30,- on getting this 'fixed'. I encountered lots of miscommunication and IMO pretty bad support for such an evident defect. Sony told me in advance that they can't reimburse my support shipping cost, and I accepted that unter the pretence that I would receive the fully functional unit I should have had when I bought my Xperia ZL.

However, with 2 service requests not yielding anything, I feel duped even more. Despite all negative signals I got from this thread, I tried to trust Sony in the conviction that defects can be fixed. Despite the intermediate assurance from Sony, they  failed to deliver and only cost me more money.  BE WARY: The Sony support experience is very bad at best!

[shail0101]

Finally SONY India confirmed me that this problem of IR could not be solved and they agreed for Full Amount Refund.

Though actually money transfer to my Bank is awaited, I am somewhat relaxed now. Only postive is Mr Raj of Sony India Service was very coperative, responsive and helpful. Rest is Sad story.

SONY XPeria ZL launch was the biggest blunder since Xperia Mobile series. This Universal remote was amongst the Top 5 highlighted feature of this phone and it did not work. SONY you have lost credibility for me I will never ever prefer any SONY product, be it it a pen drive.

Let us all Learn a lesson from this. Normally all vendors give initital 7 days or 10 days return option if we are not satisfied with the product. Whenever we buy such high end phones with such specific feature, better test it right away in store or within 7 days and return the handset immediately if any issues.

.

[rammbbs7]

I am from india, I bought it three months ago, even I have same problem, reading all this, i will get my refund immediately