Kameleon URC-9960 info

[poet99]

I am shopping for a new remote. I was attracted to the OFA URC-9960, but reading some of the reviews and posts on it, I am not sure it has the flexibility I want (I have a *some* experience with programming upgrades into a URC-6800). I downloaded and read the manual, but the OFA remotes can usually do much more than what is indicated in the manuals.

Can anyone confirm/answer the following. Please feel free to comment.

- With the URC-9960, the batteries must be changed more often than with a cheaper OFA remote (high current consumption due to the vibration sensor circuit, which lights up the remote). It seems that it is possible to disable the sensor by opening the remote and cutting it out from the rest of the circuitry, thus reducing power consumption.

- If the vibration sensor is cut out, the remote illuminates when you press a key.

- The URC-9960 has the exact same memory for learning and macros/keymoves as the cheaper OFA remotes.

- If you program a key move, the destination key will illuminate only if it was already illuminated by default in the destination component mode. In other words, it is not possible to illuminate a key by programming a key move.

- The Scroll function is not and cannot be activated in the Home Theater mode.

- It is not possible to program submenus or pages (with Scroll) into a mode. For example, it is not possible to have the Audio Surround menu as a page or submenu in the Home Theater mode.

- Question : What is the purpose of using JP1 with the URC-9960?

If you own this remote and were able to do interesting programming stuff with it, I would be glad to know.

Thanks

François

[Nils_Ekberg]

- With the URC-9960, the batteries must be changed more often than with a cheaper OFA remote (high current consumption due to the vibration sensor circuit, which lights up the remote). It seems that it is possible to disable the sensor by opening the remote and cutting it out from the rest of the circuitry, thus reducing power consumption.

You can but there is a way you can control the backlight times with jp1 even without the extender. Search on Kameleon in this forum.

- If the vibration sensor is cut out, the remote illuminates when you press a key.

True, also answered above

- The URC-9960 has the exact same memory for learning and macros/keymoves as the cheaper OFA remotes.

True, the extender lets you take advantage of the memory.

- If you program a key move, the destination key will illuminate only if it was already illuminated by default in the destination component mode. In other words, it is not possible to illuminate a key by programming a key move.

Correct

- The Scroll function is not and cannot be activated in the Home Theater mode.

The scroll does nothing in a couple of modes since like the HT mode there is only one screen. CD is one of them.

- It is not possible to program submenus or pages (with Scroll) into a mode. For example, it is not possible to have the Audio Surround menu as a page or submenu in the Home Theater mode.

Correct, this is even true with the extender. You could however put macros on buttons that change device modes back and forth to accomplish some of what you want.

- Question : What is the purpose of using JP1 with the URC-9960?

Same as with any other remote. Create upgrades, use the extender, better macros' etc.

If you own this remote and were able to do interesting programming stuff with it, I would be glad to know.

With the extender you can pretty much do whatever you want with it just like any other jp1 remote. Fast macros, device secific macros, long and double keypress etc. See documentation on extender.

Thanks

François[/quote]

[The Robman]

I should also point out that the URC-9960 has built in support for larger EEPROMs, so if you're handy with a soldering iron you could replace the current 2k chip with a larger one. I think Hal was using a 32k chip at one point!

[johnsfine]

Without an extender I believe the 9960 can use the first 4K of any 4K or larger eeprom. With an extender I assume it can use more, though it's not likely you would need any more than 4K if you use an extender and upgrades and KeyMoves rather than learned signals.

[poet99]

Thank you, gentlemen.

I am still studying Nils’ extender readme file and trying to see the configuration I can get from the URC-9960. I am tempted by the URC-9960, but I might also go with the URC-7800.

François

[Nailed]

- If you program a key move, the destination key will illuminate only if it was already illuminated by default in the destination component mode. In other words, it is not possible to illuminate a key by programming a key move.

Correct

Can an extender correct this?

[Nils_Ekberg]

Can an extender correct this?

Nope, sorry. The screens are hard coded in the remote and only illuminated buttons can have any kind of definition. In other words if you can see it you can put a command on it. If you can't you can't