Newbie - help with Comcast remote

ghalpin · Post by **ghalpin** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:57 pm

I recently upgraded my cable service to Comcast's DVR, so I now have a Scientific Atlanta converter box. I wanted a second remote for the converter, so I purchased two remotes from ebay that appeared the same as the remote supplied by Comcast. All three remotes are the silver remote with the red "OK/Select" button in the center of the four arrow keys.

The remote provided by Comcast works, of course. When I tried my two purchased remotes, they would not work the converter box. The seller provided me with the "981" code to reset the remote to factory defaults. I did this and thought that the remotes were working properly.

I just discovered that the A (yellow triangle) B (blue square) and C (red circle) buttons are not working with the converter. Unfortunately, these buttons are fairly important to using the DVR function of the converter.

I thought that perhaps the converter code needed to be changed in the remotes. I tried CABLE, SETUP for two blinks and then enter codes from the code sheet that came with the remotes, but I get one long blink which the sheet says is an invalid code error.

Is there a way for me to get these remotes to work completely with my new converter box?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

tennessee titan · Post by **tennessee titan** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:12 pm

Best way is to get a JP1.2/3 cable from Tommy Tyler and copy the one that works.
I don't understand however why the other two don't work with the SA box, since Comcast put in an upgrade device to run it, (unless someone wiped it out)
At any rate, get the cable and JP1, and it will solve all your problems, plus giving you the opportunity to make the remotes much more flexible than Comcast intended!

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:05 pm

The 981 reset would have wiped out any upgrades that Comcast had put in the remote.

MaskedMan · Post by **MaskedMan** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:15 pm

The 3 digit command code you should have learned was 990, to identify the code which your working remote was using, so you could enter that into the new remotes.

ghalpin · Post by **ghalpin** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:27 am

OK, could you explain the 990 code in a little more detail please?

The remote supplied by Comcast is as I received it, I have done nothing to it, other than enter my codes for my TV and DVD player.

If I am reading your post correctly, by using the 990 code in the Comcast remote to determine it's cable box code, I can then program the two ebay remotes with that code and they should conceivably work the same as the Comcast remote.

MaskedMan · Post by **MaskedMan** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:47 am

Possibly, yes. If the code is in the new remotes.

On the old remote:

1. cable device
2. press and hold SETUP for two blinks
3. enter 9 9 0
4. press #1 key, count the blinks, if there aren't any, the digit is zero
5. press #2 key, count
6. press #3 key, count
7. press #4 key, count

And if the remote takes 5 digit codes

8. press #5 key, count

tennessee titan · Post by **tennessee titan** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:46 pm

The code he is looking for is probably 1877 (SA 8300). But Comcast ADDED an upgrade to enhance the functionality for their remote. So one has to still have the 1877 upgrade installed, hence the need for the JP1 system...

As Rob noted, someone may have run a 981 reset, which would delete that upgrade.

ghalpin · Post by **ghalpin** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:26 pm

OK, so if I understand correctly (sorry if I'm asking newbie questions) if I purchase a cable, and downlaod the software, I will essentially be able to download from the remote that I got from Comcast and use what I download from that remote to "clone" it using the two ebay remotes.

tennessee titan · Post by **tennessee titan** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:45 pm

Exactly!

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:57 am

ghalpin wrote:if I purchase a cable, and downlaod the software, I will essentially be able to download from the remote that I got from Comcast and use what I download from that remote to "clone" it using the two ebay remotes.

If they are exactly the same model Comcast remotes, you can clone one to the other two with very little effort and near zero understanding of our software.

If they are not the same model, you can still use the cable and software to correct the two that aren't working, including (if you like) duplicating any programming from one into the others. But you'll need to learn a bit more about using the software and/or ask here for very specific instructions.

You also can use the software and cable to customize the remotes for various behaviors you may find more convenient than the original programming of those remotes.

ghalpin wrote:All three remotes are the silver remote with the red "OK/Select" button in the center of the four arrow keys.

Someone else here might know if that is enough detail to conclude they are all the same model. I don't know. But I think the cable and software are a good answer even if they aren't all the same model.

ghalpin · Post by **ghalpin** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:58 am

Thanks to everyone on their help thus far.

Is there an FAQ that I should read about the software and/or cable before I jump into this?

I think I'll start out with just cloning the remote, but since I have the third remote, and am a bit of a tinkerer, I may have to try to fiddle with that one a bit.

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:36 am

Read this...
http://www.hifi-remote.com/jp1/help/ or
http://www.hifi-remote.com/jp1/help/rm.shtml

ghalpin · Post by **ghalpin** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 4:48 pm

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for their help.

I received my cable from Tommy the other day. I am quite impressed with the craftsmanship. I downloaded the software and installed it with minimal issues. Read and saved the programming from the Comcast-supplied remote and shot it into the ebay-purchased remote and all appears to be working.

You guys are an excellent resource .... thanks again!

Greg