Franc Zabkar wrote:
On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:46:36 -0700, D Yuniskis
put finger to keyboard and composed:

I've got a programmable remote that has a switch
inside that is used to detect motion (i.e., to
see when you have picked the remote *up*). It
uses this signal to "turn itself on".

Note that it is NOT a (typical) mercury switch.
I.e., I can leave the remote in *any* orientation
and just "tap" it to get it to turn itself on
(it then turns off after a short timeout to
conserve batteries).

Could it be a piezo shock sensor?

Doubtful. I *really* suspect it is just a metal
ball with lots of opportunities to make and break
a circuit (and these *differences* are what the
processor uses to determine if the device is
"being moved")

Is it mounted at 45 degrees on the PCB?

No.