Disassembling the CDTV Remote

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • I was wondering if you knew how to disassemble the remote? I took the two visible screws out, but I couldn't figure out how to get the case apart. I'm planning to use the board out of the remote to build my own custom controller. (I realize this voids my warranty but I have an extra CDTV remote)

  • The plastic case is a snap-fit, meaning that you need to press on the right spots to disassemble it without damage. If you pry it open carefulle with a flat screwdriver, you may be able to not damage it, but see where the snap posts are, and with some movement, even find out if they are fised in the top of the bottom half (can't remember).


    If you don't want to use the original case anyway, you also might opt to rip it open and not care if the posts will break off. That wouldn't follow the "preserve retro stuff" thought, though.

  • The plastic case is a snap-fit, meaning that you need to press on the right spots to disassemble it without damage. If you pry it open carefulle with a flat screwdriver, you may be able to not damage it, but see where the snap posts are, and with some movement, even find out if they are fised in the top of the bottom half (can't remember).

    Thanks, I used a plastic tool for removing trim pieces from cars, and I was able to open it without damaging anything. However, I found that the circuit board is a bit difficult to trace and there are no easy places to solder extra button connectors.


    Have you considered using an Arduino and infra-red LED?

    I was avoiding that solution because I wanted it to run off batteries for a very long time like the CDTV remote. But since the CDTV remote board turned out to be difficult to solder and trace, I'm may use a Raspberry Pi instead. I already have a Raspberry Pi IR transceiver on hand.

  • I'm may use a Raspberry Pi instead.

    RPi? Because that's running so long off batteries? Hmm.. this is a classic case for a small low-cost digital-only micro controller. Did you see my 8051-seminar from this year's Revision party?


    I'd expect only small code for an IR sender. Program a timer for 80kHz reload-frequency, program a pin to be toggled on overflow (resulting in 40kHz pin toggling with no need for software interaction) and use that for one side of the IR LED. The other side can then be controlled "on or off" through a resistor and port pin with the CDTV remote codes - and that should be really easy when the 40kHz part is taken care of.


    Since the frequencies are not all that critical, you can run the MCU off an internal RC oscillator fairly slow, so running on batteries should be possible quite long.


    You may want to switch off that 40kHz toggling pin after a certain amount of time and put the MCU to sleep, reducing power consumption to a few micro-amps.

  • RPi? Because that's running so long off batteries?

    I meant that I'm going to just give up the idea of running on batteries. It would neat for it to run on batteries if it was easy, but it doesn't matter that much, and this way I never have to change batteries. I already have an RPi here set up with working IR code, so it will take the least amount of time to get working. Your solution sounds interesting, but that would take me a very long time to figure out.


    The controller I'm designing is not really intended to be held in your hand, it will be intended to just sit on a desk and operated with one hand. So it doesn't really need to be wireless.

  • Why not just use a wireless PS3/4 controller, and let the raspi proxy the commands?

    That's a great idea, but I really like using original joysticks, and I also like paddle games. Instead of implementing a full range of controller functions, I'm just planning to assemble a small box that has 4 or 6 of my frequently used menu-related functions as red arcade-style buttons similar to my Competition Pro's buttons. I think it will make a good workflow when I'm using original controllers.

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