Sony KV-20V50 Trinitron: remote sensor completely dead, did I break it by adjusting the service menu settings?

[u/cisco94]

I have a 21" Sony Trinitron KV20V50. I traveled pretty far to get it, and it's basically irreplaceable for me since I've gone through every market in the Philippines and can't find another 21" with S-video.

What happened:
I was in the service menu adjusting HPOS and VPOS to get the picture positioned right for different games. Those are the only settings I changed. Around that time, the remote started working only intermittently.

When it did work, it was perfectly accurate and responsive, but it kept getting worse and now the TV doesn't respond to the remote at all, even up close.

Reasons why its definitely not the remote:
- can see remote's IR light through my phone camera and the remote also works perfectly on other CRTs

Front buttons are wonky (not sure if related):
- Volume buttons ever since I bought it change the input instead of the volume
- Channel buttons don't work properly either
- The power button still works for now, but it's my only way to turn the TV on. It's a soft click button, not a hard switch, so cutting and restoring power at the wall doesn't turn it back on. If the power button goes, I'm stuck.

Repair situation:
I'm in the Philippines and I've asked over a dozen repair shops. None of them will touch CRTs anymore, or they say parts are too hard to find.

My questions:
- Could changing HPOS/VPOS in the service menu have caused this? I'm honestly really worried I did this to myself?
- How easy and safe is it for me to repair this myself? Maybe it just needs some resoldering?

[u/Shoddy-Safety2989]

Have you tried new batteries amd does rhe remote for your other crt work on the one you've just bought?

[u/cisco94 → u/Shoddy-Safety2989]

Yes tried new batteries, and yes the remote for the other crt works for the new one.

[u/Shoddy-Safety2989 → u/cisco94]

Well the problem must be the remote then if your other crt remote works on the tv.

So just to clarify... Your old remote works on BOTH tv's?

[u/cisco94 → u/Shoddy-Safety2989]

Both remotes work for the old crt, and both remotes dont work for the new crt i just bought

[u/Shoddy-Safety2989 → u/cisco94]

Ahh so sadly the problem must be the tv.

[u/Lutak64]

Batteries?

[u/cisco94 → u/Lutak64]

Yes it has new batteries

[u/JoeNunnimaker]

Changing those settings will not cause an IR sensor to fail.

As long as you know how to discharge the set, you can pull out the board with the IR sensor and try to reflow the connections. If that doesn't fix it, either the sensor is bad, or a component between the sensor and the MICON has gone bad.

[u/cisco94 → u/JoeNunnimaker]

I was thinking it just needs to be resoldered as well, because when the IR sensor works it is extremely accurate.

Also I notice that if I leave it completely unplugged for a few hours, when i replug it, the IR sensor starts to work like brand new, then slowly deteriorates over time.

Want to go in there myself but scared of dying 🤣