Upgrades to RS 2116 w/Pioneer 510H DVD Recorder Help please.

[bugman]

I (think) I am SO CLOSE... but can't get my first UPGRADE to work. Remote is the Radio Shack 2116, device is the new Pioneer 510H-S DVD Recorder.

The new DVD recorder from Pioneer is AWESOME, but none of the setup codes in the 2116 worked on it. Tried several ones for other Pioneer devices (VCR's & DVD players (no RECORDERS listed)) but none have worked at all - not a single button.

The 2116 will LEARN commands from the Pioneer remote just fine, but of course it runs out of memory too quickly. SO... decided to buckle up & try my 1st UPGRADE.

After MUCH studying over the last several days, here's where I am:

Learned about a dozen keys from the Pioneer remote onto the 2116 and downloaded from remote into IR. Most of the learned commands are one device commands, but some have two lines of code. Based on documents found elsewhere in this forum, I created a new setup code in KM with following settings that I gleaned from the learned commands downloaded into IR:

Setup Code: 1525 (I used 0525 + 1000)
Button Codes: EFC
Protocol: Pioneer MIX
D1: 171
D2: 175
Cmd 1: 44
Cmd 2: 42

Followed the instructiond for the Pioneer MIX protocol in the HELP sheet of KM, adding the 0, 1, or 2 for the Byte2 command, and I REALLY thought I had it, but no dice. The 510 DVD recorder doesn't respond to anything from the 2116 (except LEARNED commands - they work fine).

I have just uploaded the IR file to the Users Config area (click here).

Thanks in advance for any help offered. This stuff is complicated (to me...) but REALLY NEAT!

bugman[/url]

[gfb107]

Your URL will work if you replace the spaces with %20 like this:
click here

[bugman]

Thanks for the URL tip. I saw after I posted that it didn't work.

I'm learnin'.....

[Capn Trips]

Learned about a dozen keys from the Pioneer remote onto the 2116 and downloaded from remote into IR.

Setup Code: 1525 (I used 0525 + 1000)
Button Codes: EFC
Protocol: Pioneer MIX
D1: 171
D2: 175
Cmd 1: 44
Cmd 2: 42

I have just uploaded the IR file to the Users Config area (click here).

bugman[/url]

I would imagine that an expert (or even an experienced novice) would be able to provide you a little more help if you posted the LEARNED signals (IR dump) and the KM- (or RM-) created device upgrade rather than the created IR UPGRADE as you have. As it is, we have no idea what you are trying to replicate with this IR configuration, so it's hard to guess what might be wrong - unless it was something obvious like you failed to assign the correct device upgrade code or type on the "general" Tab in IR - which is NOT the case.

I DO notice, however, that you have nothing assigned to the "Record" key in the device upgrade - odd for a DVD recorder, and you have many buttons with duplicate function assignments (like - Menu, Up, Down, Left, Right, and Select are all assigned the same function "CB 01"; CH+ and CH- are both AB 03) and you have a total of only 8 different functions assigned in this upgrade, which seems a bit low for a DVD recorder (no digits, no input selects, no "enter", no "record").

So I would suspect there's something wromg with your KM (or RM) upgrade. Post THAT, along with your learned signals (identifying what function is learned to what button) and someone is bound to help you out.

[bugman]

I really thought I had most of it figured out, so I just started from scratch all over again.

Reset the 2116 remote to factory settings, uploaded my last known good file (with other device learned commands but no Pioneer DVD commands), then learned about 10 of the DVD commands, downloaded back into IR, studied the learned commands closely.

The piece I was missing was that in the learned commands that had 2 lines, I was still putting the EFC for the FIRST line in the EFC cell in KM, then adding the 0, 1, or 3 in the Byte 2 cell thinking that it was describing the 2nd command line. Finally figured out I had this backwards. I put the EFC for the SECOND command in the EFC cell, and the Byte 2 command actually tells KM what the FIRST line command should be.

After doing this I have now swapped about 25 commands over to the Upgrade from learned keys. Hardest part now will be deciding what commands to put on what keys. I'M HAVING A BALL!! But since it's 12:30 & I DO have to work tomorrow I better crash.

After I get this all done I will post the upgrade file for any other new owners of the Pioneer 510.

THANKS to all you guys who worked so hard to make all this possible!

[Capn Trips]

The piece I was missing was that in the learned commands that had 2 lines, I was still putting the EFC for the FIRST line in the EFC cell in KM, then adding the 0, 1, or 3 in the Byte 2 cell thinking that it was describing the 2nd command line. Finally figured out I had this backwards. I put the EFC for the SECOND command in the EFC cell, and the Byte 2 command actually tells KM what the FIRST line command should be.

Congratulations on getting a working setup! Well done.

At the risk of being a spoilsport, however, I remain skeptical that you have properly decoded your learned signals based on the description above. MOST valid learned signals result in exactly one line of useful decode information. Two or more lines are usually indicative of a problem with the learn or with the decode of that learn. Usually, as well, even when you have multiple lines of decode, one of those has enough correct information to help you build the upgrade and get the correct EFC/OBC assigned for that function. If you are piecing together parts of two different lines from the decode window ("Learned" tab) of IR, I find it hard to believe that you are entering all of the correct data in KM, unless by some combination of luck and skiil not necesarily obvious from your post.

That is why I suggested uploading your learned IR download, to allow others to see and analyze what the "wheat" may be amongst the "chaff" of learned signals.

Be that as it may, being a graduate of the "if it works, don't fix it" school, it's good to see you have a working upgrade.

[The Robman]

At the risk of being a spoilsport, however, I remain skeptical that you have properly decoded your learned signals based on the description above. MOST valid learned signals result in exactly one line of useful decode information. Two or more lines are usually indicative of a problem with the learn or with the decode of that learn.

While this would normally be good advice, I'm guessing you don't know much about Pioneer and how they love to make IR signals as complicated as possible. Seeing two lines of decoded information is totally normal for Pioneer (unfortunately).

That being said, I'm with you on wanting to see the original learned signals too because it's possible that one of the other Pioneer protocols might be a closer fit.

[Capn Trips]

I'm guessing you don't know much about Pioneer and how they love to make IR signals as complicated as possible. Seeing two lines of decoded information is totally normal for Pioneer (unfortunately).

Uhhh... actually, I have a Pioneer LD/DVD player, and DD/DTS receiver, for which I have built (and use) upgrades, (which are, as you point out, pretty freaky, and brought me endless "entertainment" developing, I might add) so I "should" know better.

That's why I leave myself an "out" using weasel words like "usually" and "most" when I post advice, so I can't really be wrong, can I?

[The Robman]

In that case, please go and stand in the corner for at least 30 minutes!

[Capn Trips]

Hey, Cut a guy a break! I have only 1/200th the number of posts that you have . A long way to catch up!

[Mark Pierson]

A long way to catch up!

No one will EVER catch The Robman

[bugman]

I just removed my first file from the User Configs section (the one that did NOT work) and uploaded the latest one with upgrades that DO work. I think I uploaded the one yoou guys want this time - it's the txt file that KeyMaster created. If that's still not the file type that's useful please advise. (Last time I uploaded the one that IR.EXE saves and was told that was really not the best one to post).

The file is HERE. (Hope I did the link right this time...)

This upload still doen't have the LEARNED commands , but I will upload a file with them tomorrow so they can be compared to my upgrade.

I built the upgrade using the Pioneer MIX protocol, and it DOES work fine. Added a few more keys to it tonight. Learned them, then entered the data from the Learned command into the Functions sheet of the KM spreadsheet, then deleted all the Learned commands from the IR file, pasted the updated data from KM into the Device tab, & all went great.

I am definitely still learning, so if there's a better way please tell me. Also anything else you see in my file (good or bad) I would love to hear about.

Thanks again to all!!!!