Flirc with Nvidia Shield

I have a new Nvidia Shield and Flirc.  I have programmed the Flirc and installed it in the Shield.  When I am in the Home screen, all 7 buttons I mated to the buttons on the Nvidia Shield controller, work fine.  However, if I enter an app, like Tablo or Plex, the buttons stop working, or just occasionally work.

If I unplug the Flirc and plug in a USB keyboard, the arrow keys on the keyboard work just fine, either on the Home screen or in the above mentioned apps.  Just the Flirc does not work.

I have updated the firmware.  It is 4.4.2.  Programming the Flirc works just as expected.  The software shows the remote mates properly with no issue reported.

I have reprogrammed the Flirc multiple times with a couple of different spare remotes, with the same result every time.  I even programmed the arrow keys to the arrow keys on the full keyboard controller.  Again same result.  Every time the remote works perfectly in the Home screen, but inconsistent elsewhere.  USB keyboard always works too.

How common are defective Flirc's?  I am beginning to have doubts about it.  Any way to verify it??

Thanks for any suggestions.