DIY Editing Remote control for Panasonic DVD Video Recorders

(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable)
The idea works for any other DVD recorders.

Pages: Intro 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The Box.
I used the project box that is large enough to hold the board and a remote control board inside. I then measured all the buttons placements and draw the openings of the box on computer. At home it is not easy to make things to fit exactly. Remember that. Leave enough clearance around the buttons, we will cover it later. The only precise placement and size is the circle that will hold the 4-way directional button, because it must fit, be loose enough so it works and make sure the button doesn't pop out. All others holes can have much higher error.
So I put it on computer, printed it, cut out the holes, then placed it over the buttons to see how well I made it. It needed few corrections. Then I printed it again, secured it on top of the box and marked the centers of the holes for drill. To drill large holes is not that easy  with hand-held drill, you may ask somebody who has table drill to do it for you. The only requirement is the correct directional pad hole size. All others can be larger. So for the directional pad drill smaller hole and use fine file to work it out to the correct size.

I attached the main circuit board to the bottom half of the project box with screws that allow for height alignment. Using four screws is not enough. To avoid any bending of the board when buttons are pressed, the screws have to be placed also in center and around larger buttons.
I also attached the remote controller board to the bottom half. This time I used hot glue, since there will be no physical pressure on this board. It is important to have access to the original buttons so the rubber keypad can be attached and the remote programmed. This will need to to be done only occasionally so the rubber keyboard doesn't need to be attached there permanently. I will however store the rubber keyboard folded inside the box so I don't have to look for it when needed.
When I do such things like this, I also always print a schematic or instructions and place them inside the box as well. In this case there is no really schematic, just bunch of wires. But the instructions how to program the remote can be a big help. After year or so there is little chance to remember what I had done, or in this case how do I need to reprogram the remote if  the batteries need to be changed. This little trick saved me previously a lot of trouble.

Last thing is to drill hole to front panel for the IR LED and in top panel for the red indicator LED. I left a long wire to these LEDs  so the case can open easy. Again I used hot glue to attach the LED to the plastic case.