Making my URC 6012W work with JP1 cable

g4macmaniac · Post by **g4macmaniac** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 10:20 am

I have a URC 6012W remote, but its JP1 header is just a grid of 6 holes (no male header in the remote). Is there an easy way I can add a header to make this remote JP1 compatible? (...and why the heck did OFA leave out the header anyway???).

Thanks.

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 10:37 am

They didn't just leave out the header...
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2590

g4macmaniac · Post by **g4macmaniac** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 3:32 pm

Okay, I've done all the modifications to the remote:
(1) soldered in JMP2
(2) soldered in 6-pin JP1 header
(3) soldered on the 8-pin EEPROM (8K byte, 24AA64-I/SN)

I did a 981 reset, as instructed, and after doing that I get 4 flashes, but they're more like 2 flashes, a brief pause (half second maybe), then two more flashes. So, is that the "all clear" that I did everything correct?

I'm afraid to JP1 connect the remote until I'm sure the 2+2 flashes = 4 flashes I was expecting.

If having an 8KB EEPROM versus a 2K EEPROM could have caused the 2+2 flashes after the 981 reset, I'd be surprised (but relieved I guess).

Thanks

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:01 pm

g4macmaniac wrote:So, is that the "all clear" that I did everything correct?

Yup, go ahead and connect the cable... you should be good to go!

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:04 pm

g4macmaniac wrote: I did a 981 reset, as instructed, and after doing that I get 4 flashes, but they're more like 2 flashes, a brief pause (half second maybe), then two more flashes.

That is correct behavior.

g4macmaniac wrote: If having an 8KB EEPROM versus a 2K EEPROM could have caused the 2+2 flashes after the 981 reset, I'd be surprised (but relieved I guess).

It's always 2+2.
The length of the pause between the 2 and 2 does depend on the eeprom.

I hope you saw threads and/or files on the extra steps you need to do for a 4K+ eeprom before other things will work right. (The 981 reset works before that and is a good test of your soldering, but will need to be done again after you run the test for the startup address anomoly in order to find out what rdf and extender you need).

g4macmaniac · Post by **g4macmaniac** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 5:07 pm

I was under the impression I could get by without the extender unless I wanted to utilize the extra address space above 2K in the 8K EEPROM... was I mistaken?

If so, could you kindly point me to where I can get the information you're referring to (bug workaround and/or extender needed)? I'm just learning still. Thanks.

At least the soldering worked! Thanks!

mtakahar · Post by **mtakahar** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:19 pm

You'll have to create a custom RDF (and patch the extender if you decide to use one) after finding out some chip specific values. Download this file and follow the instructions in it.

Hal

mtakahar · Post by **mtakahar** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:34 pm

g4macmaniac wrote:I was under the impression I could get by without the extender unless I wanted to utilize the extra address space above 2K in the 8K EEPROM... was I mistaken?

No, you were not. You don't have to use the extender. It is just that you still have to go through some extra steps for almost nothing without the extender.

Hal

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:14 pm

mtakahar wrote:You'll have to create a custom RDF

I guess the design for RDF files has evolved a little since I made the ones included in the .zip file, whose URL Hal just posted.

You still need to run the test program included in that .zip to find the special address for your eeprom chip. If you post that address, someone can help you figure out how to adjust a current RDF file for that address, or (if the address is one of the three that has rdf files in that .zip) maybe how to bring that old .rdf up to current.

More instructions are in the Readme in that .zip

Once you have the right RDF, there is very little beyond ordinary use of IR.EXE to setting your config up the first time and basically nothing beyond ordinary IR.EXE use after that. If you decide not to use the extender, you get the same KeyMove/Macro capacity as a 2K chip, with double the learning capacity and three times the upgrade capacity. That a lot less than you ought to get for an eeprom that's four times bigger. But it's something.

g4macmaniac · Post by **g4macmaniac** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:36 am

Thanks, johnsfine!

I used the script you provided, and it identified the EEPROM as $1F95, for which there appeared to be extender & rdf files in the zip, so I tried them... unfortunately there were plenty of problems. The best way to explain is to go through the process I followed, so here's what I did:

Opened IR.exe (vers 6.00rc3)
opened 6012_extender_8K$1F95.txt
tested JP1 interface (ok)
set transmission speed to 1600 (slow -- I tried various speeds later with no difference)
executed Download from remote

popup message: WARNING: No data found in signature. This indicates that the interface isn't working (unless you have manually cleared the signature bytes, in which case it's normal). Do you want to cancel the operation?

(selected "no")

popup to select remote Type (from available list of RDF's)

(selected "6012x2 8K$1F95 (6_80_8x2)")

popup msg: WARNING: Bad checksum at address $0000. Expected $F7 $08, but found $00 $00

(clicked "ok")

popup msg: CONFIRM: There is a conflict at fixed data address $0023. Do you want to replace existing data with the fixed data?

(clicked "yes")

WARNING: Protocol list not found after device list

(clicked "ok")

IR ERROR: Access violation at address 004B3CBE in module 'ir.exe', Write of address FC29118D.

(clicked "ok" to dismiss message, but I'm pretty sure there's a major problem by this point)

now IR shows Move/Macro has 5972 free (with some consumption), and upgrade has 82561203 free! Must be wrong???

Device list looks jumbled with lots of repeating VCR/DVD: 0772 listed. When clicking on any of them, I get another IR ERROR box similar to above, but different address info.

General tab has lots of errors.

Macros seem intact, though I didn't program them, so they must be from the extender.

Protocol list is full of repeats too, with same "access violation" message when I click on any in the left pane if IR.exe.

I tried several different RDF's too, including the one w/o EEPROM mentioned. What am I doing wrong? Did I purchase the wrong EEPROM?

Any help/advice would be great.

Chris

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:50 am

I haven't yet looked through your full description of actions. But I think I may understand the main problem.

The test program that computes that 1F95 trashes the eeprom contents, so neither the remote itself nor IR.EXE will understand them after that.

You need a 981 reset after running that test. Also, until you have done an upload to the remote using the correct RDF file, the remote itself well frequently misunderstand its eeprom contents, so you may need 981 resets after any imperfect step in your initial experimentation with the remote.

g4macmaniac · Post by **g4macmaniac** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:14 am

Thanks, I'll give it a try after resetting the remote.

johnsfine wrote:Also, until you have done an upload to the remote using the correct RDF file, the remote itself well frequently misunderstand its eeprom contents, so you may need 981 resets after any imperfect step in your initial experimentation with the remote.

I was just afraid of trashing the remote by uploading anything "illegal" and so wanted a valid download first... so I wanted to start with a correct RDF before attempting the first upload (if that makes any sense)

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:35 am

On a download IR.EXE should automatically select the RDF and that generally won't be a good choice for a 8K eeprom. There is nothing of value you can get from an initial download from an 8K eeprom. You need an initial upload (after using IR's NEW command with the correct RDF) and you need it to be soon enough after the last 981 reset that the remote hasn't totally confused itself by misreading the eeprom.

I'll try to find time soon to update some of those old big_eeprom RDF files to the new standard.

g4macmaniac · Post by **g4macmaniac** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 2:12 am

It worked beautifully. Resetting the remote after reading the EEPROM signature value did the trick.

I couldn't find an RDF that had the $1F95 signature for an 8K EEPROM that's extender3, so I created one (by modifying the latest one that's got signature $1815 instead of $1F95).

I verified everything so far with successful up/downloads to/from my remote. But I have not activated the extender or used it.

I might try to upload my RDF to the files section (yahoo group).