Help - Dead RCA RCRP05B

awalls · Post by **awalls** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 2:07 pm

I’m having trouble with an RCA RCRP05B I recently bought, it now won’t respond to anything.

Initially all was good, I used IR.exe to install a couple of devices without trouble. Then after a protocol upgrade (installing Emotiva UMC-1 receiver) the remote repeatedly flashed the CBL light and didn’t respond to key presses. After more playing the remote is now completely died, no flashing lights, doesn’t respond to any key presses (including holding setup).

The batteries are fresh. Removing the battery and pressing a key doesn’t help. The setup button does nothing so a 981 reset doesn’t work. The PC doesn’t find the remote any more.

Any hints how I might recover the remote, or do I toss it?

Both the remote and USB adapter are new. Is it possible/likely that the USB adapter (bought from www.diygadget.com) is faulty and killed the remote?

Here is what I have
• A New USB JP1.3 from www.diygadget.com
• Win7 (64bit) dell laptop
• IR v8.03
• RemoteMaster V1.98

Thanks
Alan

Post by **vickyg2003** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 3:02 pm

Were you using an extender?

awalls · Post by **awalls** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 3:08 pm

Post by **vickyg2003** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 3:30 pm

It might help if you posted the IR image that you uploaded. It could be that you inadvertently copied a protocol written in the wrong language, and that could cause some problems.

awalls · Post by **awalls** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 9:43 pm

Unfortunately I don't have a saved image, but I do suspect you are correct.

I do have an old image saved but IR.exe won't upload it because it fails to detect the remote.

jp1xtest reports "Version checksum mismatch!"

Debug_Tester reports "Original JP1.2 remote found!"

Are their any low level tools that can reload my image back into the remote.

Thanks
Alan

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 10:14 pm

The first thing I would try is to blindly do a 981 reset. Just because the remote isn't responding with blinks doesn't necessarily mean that it can't listen.

In IR.exe, Advanced\Enable Unsafe Upload should allow you to try to load a saved image. It wil ignore the mismatch between the read signature and the signature that a RCRP05B should have.

Even before doing an unsafe upload, you may be able to do a raw download. Enable this also on the Advanced menu. If you get a raw download, you could compare it to this IR file, which I took from a RCRP05B following a 981 reset. But probably just doing an unsafe upload of the linked IR file will get the job done.

In any case make sure that your RDF file isn't corrupted.

awalls · Post by **awalls** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:18 pm

I had tried a blind 981, it didn't work.

Thanks for the factory defaults file. I tried uploading it as you suggesting, using the "Unsafe Upload" button that appeared when I changed the advanced settings. I'm getting a "Failed to open JP1.x interface" message. I get the same message even if I rotate the JP1 connector.

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:02 am

Have you shut off Interface\AutoCheck? It may help.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 7:31 am

I am in over my head here. Hardware problems are beyond my abilities.

I only have one last suggestion. You said you have fresh batteries. Do you have a tester or another set of alkaline batteries. Bad/weak batteries would account for every symptom you are having. I have ruptured more batteries than I care to count in my uploading/downloading to remotes.

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:58 am

PM sent

awalls · Post by **awalls** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:12 am

I do appreciate both of your help!!

I tried the "AutoCheck" option last night, it didn't help.

My multimeter shows 1.5v for both batteries.

Are there other tools I could try instead of IR.exe?

Is IR source public? My day job is a programmer so it might help.

Alan

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:21 am

awalls wrote: My multimeter shows 1.5v for both batteries.

Again hardware is outside my area. I did buy a little battery tester to diagnose "hardware" problems. My hardware problems have ALWAYS been battery issues. On my tester a "fresh" battery reads about 1.8. When they get down to 1.5 I sometimes have trouble with communications with my JP1.2/3 cable, however I still have LED feedback on the remote until the battery test gets down to about 1.2. So its probably not battery issues, since you don't get any LED feedback when plugging in, unplugging the cable, or when removing the batteries, discharging the remote and reinstalling the batteries. But fresh alkaline batteries are still worth a shot.

awalls · Post by **awalls** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:54 am

At this stage I need to try both the likely and unlikely.

Two new Duracell batteries made no difference.

mikek · Post by **mikek** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:59 pm

I bricked one of those remotes a couple of years ago. I accidentally flipped the JP1 interface around and it froze the remote. If I flipped it back the correct way it came back to life.

One of these remotes wouldn't come back to life no matter what I tried and I gave up.

chuliu · Post by **chuliu** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:42 am

I also have bricked one RCRP05B today. I am not sure what I did. I might have plug the jp1 incorrectly. I also open the ir.exe and try download and upload the remote. Then the remote is bricked. I am sure the cable is working as I have a spare same remote which communicate to ir.exe without problem.

I tried to remove one battery and press one button for a few seconds as explained in the troubleshooting guide but it did not work. The jpxtest.bat reports that no jp1 compatible remote found. Anyway I can un-brick the remote?