For me,
1. Remove batteries.
2. Unscrew the tiny Phillip's-head screws (4)(using an eyeglass screwdriver) and put them on a magnet so I don't lose them.
3. Use a butterknife to >GENTLY< and persistently pry off the top and bottom halves without breaking the top half (no, it's not quick or easy).
4. Put a piece of tape, or superglue over the PCB traces under the 4 stupid buttons you want to disable (I used several, THIN layers of superglue). If you use superglue, let the final layer drip completely.
5. Put everything back together.
Done!
For me, I have a TCL/Roku TV and if I rewind on an OTA program (meaning I have an 8G USB in place), and I accidentally hit one of the hated 4 buttons, I dump all of my unseen temp. recording. ALL of it!
Unacceptable!!!
Sometimes I'll leave the TV on, on the channel that has the program I want to see if I'm going to arrive within an hour and a half of the program start, so I just rewind to watch the program (I can't permanently record...this is a TCL thing, and you can't increase the storage of the USB thumb drive to increase recording time...even if you could, as soon as you move away from the recorded channel, the recording is dumped).
For the longest time, I used superglue to build a ridge just above the hated 4 buttons so I'd know if my finger was wandering in forbidden territory.
Gluing the hated 4 buttons themselves doesn't work unless you build a dome over the 4 buttons.
I was comfortable with doing this because I had a second remote (but someone lost it...I know I'll find it eventually), and I have an app on my phone so I can control my TV.
If you break the top of the remote doing this, you weren't careful enough. YMMV.
Thank you. That is a lot to do. It is so annoying.
