Solution found after an hour and a half!
Power off the unit at the wall and on again and the remote reverts to normal non Bluetooth function.
I did find that if I held down a button and disconnected the battery for a moment, that button command was sent by IR normal remote function.
In this way I powered off for the first time and the remote then functioned.
I have paired and unpaired many time now and this is the only solution, Power off at the wall or trick the remote to send a power off by pulsing the battery connection while holding the power button.
It seems the fault in the new software is that at unpair the remote is not told to unpair while the Android system does unpair and from then on ignores the remote..
Hi to those testing tester only software version GTCOMBO_v2.0_C20.A9.1.17_20220429
URGENT
DO NOT UNPAIR THE REMOTE!!
One of the update items is this:
As part of that I think they have changed the remote's internal software.7. Increase the remote control low battery reminder
After I unpaired the remote, the remote will no longer start the Bluetooth pairing transmit, pressing menu and down.
This means that the remote will no longer enter pairing transmit state again.
With this gone you will not be able to pair the remote at the start of a software update or reset.
If you have updated to the test version GTCOMBO_v2.0_C20.A9.1.17_20220429:
Check that the remote will still enter the Bluetooth pairing mode, pressing Menu and down.
If it does not enter pairing mode DO NOT reset or change the software version as you will not be able to pair the remote at the start of that new reset and your unit will be "Bricked".
I have asked before that GT Media add an exit from the Bluetooth pairing of the remote at the start of a reset, so users can continue with an older normal GT Media remote.
Note after I unpaired my GT Combo remote it does not function as a normal remote.
I was then forced to use another older GT Media remote to continue.
All remote functions stopped as I exited from the unpairing menu, back to the Android settings menu.
It may be that the remote is still in Bluetooth mode and did not return to IR mode.
I suspect what I need is a reset button on the remote.
I posted pictures of the inside of the GT Combo remote here.
If anyone with knowledge knows where to press for a reset of this remote, Please post.
Solution found. See at top of post.
Owen