MIO-R4 Remote blank screen with power button flashing red

RicardoSiqueira

I just got call from a client saying that one of his MIO-R4 remotes screen is blank and the power button key is flashing red. Since AMX tech is closed now, I am trying to see if any of you guys have any ideas. In case I need to go there this weekend, I would like to go there more prepared. Client also swapped batteries with another good R4 remote but results are the same, blank screen with power button key flashing red. Any suggestions or do you know what this condition mean? It has been a while since I had to deal with the R-4...

John Nagy

There are two fairly common ways to fix an R4.

1. Disconnect and reconnect the battery (reboot) (as often as this is needed, you'd think there would have been a button for this). Since your customer changed the battery, this has effectively been tried.

2. Remove the battery and place the R4 and the battery in separate locations. Wait until your customer forgets about wanting it.

Sadly, there is no simple fix for anything a reboot doesn't cure.

Even though I use two of them in my house, it's still my opinion that there has never been more disappointing UI product from AMX than the R4 (well, technically the R3 is worse, as it shares the problems but is less useful). The battery life off the charger is impressive (a week or more), the form factor is appealing, and the transport firmware has improved over the years... but while we do support them in our product, I would try to talk any dealer who cares about customer satisfaction out of trying to use them. In my home, I understand and expect the slow response, long timeouts, the arbitrary reboots, the short range, the need to open and unplug the batter connector that is too buried to easily plug in again, the sudden final death even while holding it. But customers have this strange idea that things they pay a lot for ought to just work.

vining

John Nagy wrote: »

There are two fairly common ways to fix an R4.

1. Disconnect and reconnect the battery (reboot) (as often as this is needed, you'd think there would have been a button for this). Since your customer changed the battery, this has effectively been tried.

2. Remove the battery and place the R4 and the battery in separate locations. Wait until your customer forgets about wanting it.

Sadly, there is no simple fix for anything a reboot doesn't cure.

Even though I use two of them in my house, it's still my opinion that there has never been more disappointing UI product from AMX than the R4 (well, technically the R3 is worse, as it shares the problems but is less useful). The battery life off the charger is impressive (a week or more), the form factor is appealing, and the transport firmware has improved over the years... but while we do support them in our product, I would try to talk any dealer who cares about customer satisfaction out of trying to use them. In my home, I understand and expect the slow response, long timeouts, the arbitrary reboots, the short range, the need to open and unplug the batter connector that is too buried to easily plug in again, the sudden final death even while holding it. But customers have this strange idea that things they pay a lot for ought to just work.

Well said!

vining

I just went to a job site with several R4's in the red flashing power button fault state and this is just so freakin' annoying and like John said having the customer try to unplug and then re-plug in the battery connected is a real *****. Using these remotes seem to be a sure fire way to loose customers. Today's R4's are running fw v3.01.20 and there is a newer version available .38 released back in 2013 which says:

Changed the Mio-R4 Remote where it will now reboot when an internal fault is detected during bootup. Previous versions of firmware would cause the "fast flash" behavior of the power button light.

Is anyone that used this version still seeing the red flashing power LED issue or should I undergo the torture of updating these remotes? I had one remote that wouldn't do anything other than light up all buttons every few seconds, no screen display at all, changing battery did nothing.

RicardoSiqueira

I had to send the remote back to AMX for repair. Unplugging/plugging the battery did nothing. In another job we had to send 2 R4 remotes in for repair with similar problems. AMX definitely needs a new remote (Wi-Fi) capable, lighter and more up to date to the competition.

vining

It's pretty sad when you can't use previous jobs as refferals to sell AMX systems because of the reliability of the AMX equipment installed. The same job with all the locked up R4s also had a 5200i that's bursting apart at the seems. Last year had another one and all were repleced during that earlier battery recall. The processors have been good and my code works great but when clients pick up an AMX UI that doesn't work then affectively nothing works and you're not getting a refferal.

DHawthorne

In all fairness, I've found the current firmware to be very stable. I have a few dozen R4's in the field, and they have all been fine for some time now. They weren't originally though, and the *years* it took to make them so was a very big problem.

vining

That's good to hear, the firmware note I posted said it resolved the red flashing power button/lock up issue so I'll update my working remotes and cross my fingers. The others will go back for repair I guess.

Do you think those customers who had to endure years of problems would give you or AMX a favorable referral? Or on their next home/project would they likely opt out of the integrated home concept or instead go with another product line and AV company?

DHawthorne

vining wrote: »

That's good to hear, the firmware note I posted said it resolved the red flashing power button/lock up issue so I'll update my working remotes and cross my fingers. The others will go back for repair I guess.

Do you think those customers who had to endure years of problems would give you or AMX a favorable referral? Or on their next home/project would they likely opt out of the integrated home concept or instead go with another product line and AV company?

No, they would not. It took me over a year to get a final payment from the biggest job, and when I talk to him, I get comments like "this AMX piece of sh**." He's calmed down enough that he's paid for the job and doesn't go ballistica anymore, because the problems I get now are normal wear-and-tear issues. But I don't think I could ever sell him on AMX with a new project.

vining

Yeah, that's what I thought. It's really a shame when AMX has become the biggest liability to selling future AMX systems which I suppose is why so many dealers cut and ran. I would too but I like AMX when it works and I'm really, really, really x 1001 hoping with a real AV focused company at the helm things might improve. Of course the last few years have really soured my taste for this stuff and work in general, now I fantasize about retirement and spending my days laying in a hammock down in the Caribbean, completely unplugged.

vining

This is what I expect an AMX remote to be like.
http://www.residentialsystems.com/news/0022/rtis-flagship-t3x-remote-control-now-shipping/87073