Wireless Infrared Remote Control Issues

[Rowe_Rookie]

I've installed a Wireless Infrared Remote Control Kit #21957502 on a CD-51 Rowe Ami Jukebox.  The remote is fully functional and able to make selections, control volume, and pause/reject songs.  Occasionally, while I'm listening to a song the volume seems to go up and down without warning.   I've looked at the IR Valid and IR Invalid LED's when this happens and they don't blink, which leads me to believe nothing is signalling to the IR remote interface to change the volume.  It's installed as a single channel volume control with switch #4 on S1 left open and switches 1-3 on.  Does anyone have any ideas as to why this could be happening?  Thanks in advance for any advice.

[lilshawn]

check the black ground wires and make sure they are firmly in place and have good connection. rowe stuff is pretty picky about the quality of the connections. often you can just slide the connector back and forth a few times and it's enough to clean the contact.

also check the ground on your plug on the AC input isn't broken off. static buildup can cause lots of weird issues.

flip the dipswitch on the amp to enable/disable the automatic volume circuit. (AVC) maybe a flaky connection on the switch there.

make sure the screws on your terminal strips are nice and tight and there are no stray wires hanging out anywhere on your speaker or volume strips.

check the jumper connector on the amp beside the big heatsink...it's an audio passthrough for an external option board. if the connection is flakey it can cause all kinds of audio issues.

check the volume plug on the amp (lower middle with purple wires) slide it back and forth a few times to make sure it has a good connection.

[Rowe_Rookie]

Thanks, Lilshawn.  I've tried what you recommended, and sliding the volume plug back and forth seemed to make the biggest difference.  Still having sporadic volume spikes, but at least its within a smaller range.  Before it was running the full spectrum from near mute to full blast.  It just seems odd the problem occurred when I installed this kit.  I'll try putting everything back to the way it was before the kit was installed and see if the volume issue goes away. 

[Ken Layton]

The amplifier suffers from many bad solder joints on the circuit boards, particularly at the connector header pins.

Also, this amplifier is certainly old enough to need to have the preamplifier board and both driver boards recapped.

[Rowe_Rookie]

I've taken the entire Wireless Remote Control Kit out and put the jukebox back together the way it was before I started this process, and the sound and volume are great.  I think the IR Remote Interface is bad, it the only part of the kit I bought used. 

[Ken Layton]

What version of software is in your jukebox Central Control Computer? Early versions had problems with the wireless remote kit.

You need at least version 3.9 (4.3 is prefered).

[Rowe_Rookie]

That's interesting.  This particular jukebox has a CCC with Version 2.5.  The installation instructions said 2.5 -3.X have all IR Remote functions available.  I have a bad CCC with version 3.9.  I'll swap out the EPROM and see if it makes a difference.  Thanks.

[Ken Layton]

When you swap out eproms, sometimes you need to "reload factory defaults" a couple of times for everything to be properly recognized.

[Rowe_Rookie]

I replaced the EPROM on the CCC with the 3.9 release and the volume problems have gone away.  Thank you very much Ken, I really appreciate it.

[Ken Layton]

I believe the earlier software had some bugs in it regarding the wireless control. Later versions like 3.9 and above corrected bugs and added more features.