Help - upgrade for Sky Digibox & URC-7541

silron1 · Post by **silron1** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 12:31 pm

Rob - I did exactly that already:

EFC = 238 for TV
EFC = 014 for Sky
EFC = 006 for help

All the other codes I posted in December to the files section under Sky Digibox in the Sat section.

They were learnt with a URC 8060 and read in IR and then taken through to both RM and KM

Ron

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:09 pm

Cool. So next question, do they work for the process that Woody described?

silron1 · Post by **silron1** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:48 pm

Very difficult for me to know exactly as I do not use a convential TV. - I have a Panasonic Plasma Screen fed by the Sky Digibox as the receiver and I have no requirement to switch between TV and Sky. Both satellite and land signals are received via the digibox

All Sky remotes are the same for all makes of Digiboxes but require to have a code added which enables them to basically control (not completely) a TV. - Different codes for different makes of TV.

The other alternative is to use the Skybox as I do and just use the TV as a monitor.

Ron

w_nightshade · Post by **w_nightshade** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 2:38 pm

silron1 wrote:The other alternative is to use the Skybox as I do and just use the TV as a monitor.

Ahh, the sensible reply. Unfortuantely, it would bug me so much that this doesn't work that eventully I would snap and murder my family and take my own life, leaving no notes, and having eaten my remote.

So.

I tried EFCs 189 (suggested by jon_armstrong) and 178 (from silron1) to no avail. I have yet to check the nest of cabling down there, but i am curious.

Ron, have you learned the signal from the help button AFTER you press the tv button? Is it different from just the help button (I suspect it is)? Can you try this? Pretty please?

Cheers, mate.

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 2:54 pm

w_nightshade wrote: I tried EFCs 189 (suggested by johnsfine).

Jon is not John. I don't mind the confusion. I'm guilty of far worse confusion of who is who in these Forums. I expect Jon also won't be TOO furious at being denied credit

silron1 · Post by **silron1** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 3:39 pm

ok - Before TV is pressed 'help' =

Protocol ID RC6-M-20n
EFC = 006

After TV is pressed 'help' =

Protocol ID Panasonic
Device 128
EFC = 184

If you use a Phillips TV it would be different again.

So it appears - The signals learned will vary with the way the Sky remote is originaly coded for the brand of TV to which it is connected.

Over the next day or so I will try to learn the 'help' codes from a Phillips TV and a Skybox and will post result unless someone comes up with the answer before.

Ron

jon_armstrong · Post by **jon_armstrong** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 4:52 pm

I just tested Protocol $0020 in KM Master. Sky IS OBC 128 but it appears to map to EFC 0014 not 189.

The values for KM setup tab are:

pick your remote type and setup code of your choice, then

Protocol Name,
ID00 20,
device1=224,
device 2=0,
signal=MSB

John, it looks like EFC 189 would map to the LSB-Comp OBC=128.

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 5:32 pm

I just tested a downloaded version of IrTool (rather than the hacked up version I normally use). For protocols like RC6-6-20 where DecodeIR doesn't return any EFC at all, this IrTool seems to display the EFC 189 (regardless of OBC).

Where are the other EFCs in this thread comming from? Is there a version of DecodeIR floating around that returns EFCs for RC6-6-20?

I think all the built-in and upgrade protocols for RC6-6-20 use simple MSB conversion (from OBC to hex command).

jon_armstrong · Post by **jon_armstrong** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 5:45 pm

johnsfine wrote:I just tested a downloaded version of IrTool (rather than the hacked up version I normally use). For protocols like RC6-6-20 where DecodeIR doesn't return any EFC at all, this IrTool seems to display the EFC 189 (regardless of OBC).

Yes I have seen some odd behavior from IRTool. Any chance that you could post "the hacked up version (you) normally use"?

I think all the built-in and upgrade protocols for RC6-6-20 use simple MSB conversion (from OBC to hex command).

That definitely seems to be the case from what I can see.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 6:16 pm

Hey Ron & Woody,
Could you guys try explaining once again what these buttons are meant to do (keeping in mind that those of us that are Stateside don't really know what a Digibox is, unless it's just a regular old SAT receiver).

The part that I'm real fuzzy on is how the HELP button is supposed to do anything to the SAT box if the remote is in TV mode (and is therefore sending TV signals, not SAT signals).

silron1 · Post by **silron1** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:45 am

Here we go - A Digibox (Skybox) is sold or sometimes given away by BSkyB. This Company has a complete monopoly of all regular Satellite broadcasting in the UK. It puts out some 300-400 channels.
The digibox is a Satellite receiver with a Sat input, a RU passthrough and 2 RU outputs to a maximum of 2 TVs. The main output is a Scart out to connect to a TV. It also has a Scart out to connect to a VCR.
The box was designed by Sky and is manufactured by maybe 5 Companies.
Officially you can only obtain the digibox by subscribing to Sky who issue a card according to the subscription you pay and this card fits into a slot in the front of the box. There are periods where they actually make no charge for the box only the subscription. BUT you must agree to keep the box connected to a telephone line at all times.
People obviously move around - RVs, trailers etc, some live in mainland Europe. According to Sky (copyright) this is illegal to receive their broadcasts, thats why they can cut you off if you disconnect the phone line.
There has been so much unrest and so many probs that Sky now only insist on the phone connection for 12 months. People have always been able to source these boxes away from Sky but at a cost approx £300. They can only get a card from a UK address and each card is matched to the specific digibox.
Thats the brief history - now to the remote:
Sky designed the remote in their own tech department. Because the digibox can only be used with a TV there is this inbuilt facility that by inputting direct into the remote a TV brand code you can control the basic operations of the TV (switch on/off, volume, TV ch+, Ch-) this enables the TV to be used as a terrestrial (paid by Governmant annual licence fee) receiver without using the box
You operate the TV by pressing the 'TV/Sat' button but to make it change operation you have to press the 'help' button afterwards. Without pressing TV/Sat the help button does what it says ie make a help screen appear which gives Sky Customer infomation.
Sorry for the book but I hope it makes clear the situation we have here in the UK . Finally the original remotes were JP1 enabled but in the past 5 years they have designed out this capability and there is now only a piece of moulded plastic where the 6 holes were. It is possible to find these old remotes from time to time

Ron

silron1 · Post by **silron1** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 2:14 am

Where are the other EFCs in this thread comming from?

John I am quoting the EFCs which appear after entering OBCs in RM & KM. - Only OBCs are received via the learnt signals with the RC6-M-20n protocol.
Sorry for any confusion

Ron[/u]

w_nightshade · Post by **w_nightshade** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:05 am

silron1 wrote:Here we go - A Digibox (Skybox) is ... (snip)

Thanks for providing the non-Brits with this thorough description. I don't think my wrists could have taken it.

w_nightshade · Post by **w_nightshade** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 5:39 am

johnsfine wrote:
w_nightshade wrote: I tried EFCs 189 (suggested by johnsfine).
Jon is not John. I don't mind the confusion. I'm guilty of far worse confusion of who is who in these Forums. I expect Jon also won't be TOO furious at being denied credit

I have gone back and corrected myself. Sorry, Jon!

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 3:51 pm

Hey Ron & Woody,
Do either of you have the JP1-enabled version of the Sky remote?