The chip partner FTDI cable

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 9:23 pm

NOTE: this info can also be found here:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/wiki/index.p ... Interfaces

Chip_partner is no longer selling FTDI FT232RL cables, but other FTDI cable should work instead.

Another option a Prolific PL2303HXD USB to RS232 TTL Cable. This cable usually has a pink casing. It comes with a 1*6 solid DuPont connector, which will need to be replaced with a 2*3 connector.

The key to searching for cables yourself is to check that the RTS line is present, which usually means you need a 6pin cable.

The pin codes for these cable are (NOTE: colors can vary in different cables):

pin - type - color
1 - (empty):VDD
2 - RTS (usually Yellow)
3 - GND (usually Black)
4 - TXD (usually Green)
5 - (empty)
6 - RXD (usually White)
CTS (usually Blue, not connected)
5V (usually Red, not connected)

Special note: If your remote has a 24-pin S3F80P5X chip, like the URC-2020B0-B1, URC-2025, URC-2060BC0 and URC-625000-04R00, connect the RTS line to pin1 instead of pin2, and take the batteries out of the remote when programming it with RMIR. (More info: here).

If your cable has pink and grey wires, this might be the pinout:
Red 5v
Black GND
White RXD
Teal/Green TXD
Pink CTS (instead of blue)
Grey RTS (instead of yellow)

For remotes with a 5-hole connector (like the URC-2025):
[NOTE: remove the batteries while using RMIR]
1 - RTS (usually Yellow)
2 - (empty)
3 - GND (usually Black)
4 - TXD (usually Green)
5 - RXD (usually White)

If you need to make it work with older EEPROM based JP1 remotes, you'll need a DIY Gadget JP1 EEPROM programming adapter $18 (+ $4 shipping):
https://www.diygadget.com/remote-contro ... p1-adapter

These adapters usually do not have pin1 marked. To find pin1, feel the adapter over the heat shrink tubing and you'll notice that one side is flat whereas you can feel the components on the other side. Looking at the flat side, pin1 is marked with white dots in this photo:

You can also use an Arduino cable as an EEPROM adapter, details here:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewt ... p?t=102890
http://www.hifi-remote.com/wiki/index.p ... er_remotes

If you want a 6-pin plug for the end, click here (select 2x3P, 6 pins):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304102714605 (10 for $10.17, US shipping)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263051820184 (40 for $4.94, China)

To remove the existing Dupont connector, use a blade and pop up the plastic tab over each connector and then pull the wire out. With the new connector, just slide each wire into the appropriate slot, with the connector tab facing up so that it pops out of the little window.

The following pic shows how the pins are numbered for the 6-pin connector in the remote itself:

This video shows you how to connect the cable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLYzsh-usTo

See this for other cheap cable sources:
http://hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16200

fkngstpd · Post by **fkngstpd** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:46 pm

Robman: Thank you very much for all the help. I will try to do the upgrade on my comcast remote for fun! Sorry I didnt realize it was your upgrade I was talking about for the DV75

mdavej: awesome, thanks for the link. I ordered the chip_partner one from ebay

I will do some searching and see if I can figure out the configuration of the pins and how to make it into the 6pin connector. But, if you have a link for a better description on how to do so I would really appreciate it. Ill check back later.

Thank you guys, you both rock! Im loving this JP1 stuff, its cool.

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:18 pm

Just added a link called "(Click for Pinout)" to the first post of the Where to Buy thread linked earlier.

http://hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic ... 684#108684

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:55 pm

Hey Dave, I decided to buy one of these cables too, just so once I figured it out I could help others, and it just arrived today.

First, I tried using the color pinouts from one of Tommy's docs, but that didn't work, then I followed your link and used the pinout from Revwillie's post and that didn't work, so I tried the one from nejpski's post and that didn't work either. In RMIR I always started with auto detect, then I tried each of the other options. In most cases, it says downloading and the lights flash on the interface, but I always got the "no remotes found" popup.

I downloaded the latest FTDI drivers from their web site, and I am testing this with a URC-8820 with batteries in it, in case any of that makes a differences.
http://hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php ... e_id=11199

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 2:11 pm

Fast flashes or slow? Virtual driver?

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 3:33 pm

Rob,
Do you really mean URC-8810N? Or URC-8820N? There is a URC-8810 sold in Europe by OFA, but I don't think we know anything about it. Regarding the URC-8820N, I suppose that someone has tried the chip-partner cable with JP1.2 remotes, but I don't know that for sure.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:48 pm

I knew I would get the model number wrong, that's how rusty I am with this stuff, and when I went to check the model number on the battery cover, I found that the cover came from a URC_6131N !

So yeah, the one that's basically the same shape as that, is that the 8820N ?

The flashes looked normal, and RMIR said it was downloading, but then it stopped and said no remotes.

And I was just attaching the wires to the pins individually, using the single connectors that it comes with. My intention was to throw a regular IDC connector on there, as I still have loads of them, but obviously I need the right pinout first.

And I am assuming that pin1 is still the one with the "cutout" in the border around the 6-pin, so top right corner as you look at it in the 8820.

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:51 pm

I'd use the 983 command to get the signature. Then we'll at least know which remote you're working with. Maybe Vicky can help with the pinout for a 8820. I'll check tonight on some JP1.3 remotes.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:27 pm

3FG wrote:Maybe Vicky can help with the pinout for a 8820. I'll check tonight on some JP1.3 remotes.

I dont have a clue as to what a pinout is, lol. The notch in the outline is still pin 1. There are two 8820n jp1.2 remotes that look like the 6131n. The can be differentiated by the colors of the oneforall logo or the signature. Then there is another URC 8820 that is some kind of cable remote that has one of the newer interface types jp2 i think but i am not sure.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:59 pm

lol, I don't need to blink it back, it's the One For All 8820

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 8:28 pm

so here's what I did, I went back to Tommy's doc on the FTDI cable and made a note of which color he was attaching to each pin, then I went to the FTDI spec to see what each color wire is, then I went to the ebay listing to see what color coding they use and I got to the right combination, which turns out is the combination that Revwillie posted, so I don't know why it didn't work before, but it works now.

The color codes for the chip_partner cable are:
1 - (empty):VDD
2 - Yellow:RTS
3 - Black:GND
4 - Green:TXD
5 - (empty)
6 - White:RXD
Blue:CTS (not connected)
Red:5V (not connected)

Ok, here's some advice for anyone that tries to add a regular IDC connector onto the end of one of these cables, when you wire it, use all 6 wires (ie, with red on pin 1 and blue on pin 5) then once you've got it clamped down, then snip the red and blue wires. If you snip them beforehand, it's virtually impossible to leave just the right spacing for the 2 missing wires (at least, it was for me).

Post by **mathdon** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:47 am

The link in the top post in this thread no longer goes to Chip Partner but to a supplier called asp_ezone. A web search for the same cable from Chip Partner gave me this link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PL2303TA-USB ... 6#payCntId. Which is the recommended supplier now? I am wondering whether to get a cable with separate leads in view of the issues that have arisen in this thread concerning the URC-2020.

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:02 am

You linked cable looks correct. I recently bought this one, but it hasn't arrived yet, so I can't confirm if it works or not. I couldn't find the new Chip Partner listing at the time.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/FTDI-FT232RL-U ... 2712195878

Gauchero · Post by **Gauchero** » Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:02 pm

Hey mdavej, did your Cable work? I bought the same one, and while downloading from remote with RMIR it appears an error. an dDownloading Raw fails with unable to read the signature... any conclusions?
I'm on a Mac by the way..

Kind Regards

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:46 pm

Mine didn't work either. Best to stick with Chip Partner.