JP1 Remotes

JamieGuy · Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Bothell, WA

Greetings!

I'm not a complete n00b, having successfully programmed my URC-8811 some time ago, but I am new to Remote Master, and I'm having a problem.

I just got a new URC-6131nw, and successfully installed the chip and JP1 header. I can communicate with IR.exe just fine, so now I'm trying to redo my old upgrades for the new remote.

The problem is that in Remote Master, when I try to assign a function to the "Audio" or "CC" buttons , the function is applied to both buttons. Furthermore, the "Buttons" tab only shows one button, labeled "Audio(CC)".

I see in the RDF file for this remote (PVR0PVR0) the button list, and it only lists the one "Audio(CC)" button. Is this a bug in the RDF for this device, and if so, how can I find the values to add the other button?

I also have a couple of other questions about how RM works, and about the 6131:

1. RM allows you to edit the function of the device selection buttons at the top of the remote. Normally these buttons simply change the mode of the remote; what would happen if I set one of the functions with RM?

2. The bottom four buttons on the picture of the remote in the "Layout" tab don't have yellow circles around them, but it appears you can set their functions as well (including the "Set" button, which seems like a bad idea like the device selection buttons). Is there a reason these aren't circled?

3. How do you access the "shifted" functions when using the remote? Is there a way to access dev7 and dev8?

Thanks in advance,

Jamie

The Robman · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:52 pm Post subject:

Don't worry Jamie, you're not losing your mind, this is UEI's fault. Keep in mind that the URC-6131nw internally is the same remote as the older URC-6131, and on that remote the CC and AUDIO functions are combined onto the same button.

UEI obviously decided that those 2 functions have nothing to do with each other (like CC and SUBTITLE might have been a better idea) so for the new remote they decided to seperate the buttons, but as they are using the same firmware that came with the URC-6131 remote, they can't, so they just spread the one button across 2 physical buttons. Therefore, even though the AUDIO and CC buttons now "look" like seperate buttons, they are in fact still the same single button.
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

zaphod7501 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 533 Location: Peoria Illinois

The 6131 is my remote of choice. Did you mean the Audio(CC) button or have you noticed that sometimes changing one button on the layout or buttons page resets another button? You can change the misapplied button back again and you want to watch for undesired changes. On mine changing a button often causes the TV/Vid button to change also to match the one I added.

1: You can try to change the device buttons but it won't have any effect unless you are running the extender. Many people use "shifted" device buttons for startup macros.
2: The bottom buttons (PIP, etc) aren't circled to indicate that a keymove will be needed add a function there. Circled buttons are included in the mapping (defined by type of device -- PVR, VCR, TV, etc) and don't require a keymove.
3: The "set" key is the "shift" key on most remotes (this one included) and the procedure is to press it then the desired key (a numeric 0-9 shifted key requires two presses of "shift" to activate something like a "shifted 2" for instance.
4: dev7 (8) must be selected with a macro that has dev7 (8) as the last step, leaving the remote in dev7 (8) mode.

With the extender you can use any button you want as "shift" without the double press limitation on numeric shifted keys. Without the extender you can define a different key as "shift" with a macro (if you find it hard to press the recessed "set" key) like PVR_Menu=Set[Setup] as I do. Actually I define my "shift" as PVR_Menu=Set[Setup];Set[Setup] so that it will activate "shifted" numeric keys without actually pressing "shift" twice.

Start simple and get complicated later, and document what you do. I just got a new display and it took me forever to figure out my old macros and keymoves and change them.
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The Robman · Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject:

JamieGuy · Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Bothell, WA

Thanks for the quick responses! You guys are great.

The Robman · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 6:55 am Post subject:

By the way, if you're handy with a soldering iron and don't mind doing some delicate soldering (much more delicate than just adding an EEPROM), you can probably re-wire one of those two buttons to be a regular button. It wouldn't be part of any of the keymaps of course, so you'd need to use keymoves to program it, but you would have one extra button.

If this is something that you want to try, let us know and one of the experts will tell you what traces to cut and where to re-wire them.
_________________
Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

JamieGuy · Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Bothell, WA

The Robman · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:14 pm Post subject:

All of the buttons find their way back to the processor by way of a grid. There are 2 sets of 8 pins on the processor that the grid connects to.

What you need to do is break this button out of the grid by cutting a couple of traces, and then put it back into the grid by attaching the button to different traces.

We haven't done a hack like this in a long while, but back in the old days, a few people did this sort of mod to convert the FAV/SCAN button on the 15-1994 remote into a regular button.

I just found the file in the photo section of the old Yahoo group, hopefully this link will work. If it doesn't, go to Photos > 15-1994 Hacks > sleep-swap

I'm not expert enough in this area to tell you which lines to cut and where to solder them to though, so hopefully someone else will help out with that info.
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

JamieGuy · Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Bothell, WA

OK, I think I see the theory. I don't think I'll mess with it now, but it's cool to know just how flexible these things are.

I do have another question though. Is there a way to see what functions are mapped to each key in the default codes? For some of my devices, the standard codes are almost enough, so a couple of keymoves would get me there. But it'd be nice if I could see at a glance what functions are already supported, to avoid just standing in front of the TV and pushing them all in turn...

Jamie

underquark · Expert Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 874 Location: UK

I think you mean "is there an easy way to read the standard setup codes from the ROM?". No, I'm afraid, but you can enter a standard code and assign it to a device button and then use a second, learning, remote to capture the signals and read off the codes via IR. Or you can use IR to KeyMove functions from one device to the button on another (or the same device, if you must) and then read the Hex Cmd codes from the Key Moves tab.

The Robman · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 8:15 pm Post subject:

If you just have one or two setup codes that you'd like to see the default mapping for, state what they are and one of us can probably cook something up.

But even so, seeing as how you now have 2kbs of memory where almost all of it is dedicated to upgrades, you have more upgrade memory than you are ever likely to need, so why not just download the upgrade files for each of your devices and map the buttons exactly how you want them. That way you won't waste any of your precious keymove / macro memory correcting the built in codes.
_________________
Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

JamieGuy · Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Bothell, WA