switching protocols

[kwhumphreys]

I'm using the ReplayTV 5k extender, and have a Panasonic HT and a Panasonic VCR. The existing upgrade files for these use different protocols: Panasonic Combo for the HT and Panasonic MIX Combo for the VCR. Can I switch the protocol on one of the upgrades so that they both use the same and I can save memory by only using one?
I naively tried switching protocols and using the original device numbers but got either no function or bizarre function. How should I be doing this, if it's possible at all?

Thanks for all the info here.

[Capn Trips]

I'm using the ReplayTV 5k extender, and have a Panasonic HT and a Panasonic VCR. The existing upgrade files for these use different protocols: Panasonic Combo for the HT and Panasonic MIX Combo for the VCR. Can I switch the protocol on one of the upgrades so that they both use the same and I can save memory by only using one?

I would imagine that you can, but it's likely not JUST selecting a different protocol in the device upgrade. You would have to ensure that the data entry for each function fits the slightly different format for use with the alternative protocol.

I naively tried switching protocols and using the original device numbers but got either no function or bizarre function. How should I be doing this, if it's possible at all?

I can't really speculate without more data. How about posting the two upgrades you're talking about and someone can take a look and see. (Include links, please)

[Mark Pierson]

Panasonic Combo for the HT and Panasonic MIX Combo for the VCR. Can I switch the protocol on one of the upgrades so that they both use the same and I can save memory by only using one?

You should be able to use the Panasonic MIX Combo for both. The trick is that BOTH upgrades must have the protocol parameters for device/sub-device setup identically. The key to all this is that both upgrades MUST have their protocol parameters setup the same so that the proper Fixed Data is used in the device upgrades. The only problem you'll have will be if the total number of device/sub-devices used by both upgrades exceeds the 6 allowed by the MIX protocol.

The easiest way I know to do this is to add the HT dev's/sub-dev's to the VCR upgrade (but don't add any HT functions to the VCR upgrade). This will be your "master" protocol.

Then modify the HT upgrade to use the MIX protocol and setup the parameters so that they are IDENTICAL to the VCR upgrade. Next, for the HT functions, specify the appropriate byte2 (if you're using KM) settings for the HT dev/sub-dev.

Now, when you copy the protocol data over to IR, only copy the "master" protocol code from the VCR upgrade. As a precaution, make sure that both upgrades create the same Fixed Data (if they don't match it's likely that neither upgrade will work). Since you made the HT upgrade's protocol settings the same as the VCR's (you did, right?), you only need to copy the HT's Device Upgrade into IR. Of course, copy the VCR's Device Upgrade code into IR as well.

This is the same "trick" that's been used with the Device Combiner protocol to create multiple upgrades that share a single upgrade protocol. The only thing that matters is that all the upgrades have the protocol parameters configured the same way.

[kwhumphreys]

Thanks - I'll see how far I can get.
The upgrades I'm trying to combine are:
Panasonic SC-HT05 https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=2077
Panasonic PV-V4520 https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... ile_id=851
My remote is the ReplayTV 5k.
Thanks
Kevin

[Capn Trips]

You should be able to use the Panasonic MIX Combo for both. The trick is that BOTH upgrades must have the protocol parameters for device/sub-device setup identically.

I am hesitant to dispute Mark, but I believe he's slightly mistaken. (Perhaps even greatly mistaken? ) You can indeed use the Panasonic MIX Combo protocol to re-create the HT upgrade, BUT there is no requirement to setup the Device/Sub-device list identically in both upgrades. These data certainly WILL affect your fixed data, but the fixed data are part of the DEVICE upgrade, and do NOT affect the PROTOCOL upgrade.

In fact, I just did a little experiment to test this, and regardless of what device/subdevice numbers are entered in the setup sheet, the PROTOCOL upgrade for Panasonic MIX combo remains the same. So I believe the special care Mark refers to here:

The key to all this is that both upgrades MUST have their protocol parameters setup the same so that the proper Fixed Data is used in the device upgrades. ...add the HT dev's/sub-dev's to the VCR upgrade (but don't add any HT functions to the VCR upgrade). This will be your "master" protocol.

Then modify the HT upgrade to use the MIX protocol and setup the parameters so that they are IDENTICAL to the VCR upgrade. Next, for the HT functions, specify the appropriate byte2 (if you're using KM) settings for the HT dev/sub-dev.

Now, when you copy the protocol data over to IR, only copy the "master" protocol code from the VCR upgrade. As a precaution, make sure that both upgrades create the same Fixed Data (if they don't match it's likely that neither upgrade will work).

...is not warranted.

You will, of course, still have TWO DEVICE UPGRADES, but both will use the SAME PROTOCOL UPGRADE.

HOWEVER, you will still have to do some manual manipulation to get the HT upgrade "built" using the Panasonic MIX Combo protocol. Specifically, you'll have to list ITS devices and subdevices in order on the setup page, and assign the appropriate subdevice on the functions worksheet by refering to them by numbers corresponding to their position in that setup table (1 through 5) whereas in the Panasonic Combo protocol, the subdevices are listed directly with each function on the functions worksheet. (Read the protocol Help worksheet in KM)

HOWEVER.... I think you can get away with using the Panasonic Combo 2 protocol for each upgrade, since it requires a SINGLE Device in each upgrade, and that is precisely what you have. You will have to copy down the function data from the one that is NOT using the protocol you want, and manually enter that data once you shoift protocol selections in RM.

The VCR upgrade uses device 144 and sub-devices 0, 1, and 5, while the HT upgrade uses device no device number (are you sire this works on your system? Almost all of the other HT -tuners use device 160.) and subdevices 0, 4, and 20. As long as you enter the data correctly on both the setup sheet and the functions sheet, there's no reason you need two protocol upgrades.

I would suggest that perhaps THIS HT upgrade might be more ... "robust" ... than the one you're using, (and it seems to have enjoyed more downloads than the one you chose) but only you can tell what upgrade operates your gear best.

I hope this helps somewhat. If not, ask some more.

[Mark Pierson]

I am hesitant to dispute Mark, but I believe he's slightly mistaken. (Perhaps even greatly mistaken? )

More precisely, confused! As long as the two upgrades are setup properly themselves, they can and will share the MIX protocol just fine. Each upgrade maintains and uses its Fixed Data independently.

Sorry for the confusion... just too many distraction at home last evening I guess.

[The Robman]

The Capn is right about this one, there's no requirement to keep the parameters the same between the upgrades. If you can make do with the limited number of sub-devices that the MIX protocol lets you use for your HT, you should be all set.

[kwhumphreys]

Thanks for all the help - I'll work on this over the weekend.

The VCR upgrade uses device 144 and sub-devices 0, 1, and 5, while the HT upgrade uses device no device number (are you sire this works on your system? Almost all of the other HT -tuners use device 160.) and subdevices 0, 4, and 20. As long as you enter the data correctly on both the setup sheet and the functions sheet, there's no reason you need two protocol upgrades.

I would suggest that perhaps THIS HT upgrade might be more ... "robust" ... than the one you're using, (and it seems to have enjoyed more downloads than the one you chose) but only you can tell what upgrade operates your gear best.

The HT-05 and HT-Combo are very different devices I think. The HT-05 is just a receiver/tuner, with a lot of functions for switching inputs and toggling sound processing, while the HT-Combo appears to be a tuner/cd combo. The HT-05 upgrade works fine for me (apart from the discretes) - the device defaults to 160 (hover shows it in RM) but I don't know where it gets it from (the protocol?).

Thanks, Capn, for posting the new HT-MIX-Combo file - I'll compare with the original and see if I can do the same for the HT-05.

[kwhumphreys]

Thanks all.

Switching the HT-05 upgrade from the Combo protocol to the MIX Combo worked fine, after fixing the subdevice numbers. I now have two device upgrades sharing a single protocol upgrade, and saving some memory (to add more device upgrades).

Then, feeling confident, I looked at the other Panasonic protocols and saw (in RM) that the Panasonic Multi-Device (Hacked) protocol gave no protocol upgrade for the ReplayTV remote (meaning it's built in, I assume?). So I switched both the HT and the VCR upgrades to the Multi-Device protocol, thinking I could save more memory. But nothing worked - the HT and VCR modes just operated the ReplayTV.

So how can you tell which protocols can be interchanged for a particular device? Did I just get lucky that the Combo and MIX Combos are similar, but the Multi-Device is completely different?

Kevin

[ElizabethD]

RM Multidevice = KM Panasonic Combo2
Panasonic Combo is built into some remotes.
Panasonic Combo is wrong in some remotes.
Panasonic Combo2 is not built into any as far as I know.