Black DirecTV Remote W/ Textured Hand Grip

First off, I own this second remote. I modded an extra remote. AKA I have one DTV box and two remotes. I'd hate to start a rumor, but being unsure I must say that you should NOT mod you existing/only remote. I am not saying this because I think you'll screw up (you might), but because I believe DirecTV has rights to the remote they give you or at least can require one per box if you decided to cancel your service. Seeing as they like to charge $25 at stores and may bill you $30 for a missing one; it doesn't hurt too buy an extra on eBay. Anyway...

Things you'll need:
Some Cleaning Supplies
Plastic Spray Paint (Krylon)
Textured Spray Paint (maybe)
Any other Colored Spray Paint
Clear/Matte Coat
Screwdriver
Tape


I've always liked the DirecTV (not Direct Tv) remote as compared to the opposition. It's very level in the hand and most of the frequently used buttons are within good range. I'm not a television fanatic myself and in fact have recently downgraded my package, but seeing as I had an extra remote I thought I'd try to spice it up. It originally started as me cleaning the device. (oh god you should, please, no really, they are disgusting) And it ended with me doing this mod.

The mod is very straight forward. You don't have too do the inverted colors like I did. Painting the gray areas black would've been sufficient, but seeing as the bottom of my extra remote was cut up (dog teeth and paws) I decided I'd invert the colors while I was at it. Unlike most remotes I've seen the DirecTV remote has a rubber bottom. This means it has a different feel (is nice) but can be marked up after some ruff use. So after disassembly (remember to remove the AV slider/selector) and cleaning I circumcised the bottom. Working from all corners I gradually pulled the rubber off. Other then the very center there was no excess residue and what I was left with was a smooth black plastic with some injection marks and two holes by the battery compartment.

That upset me a little, but my idea had already compensated for that. Because the original remote was smooth around all the edges it only made sense that removing the rubber would create a depth difference. I knew I couldn't 'fix' it completely, but I could add a little depth if not just some feel. So, after sanding the various parts I applied a layer of spray paint for plastic on the bottom. (you can buy it anywhere, Krylon is a popular brand) While still wet I then applied a 'stone texture' spray paint. Be sure to place tape on the edges around the battery hatch, RF window, and top to prevent joining problems. The stone paint comes out like little bits of silly string of black and gray. It's held together on its own and has a ruff texture when finished. (Be aware that this stone spray can clog and will if you store it) Both being wet, the plastic and stone paint dried together and provided a firm bond. Any paint could've done this, but I believe the plastic paint will hold up longer.

Remember not to layer. You must do all the painting withing minutes of each other. Letting one layer dry for an hour will not properly bond the next. After the plastic and stone paint, I then applied some standard gray spray paint and a clear coat. It took about 2 hours to dry threw, but it seems to be holding together and I have no worries. The other parts I sprayed with a single layer of black plastic paint and applied a clear/matte coat. Most of the controller is clear coat, but the 'Select Button' area was done in matte. For me matte was smoother and clear was bumpier. Be sure to do a test of your colors and coats to get the right idea of what you're creating.

Overall it came out better then expected. Texture is nice on the hands. Again the only 'problem' is that after the rubber removal left a cavity. There's now a tiny lip between the gray and black, but it's had no effect on comfort. Also the stone paint covers the ruff injection area nicely only leaving one microscopic hole. It's a insignificant error, but I thought I'd note that.

Haven't seen this anywhere before. One of the reasons I'm finally using my account here. If you like I'll post one or two other thing I've done. Hope you enjoyed. Be sure to wipe the parts down after they've dried for a day or two. You don't need extra paint particles on your skin.