Nobody asked me but...

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:40 pm

I have uploaded my current working IR file and associated RMDU upgrades in THIS FILE in the Diagnosis Area for anybody who wishes to look at what can be (or rather, what I have

) done with JP1. It only controls seven devices, but with use of Device Combiner, various special protocols (LKP, Pause, ToadTog, Custom Mode Name), and LOTS of upgrades and KeyMoves, I have my HT system (and HT Pro remote) doing precisely what I want - and, perhaps more importantly, it is EASY for the wife and kids to use the remote

, as they need not learn any obscure combinations of button presses.

I don't think I can cram any more in there, as I have ZERO upgrade space left, and only 6 bytes of Keymove/Macro space left. (Maxing out that EEPROM, baby!)

This IR file provides for complete control of my HT system, including:
(a) NEC 42MP3 Plasma TV (TV/1256 device upgrade)
(b) Pioneer VSX-D710S Receiver (CBL/1023 upgrade) - there is a built-in AUD/1023 device code but it had too few buttons mapped "conveniently"
(c) Sky+ satellite receiver/PVR (SAT/1847 device upgrade and $0020 RC6-M-20n protocol upgrade)
(d) Sharp DV-NC85 DVD/VCR combo unit (Effectively TWO devices - CBL/1018 upgrade for VCR; CBL/1085 with $01C9 Kaseikyo protocol upgrade for DVD)
(e) JVC XL-R304 5-disc CD changer (CD/0072 built-in device code)
(f) Scientific Atlanta Armed Forces Network Satellite Box (CBL/0877 built-in device code)
(g) Most Special Protocols pre-installed with the extender are used: LKP; ToadTog; Pause; and Custom Mode Name. DSM is deleted to make room for upgrades.
(h) Device Combiner is used solely to provide duration control for 5 CD and 1 SA Box functions. (I know this is a HUGE memory hog, but I needed the duration control badly, but what a BIG price to pay.)

General design:
(1) Phantom 1 is discrete on (via either advanced code or ToadTog - for SA Box and VCR/DVD player);
(2) Phantom 2 is discrete off (as above - except for Sky+ Box workaround via:Discrete on, Pause,Pause, Power Toggle);
(3) Device Buttons are programmed via Macros and LKPs on Phantom 3 to select the device (x-shift Phantom 1) via short keypress and turn on and line up all equipment for the appropriate device(Phantom1 and x-shift Phantom 2) on a long keypress;
(4) "Power" is programmed with LKPs to turn off the selected device on short press, and turn off ALL devices (shift-Phantom 2 macro) on long press;
(5) shift-Phantom 3 has Custom Mode Name for all device modes - it is called in xshift-Phantom 1 and Phantom 2 device selection macros);
(6) LKP on "Stop" for both DVD and VCR to "open"/"eject" on long press;
(7) In CD mode, keys 1-5 have LKPs for Disc Selection - short sends digit 1-5 (called from Device Combiner upgrade as the duration was too short directly from CD/0072), long selects Disc 1-5;
(8 ) SA Box Power toggle would not respond reliably to embedded signal in CBL/0877, so this is included in the Device Combiner for duration, as well;
(9) Created a 1 minute "commercial skip" for Sky+ PVR via Macro on COM/SKIP;
(10) "Sleep" button macro activates VCR timer for recording;
(11) "shift-Light" macro operates Receiver front panel dimmer;
(12) "Ch+/-" for RCVR/AMP assigned LKPs: short is Preset Station +/-, long is Tuner Frequency +/-;
(13) Further, in many macros and LKPs I use "shift-cloaking" to use the assigned device-specific function of a button otherwise tied up with a macro.

So there it is - if anybody cares.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:37 pm

I wrote up something similar a while back about my setup (see msg #16436 in the old Yahoo forum).

Here's my file...
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=1955

This setup controls the following 13 devices:

01) Toshiba 32" TV (using built-in TV/0156)
02) Panasonic VCR - PV4551 (using built-in VCR/1162)
03) Samsung Worldwide VCR SV5000 (using upgrade VCR/1240)
04) Pioneer DVD - DV525 (using built-in DVD/0571)
05) Raite DVD - AV715 (using upgrade DVD/0715)
06) ReplayTV 3060 (using upgrade CBL/0614)
07) Panasonic Showstopper 2000 (also using upgrade CBL/0614)
08) Aiwa receiver AV-DV75 (using device combiner CD/1406)
09) Sony CD player CDP-CE245 (also using device combiner CD/1406)
10) Sima SVS4 Video Selector (using upgrade CD/0400)
11) X10 IR543 (for the lights) (using upgrade HOME/1167)
12) Sony "Handycam" camcorder (using upgrade VCR/1111)
13) Viewmaster VM400+ Cable Box

Here's how the device buttons are mapped out:
TV - the TV
VCR - the Panasonic VCR
CBL - ReplayTV
CD - the receiver and the CD player
AUX1 - the Samsung VCR
AUX2 - the Pioneer DVD (and also the Raite DVD, the cable box and the camcorder)
P&P - X10

Inputs, et:
The Sima video selector is wired up to VIDEO1 on the TV and the Samsung VCR is wired up to VIDEO2. The Panasonic VCR is connected to the coaxial input, so the TV needs to be on Channel 03 to watch this VCR.

The Sima inputs are wired as follows:
1) Replay #1 - RTV3060
2) Replay #2 - Showstopper
3) DVD #1 - the Pioneer
4) DVD #2 - the Raite

When the camcorder is used, it's wired up to one of the inputs on the Samsung VCR

Key Moves and Learning:
I re-programmed alot of my key moves as learned commands, to free up memory for macros, but as learning can't be used with device buttons that use an upgraded protocol, I could only use key moves in CBL and CD modes. Also, learned commands are sometimes unreliable when used in macros, which is the case with the Sima input select codes, so I left those as key moves. However, the discrete ON and OFF commands for ReplayTV work when programmed as learned commands, so I transfered these to the learning section.

A few of the key moves are there to add buttons that are not programmed as part of the built in setup codes, or that can't be programmed due to the limits of the built-in key maps.

Of the rest, the 1S button has been programmed in all modes to be the input select for that device on my stereo receiver. In P&P mode, the REW & REC buttons are discrete ON and OFF commands for Replay #1 (the RTV3060), the FFWD and PAUSE buttons are discrete ON and OFF commands for Replay #2 (the Showstopper) and PLAY and STOP select input1 (Replay1) and input2 (Replay2) on the Sima.

In DVD mode (AUX2) the 2S and 3S buttons select input3 (Pioneer DVD) and input4 (Raite DVD).

In CD mode the 2S and 3S buttons are discrete ON and OFF buttons for the CD player. My CD player has a push-button POWER switch which cannot be controlled with the remote, so I hooked it up to an X10 box and created some "device specific" macros which switch to X10 (P&P) mode and turn the CD player either ON or OFF)

The Replay code (CBL/0614) works both units, so I use macros to make sure that the right unit is on and the other one is off. The SLEEP button is programmed (via the upgrade) to be the global discrete OFF. The POWER buton has been programmed (via key move) to be the Sima POWER button. The FAV/SCAN button sends the '3 minute skip" signal.

Macros
Shift-Power = This is the power toggle macro, it will turn most things ON and all things OFF
Shift-Device Buttons = these macros assume that the system is OFF, they turn on the selected device and select all the right inputs (shift-CBL selects Replay#1, shift-SLEEP selects Replay#2)
2s - switches from Replay2 to Replay1 (and makes sure the receiver's input is correct)
3s - switches from Replay1 to Replay2 (and makes sure the receiver's input is correct)

shift-1s - changes AUX2 to use the camcorder setup code (this is a key move)
shift-2s - changes AUX2 to use the Pioneer DVD setup code and selects the right Sima input
shift-3s - changes AUX2 to use the Raite DVD setup code and selects the right Sima input
shift-4s - changes AUX2 to use the cable box setup code (this is a key move)
(these four buttons use the "device multiplexer")
(for the most part the cable box is controlled by Replay, so I never really need to use the last macro above)

Upgrades
The Raite, Sima, Camcorder and ReplayTV all were unsupported devices, so these all needed upgrades. The Samsung is partially supported by the
built-in VCR/0240 code, but it uses the wrong version of the NEC protocol and it needed a ton of key moves to fix it up, so I created an upgrade. The X10 stuff is completely supported by the built-in HOME/0167 code, but this code has the "All Off" function on the MUTE button, whereas I wanted it on the SLEEP button. as the SLEEP button is not programmable using key moves, I had to create an upgrade to program it.

My CD player uses CD/0000. My Aiwa receiver uses codes from RCVR/0405, AMP/0406 and CD/0404 (only AMP/0406 is in the 15-1994), so I needed to combine these anyway, so I used the device combiner to combine these three codes with the CD players code, so I could put them all on the CD button.

TV/1101 and protocol $01FE are Nicola's "device-multiplexer" special protocol
TV/1103 and protocol $01FC are Nicola's "selective-macro" special protocol

Protocol $0145 is the version of the hacked Replay protocol that supports putting functions on the FAV/SCAN button

Protocol $0144 is the device combiner.

Volume Punch Through
I created my Replay upgrade as a CBL code and my receiver/CD combo code as a CD code, so I wouldn't have to change the CBL and CD buttons from their natural state. This enabled my to set the VPT to CD and have it work on both devices (in addition to TV and VCR modes). I used learning to program the volume buttons in AUX1 and AUX2 modes.

There you have it, that's my setup. Probably simpler than you thought I would have. I never got around to using an extender because I had no need to program macros to the (un-shifted) device buttons and I didn't run out of memory to do what I wanted.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 1:14 am

Brilliant use of available memory and capabilities, Rob. I remember studying your 1994 program about 3 years ago over on the old Yahoo site and marveling at how much you crammed in.

The beauty of JP1, of course, is that each user can set up his remote to meet his own goals. I think the WAF of your setup would be very low in my house, hence I went for more LKP's and (to my mind) "convenience" features (Custom mode name, one button operations, etc) rather than so many "shifted" functions for basic stuff.

I entered the process with somewhat opposing goals, in that (a) I wanted to control EVERYTHING, every little obscure function that all of my OEM remotes had, from a single remote, and reduce the clutter on the coffee table; and (b) it had to be sufficiently SIMPLE that my spouse and kids could get the gear to do what they need/want without having to understand how to wade through the various levels of functionality I was programming.

In short, I decided that pressing "shift"-ANYTHING was too hard for others to use (OK for ME if I'm tweaking TV picture settings or Amplifier speaker output balance settings), so any keys that my wife and kids needed multiple functions on had to use the LongKeyPress protocol. Since my DVD/VCR and SA AFn Box have no discrete on and off, and my TV had ONLY discrete on and off, I needed the ToadTog protocol to add the missing functions. Finally, I agreed with many that to simply watch the TV, or a DVD, despite the ability to put macros on other keys, one really needs to just have a single button press of the device keys to do so.

Another nuisance was the ETERNITY it took for macros to run. Hence the extender.

I also have no PIP functions, but have TV aspect ratio and Zoom functions assigned to the PIP/Swap/Move family and punch those through to TV in all device modes.

Many tweaks, many months (and my wife thinks I've gone nuts playing with this stuff - but it's a cheaper and a less harmful pastime than going out drinking and gambling with the boys

), but I'm really satisfied with my current layout, IT WORKS, and the cost was minimal. (~$40 for the remote, plus ~$10 for the cable) Those expensive fancy-ass Prontos and Harmonys can go run and hide, 'cause I don't have to look at MY remote to use it - all by feel.

Of course, I do miss drinking and gambling with the boys every now and again.

Post by **The Robman** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 6:20 am

If you take another look, the only shift functions that I really have are the startup/close-down macros. I agree that for normal use, shifting is inconvenient, but for things that you only do once it's quite acceptable.

The WAF and KAF in my household is perfect. The kids think that the SLEEP button is another device button (and it sure looks like one), so they know that to fire up the system all they have to do is P-SLEEP. My wife uses P-CBL, and then to close it down, they all use P-POWER.