On almost every remote controller the buttons stop reacting after a while, and you end up squeezing the remote out of his life while trying to switch the channel...
I found some link where it explains how to "refresh" the contact-making surface on the backside of the buttons, but that kit is not something I can find around. Could you suggest what would be a good replacement?
I've used aluminum foil with great success before. You can get it from a gum wrapper like Nick T suggested. Just make sure you don't use super glue, it'll dry out the rubber in the buttons and cause even more problems.
Use a pencil.
If the buttons are one of those silicone membranes with little black rubber disks on the back that are responsible for actually making the button-contact, the black rubber disks are just graphite-loaded rubber/silicone.
Taking a (preferably soft-leaded) pencil and rubbing it on the contact surface of the disks to get a nice fresh coating of graphite will typically bring it back to life for a while.
Alternatively, if you're after a longer-lived solution, a conductive-ink pen would probably also work nicely.
Buy a roll of Duck HVAC aluminum foil tape. Commonly found at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Disassemble remote; remove screws
carefully pry remote apart.
Clean circuit board with isopropyl alcohol. Clean key pad with dish soap or other household cleaners.
Remove backing and cut tape to size of buttons as needed. A paper hole punch and scissors are helpful. Apply to buttons and mold tape to button area.
Reassemble remote.
Also, cleaning the contacts helps a lot. Don't use tons of alcohol, however, because it might erode the conductive polymer.
That guide says the key repair kit costs $23. Can't you buy a nice new remote for that price? It looks like the main thing that kit has is conductive paint, which you can buy separately:
The biggest problem is glue that should be compatible with silicone rubber base. I've tried sanitary silicone and seem to me that this might be working. Base bends a little after applying silicone so that tells me that solvent from silicone reacting with base. Before applying, be sure to remove previously coated graphite from faulty rubber keys. Than you can glue on everything (I've used aluminum foil as conductor).
Best regards, Nenad
If we want to go the really hack route, you could use gum wrappers as a handy source of adhesive backed foil. Cover the membrane pads with that and you might get another 1-1000 button cycles out of your remote.
I saw on another page to hammer out cuts of copper wire flat then glue them to the the button backs.
