How can I tell what kind of Comcast 3-device remote I have?

Post by **ElizabethD** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:02 pm

I need some handholding with the remote that came with a comcast box.
Digital converter/receiver cable box DCT-2000
The packing box says DCT-2000 104FF.
Sticker on the bottom of the cable box says DCT 2224/1362/ABCDEG (no F)
Serial number stickers on the package match the digital box.

Remote supplied is called "Comcast Custom DVR 3 device".
At the very bottom of instructions for the remote is "M1067BX3" and 7/07.
The remote has a 6 pin thing like jp1, but doesn't say jp1.
Above the pins is a number 1003 and with the notch up, the pins go:
5 3 1
6 4 2

Folded paper that came with it sure looks like a URC job, as do various setup sequences.
But the device setup codes are 5 digits. They resemble the 4-digit codes (Panasonic 0250 is now 10250 and does work my tv).
There's a macro, a LKP and DKP on few keys, I gather from instructions. So it might be jp1.2?
Since Comcast is so far not capable of enabling this DTC box, all I can do is play.

I put all the buttons through the Widget.
It uses GI protocol, device 0, and the OBC numbers match most, but not all DCT, of the codes I found in the file section under Cable > Motorola...
The closest file is Motorola_DCT2244_Cable.txt
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=3392
, others for 2000-2224 are not that close.

So what sort of remote is it? JP1? JP1.1? JP1.2?
I'm afraid to plug it into IR for fear it'll reset or mess up and Comcast will void the service or make me pay or put in the slammer. Having never had any Comcast remotes I have no idea how to behave.
But considering that all it can do is 3 devices, I will not use it unless I must. So all this writeup is partly academic, since I'll be pushing the DCT upgrade into my current remotes.

I have Tommy's USB cable that uses FTDI drivers. But not sure if that's what to use.

I just saw this thread
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewt ... ht=comcast
for another Comcast box. Now I'm really confused what this remote is.

If anyone here is able to sift through my ramblings above I'd be grateful.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:24 pm

The Comcast 3 device remotes all resemble each other. They come in JP1.1 JP1.2 and JP1.3 varieties. As of 8/2009, all the remotes that have a RED OK/Select button have been the JP1.3 variety. They have recently come out with a new color, a gunmetal gray which has the same signature as the JP1.3 so we think its the same remote.

The Jp1.2 remotes used 4 digit setup codes, while the JP1.3 remotes used the 5 digit setup codes.

You have the 1067Bx3, that is a JP1.3 remote.

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:27 pm

Elizabeth,

Have no fear! It's a URC-1067Bx3 JP1.3 remote with a S3F80 processor and 3K of flash memory. When you read it with IR, it has signature 30393039. There's a lot of them out there being used with JP1.

I use Tommy's JP1.2/3 cable to read and write to the remote. But while you mention FTDI drivers, which implies a JP1.2/1.3 cable, I notice that the remotes in your signature line are JP1. I hope you don't have the older JP1 cable.

The 5 digit setup codes are simply the standard 4 digit setup codes with a single digit prefix which indicates the device for the code. So 0047, which is the TV code for RCA, is 10047 in the Comcast remote. This facilitates using e.g. the AUX device button for those setting up the remote manually.

The remote has an internal phantom device, so there are 4 devices available to the JP1 crowd. I control 5 different components with the remote, by employing keymoves to combine two devices.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:27 pm

Vicky and 3FG,
Many thanks for the information.
It is a jp1.3 remote.
I used Tommy's cable for jp1.2 and jp1.3 and it was flawless. Just used the drivers I use for the widget.
It downloaded into IR. Signature is 30393039 as you said. Recognized as URC-1067Bx3.
The Select/OK button is RED.
Remote color is light gray, the same as 8910 and 6131.
It didn't break

One odd thing: ir download says there are two cable devices in there,
1. setup CBL/1376 - that's the DCT box, matches all the signals I recorded, GI protocol. Clearly using a builtin.
2. setup CBL/1877, protocol 00, fixed data 90 E0 C0.
Any idea what #2 is all about?

tennessee titan · Post by **tennessee titan** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 10:39 pm

I believe 1877 is a Scientific Atlanta DVR...

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 6:34 am

One odd thing: ir download says there are two cable devices in there,

1. setup CBL/1376 - that's the DCT box, matches all the signals I recorded, GI protocol. Clearly using a builtin.
2. setup CBL/1877, protocol 00, fixed data 90 E0 C0.

Yes those two upgrades are both built-in and reside in the upgrade area. That insures that they have the code layed out just like they want it to manage the comcast boxes. It probably gives a little better response time too, since the remotes search the upgrade area before they search the built in libraries.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:15 pm

Thanks Vicky, that makes sense

OT: [small]Funny thing is, after all this, I'll be ditching the box and likely comcast. Comcast is incapable of activating the box, I don't speak/understand India-English, and a tech who was supposed to come and fix, didn't. And they are still doing maintenance, and the server is down and ... whatever other story one can cook up they already told me.[/small]

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 11:16 pm

I use Comcast, and when we recently got new STBs, it took 2 or 3 days to get them activated properly. Once the frustration level for the Comcast person got high enough, my problem was escalated to a "Level 2" tech. Then it was easy. Took about 10 minutes to get everything activated and we've had no problems since.

My impression is that an incompetent person won't be helpful no matter what the native language.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:52 pm

3FG, I already dealt with Level 2. Still no go, though they promise somebody will come here Sunday. This is unreal. Anyway, onto jp1.3 fun...
This is a very nice remote. Sort of a cross between 8910 and 6131.
Perhaps, if and when, Comcast does the job right I might actually use it for cable

Standard mode at this point with 4 device upgrades seems to be ok.
Few questions:
1. There appears to be no KM support for the S3F8 version of 1067, or am I blind?
2. In RM, several remote buttons have a star (*) on name. It likely means something very jp1-profound, but what?
3a. I use AUX is for the receiver, on AUX button.
3b. I use Shift-AUX for DVD assigned to dev3 non-button
4. Trouble with VPT: in IR, dev3 is to be for DVD, upgrade type is VCR/DVD, dev3 uses VPT=Yes. While TV VPT works, DVD VPT doesn't

what did I do wrong so far?
5. There is an AllON button. If I code a all-on type of macro onto that button will it work or will the Comcast hidden code fight me? Reason I ask is that the AllOn macro is not in the IR list of macros.
6. What is Key11 in the RDF?

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:49 pm

The asterisk means that this button will be implemented as a keymove. I'm not sure which circumstances require this.
I haven't tried VPT on dev3, but I have tried it on AUX, and it doesn't work for me. So I have used two keymoves to assign TV vol +/- to the AUX vol+/- keys.
Since the ALL-ON macro takes about 3/4 of a second per component, I tried to attach my own macro. However, it ran my macro, and then ran the built-in macro immediately afterwords. (Three seconds of lots of activity, with the net result that nothing had changed.

)
I want the TV, receiver, and STB to respond to the ALL-ON key, so I made the following workaround. I keymoved those power buttons to phantoms 1, 2, and 3 for each of the cable, TV, and AUX devices (9 keymoves). My macro is phantom4=phantom1;phantom2;phantom3.
For each device mode, phantom4 is keymoved to the ALL-ON key.

I conclude (assuming my memory of the things I tried is correct) that the ALL-ON key macro isn't replaced by a user specified macro, but as we know keymoves supercede macros. So I got the desired behavior at the cost of 12 keymoves, and 1 simple macro.

It's one way.

Code: Select all

       From Dev To Dev               Device     Setup   EFC
#       Button   Key       Button     Type      Code    Hex       Key Name

1       AUX     Power      dev3      VCR/DVD    0043    $03       Power
2       AUX     Vol+       TV	     TV         0053    $04       Vol+
3       AUX     Vol-       TV	     TV         0053    $05       Vol-
19      CBL     phantom1   <N/A>     CD/Audio   0331    $17 $7A   00122 Power JVC rcvr
20      TV      phantom1   <N/A>     CD/Audio   0331    $17 $7A   00122
21      AUX     phantom1   <N/A>     CD/Audio   0331    $17 $7A   00122
22      CBL     phantom2   CBL       Cable      1376    $50 $90   00144 Mot STB Power 
23      TV      phantom2   CBL       Cable      1376    $50 $90   00144
24      AUX     phantom2   CBL       Cable      1376    $50 $90   00144
25      CBL     phantom3   TV        TV         0053    $17 $7A   00122 Power JVC TV 
26      TV      phantom3   TV        TV         0053    $17 $7A   00122
27      AUX     phantom3   TV        TV         0053    $17 $7A   00122
28      CBL     ALL_ON     CBL       Cable      1376    $3D       phantom4
29      TV      ALL_ON     TV        TV         0053    $3D       phantom4
30      AUX     ALL_ON     AUX       Cable      2000    $3D       phantom4

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:42 pm

3FG, thanks again!

Re my #3b - shift Aux wasn't fun to use for selecting DVD control, so I switched it to "A" and left Comcast CBL code on A intact by forcing in a keymove (saw this someplace on this forum, of course

).

Re my #4 and your answer: I have no VPT problem, other than on dev3, so had to make 3 keymoves for two volumes and mute. Don't know whether this is IR issue or remote issue or Comcast implementation.

Re my #5 and your answer: I did not experience ALL-ON duplication under the circumstances you described. But when I experimented with the All-on idea in every device, keymoves, each using common phantom1 macro, did the job. I was not able to add anything to the native CBL macro (or keymove) - it runs its own thing and nothing gets added. But it can be replaced. And you're right, it's slooow as all unextended macros are.
I probably did similar things to yours, like this:
(a) phantom1 macro:

CBL;Power;dev3;SHIFT-1;SHIFT-1;TV;SHIFT-1;AUX;SHIFT-1

where SHIFT-1 are from my device upgrades discreteON.

(b) 4 keymoves:

TV , ALL_ON, TV, TV, 0251, $3A **KeyCode, phantom1
dev3, ALL_ON, TV, TV, 0251, $3A **KeyCode, phantom1
CBL , ALL_ON, TV, TV, 0251, $3A **KeyCode, phantom1
AUX , ALL_ON, TV, TV, 0251, $3A **KeyCode, phantom1

TV/0251 is my tv setup code and is not relevant here, it's just that IR needed Type and Setup code.

All my devices are working fine - checked out via Tommy's Widget and my gear, except the cable part.

unclemiltie · Post by **unclemiltie** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:42 pm

BTW, there *IS* an extender for that remote that allows you to use the dev multiplexer so you can control more than three devices.

it also allows a lot more flexibility on the macros (and it doesn't process the all-on macro, but you can of course make your own)

-bill

your friendly JP1.3 extender writer!

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:57 pm

Bill, I saw your extender and have it downloaded and took one pass at the Readme so far - big and impressive

I need to read & understand more.

I think I need to first get the drift how this remote works as given, standard. Then hit the extender.

I will have trouble with Multiplex. Used it only once on 6131 and only for a simple upgrades, 3 of them, that had no keymoves. But this Comcast remote is for equipment where all devices other than CBL must have tons of keymoves. So I can't add any more I think. Unless you tell me that unlike in jp1, jp1.3 flash code will not mind keymoves.

All-ON macro. I actually don't use it, because with discrete codes, toggling Power is not my idea of fun, but I had to go through this exercise because that feature took me by surprise. More convenient for me was to put the discrete-on onto the shift-device setup macros, as we did before in unextended remotes.

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:55 pm

Liz,
The reason I used multiple keymoves is the macro takes half as much time, because it doesn't need to set and switch device modes. Of course, if there are N devices that need the power signal, then this approach requires N*N keymoves. Not too bad with 3 things to control, but it obviously doesn't scale well to a larger number of components.

I hope to learn enough about the entry points into the ROM code to be able to write a "speed-up" psuedo upgrade. It should be possible to use the same technique as: Macro delay thread. Apparently the time per macro step can be dropped from 0.26 to 0.007 seconds.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:57 pm

3FG wrote:Liz,
The reason I used multiple keymoves is the macro takes half as much time, because it doesn't need to set and switch device modes.

That's interesting. But makes sense. It's UEI's forced pauses in macros that cause grief and not in keymoves.

I think the way to live really is the extender, although Rob swears by the standard setup and I don't mind it that much either. But the extender, besides lightening fast macros has DSM and LKP and ToadTog and fav macros and all that good stuff. I'm just not ready yet.