I got this same error last night, I'm using normal blue remote I got with my samsung vbox, says the batteries are flat when I try to turn it off. I bought new batteries just this morning and still the same error so it can't be the batteries.
I reckon this is a stupid problem to have, they should have never installed this feature on such an awful STB as, like someone said, you have to aim right at the IR port to be able to change channels.