Another Newbie Question -Need remote for uncommon components

paulcalif · Post by **paulcalif** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:46 am

I need a new Universal Remote. I have two components that are not very common. I don't care about advanced functions on these two.

One is a "Global" brand cable box - just need on/off, channel up down direct channel entry, and volume.

The second is the Liteon DVD Player, the LVD2002, just want basic DVD functions.

I don't think the other components will pose a problem but I'll list them in case any stand out.

JVC VCR HRSS73300U
JVC DVD XV--511
JVC CD Player XL F252
JVC Receiver RX - 770VV
Sony 61" Projection TV - KP61HS20

I have ALL of the original remotes.

I bought the Radio Shack Kameleon - but I think it's going back today. I was only able to teach it on/off for the cable box. It refused to learn volume, or channel up down. And none of the codes worked with the JVC Receiver.

I received a personal email saying I should consider the 15-2116 and the URC-8811.

This person also suggested that I post here for additional advice.

My question is, will either of these recommended remotes work with my two "uncommon" components when the Kameleon will not?

Would you recommend either of these remotes or a different one.

I am very computer literate and will tackle learning JP1 if necessary. I'm not a programmer, but have built probably 100 computers.

Thanks in advance!

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 11:32 am

If the Kameleon won't control these devices, it's unlikely that the other two remotes will either, "out of the box" that is. When programmed using JP1, you should be able to control all of your devices with any of these remotes.

paulcalif · Post by **paulcalif** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:17 pm

Not knowing anything about JP1, what information will I need in order to promgram a remote to work with my uncommon components? Is it trial and error? Can I read the output from my existing remotes? I doubt that I'm going to be able to find much info. on the cable box.

I would have thought that any remote that can "read" another remotes signals would be able to copy them, guess that is not the case.

Thanks for the reply.

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:43 pm

paulcalif wrote: I bought the Radio Shack Kameleon - but I think it's going back today. I was only able to teach it on/off for the cable box. It refused to learn volume, or channel up down.

I'm rather surprised it could learn On/Off but couldn't learn the rest of the signals. In the very rare case you get a protocol one of these remotes can't learn, it usually can't learn any of that devices functions.

The RS Kameleon has the same very limited learning memory as most other JP! capable remotes. Maybe learning memory got full at that point or maybe you had some problem with "volume punch through" or other beginner confusing feature.

With a JP1 cable you can download the Remote's eeprom image to a PC and see decodes of your learned signals. If your problem is full learning memory, you can reprogram your learned signals to be stored in a different (more compact) form in a different section of eeprom, so that you have room to learn more signals.

If something is strange about your devices so that only some commands can be learned, you can post a decode of learned signals, and/or put a copy of the eeprom image in our diagnosis folder and some expert will figure out how to construct the remaining signals.

usblipitor · Post by **usblipitor** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:56 pm

Paul,

Order ($14) or build a JP1 cable. Obtain a cheap learning remote, such as the 8810w (wal mart $19) or 8811 (Rob, $25). While waiting for them to arrive, read the beginner's tutorial.

Basically the steps are:
1. Learn all the buttons from the OEM remote to the 8811.
2. Attach 8811 to cable, run IR, press "upload" in IR.
3. Click on the learn tab, write all that stuff down.
4. Run KM, type in all the stuff you wrote down.
5. copy one (or sometimes two) boxes with crazy hex numbers in them from KM back to IR.
6. press the "download" button in IR.

I left out a few steps. Like you should look to see if anyone already created a device upgrade before you spent the 5 minutes required to build one yourself. You should delete the learned codes in the remote after you have written them down. You should save an IR.txt file with the original remote's image. You should pick the correct rdf in IR before you start. You should copy the KM device box to the IR device tab, and the KM protocol box to the IR protocol tab. You will need a parallel port and a windows computer, not a mac. You will need microsoft excel with the analysis toolpacks installed, or you will need to download Java and use RM instead of KM.

Having said all that, basically, the experts who wrote these tools did a fine job of making it pretty darn easy to get up and running quickly, even if you have the brain of a monkey. (now we wait for someone to ask me if this is firsthand knowledge.

)

HNY,

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:23 pm

usblipitor wrote:(now we wait for someone to ask me if this is firsthand knowledge.)

I really don't see a need in asking...

paulcalif · Post by **paulcalif** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:30 pm

Great, I was hoping it would be as simple as that. Is the 8810w the Walmart equivalent of the 8811? I'd like to get the remote ASAP

Thanks a bunch

usblipitor · Post by **usblipitor** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:35 pm

paulcalif wrote:Great, I was hoping it would be as simple as that. Is the 8810w the Walmart equivalent of the 8811?

Yep.

jamesgammel · Post by **jamesgammel** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:38 pm

Yep, hopefully a store near you doesn't have an idiot manager and you'll find one there.

Jim

usblipitor · Post by **usblipitor** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:42 pm

jamesgammel wrote:Yep, hopefully a store near you doesn't have an idiot manager and you'll find one there.

They all have idiot managers. I think we went over this in another thread.

jamesgammel · Post by **jamesgammel** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 2:07 pm

gosh, I musta missed that thread. I guess i better search for it.

Jim

paulcalif · Post by **paulcalif** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:05 pm

You guys are cracking my up. My local Walmart had the remote and I now own it. I was able to program the four programable keys from the cable box remote. I think the problem I was having with the Kameleon was an ID Ten T issue. (ID10T = Idiot). (User mistake). I put in the codes for the other devices I have, and to be honest, they don't work very well. On/Off works with everything, but changing CDs in my CD changer doesn't work. Switching between inputs on my receiver doesn't work either. So my question now is, should I wait until Monday to call in and see if there are more specific code s for my devices? I'm pretty sure they are not going to have anything for the cable box or the Liteon DVD player.

I'm going to take a look at the instructions for making a JP1 cable. I have a million computer cables laying around so I ought to be able to come up with something.

Thanks again guys!!

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:11 pm

paulcalif wrote:I was able to program the four programable keys from the cable box remote.

Almost all the keys can take learned signals. The manual misleads you into thinking only four keys can.

paulcalif wrote:should I wait until Monday to call in and see if there are more specific code s for my devices? I'm pretty sure they are not going to have anything for the cable box or the Liteon DVD player.

For any devices where some setup code partially works, tell us which setup code and we will probably know some advanced codes or another setup code to do better.

paulcalif wrote: I'm going to take a look at the instructions for making a JP1 cable. I have a million computer cables laying around so I ought to be able to come up with something.

Good idea. That will make your 8810w into a much better remote and solve all the questions about your devices.

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:26 pm

jamesgammel wrote:gosh, I musta missed that thread. I guess i better search for it.

Jim

It's called... OT: Walmart, Radio Shack and the retail experience and can be found in the General Forum.

paulcalif · Post by **paulcalif** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 9:05 pm

I just finished making a connector, wish me luck

JP1 Remotes

Another Newbie Question -Need remote for uncommon components

Another Newbie Question -Need remote for uncommon components

Re: Another Newbie Question -Need remote for uncommon compon