Is my URC 7980 dead?

Ube_Astard · Post by **Ube_Astard** » Sun Jan 02, 2022 4:40 am

I am no longer getting a response from my remote after connecting it to my JP1 connector. It has actually been playing up over a period of time when connected to the cable and RMIR would often show 'no remote connected', then either rearranging the batteries or reseating the connector would fix this. However on this last connection the remote seems to have died completely and I need ideas what to do the get it active again please.

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:35 pm

Are your other remotes working fine, using the same cable that you use on the 7980? Does the 7980 still work as a remote?

Post by **mathdon** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:22 am

Ube Astard wrote:I am no longer getting a response from my remote after connecting it to my JP1 connector. ... However on this last connection the remote seems to have died completely

The first sentence seems to imply that the remote itself is working correctly and your problem is that it won't work with RMIR. The second one suggests that the remote itself is dead. Which is it?

If the remote is working then, from what you say about it having been playing up when used with a cable, it suggests that there is a poor connection. I think this is most likely in the cable rather than the remote, and would suggest that you get another cable.

If the remote is not working, have you tried taking out the batteries - all of them - then pressing a key to discharge any power stored in a capacitor and only then replacing the batteries. I used to think that just removing one battery was enough to remove the power from the remote, but this remote seems to get enough power to retain some data if just one of the two pairs of batteries is present. That is why I emphasise removing ALL the batteries.

Ube_Astard · Post by **Ube_Astard** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:54 am

Thanks for picking this up guys. The cable is working fine with other remotes and the remote is not responding at all, completely dead, also yes I have tried removing all the batteries.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:35 pm

Ube_Astard wrote:...also yes I have tried removing all the batteries.

Removing the batteries is just step 1, the next step is pressing a button on the remote, did you do that also? (It's needed to discharge the capacitors, in case you're curious).

Ube_Astard · Post by **Ube_Astard** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 6:20 pm

The Robman wrote:
Ube_Astard wrote:...also yes I have tried removing all the batteries.
Removing the batteries is just step 1, the next step is pressing a button on the remote, did you do that also? (It's needed to discharge the capacitors, in case you're curious).

Yes, I knew from the previous post about discharging the capacitors by pressing buttons.

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:55 pm

I have a URC7980 which I've only used for testing. My experience is that the remote is pretty finicky. I find that sometimes after pulling the batteries, it may take a couple of minutes before the remote is responsive. I think the remote always needs at least 5 seconds after a reset to wake up, but it can be quite a bit longer.

Also, the pins on the JP1 connector are shorter than normal and I have trouble making reliable contact. I normally like to look at the remote face to see a device LED blink when up or downloading, but when I try that with the 7980, RMIR will typically tell me that no remotes are found. Often I find that after using RMIR, I need to pull the batteries to get a response from the remote. Perhaps this is caused by making multiple contacts as I remove the cable.

So I have several times believed that I had bricked the remote, but it hasn't actually been the case. I just needed to fiddle with it get a good connection, pull the batteries, or just be patient to wait for it to wake up.

Ube_Astard · Post by **Ube_Astard** » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:56 am

Thanks for the reply, I have had no batteries in since my last try. Agin I have just picked the remote up and pressed the buttons again then put batteries in, no response still.

Ube_Astard · Post by **Ube_Astard** » Thu Jan 20, 2022 11:46 am

I contacted the lovely people at OFA for help and they advised me the remote is covered for 2 years which I didn't know. They discontinued the 7980 as it wasn't selling but are sending me a replacement 7955 which is 5 devices and also some other 8 device remote (think its the URC 1280) which isn't customer upgradable, this is as my 7980 was an 8 device remote. OTT but really nice of them.