JP1 Remotes

I've got a JP1 parallel cable that I bought about 5 years ago. I'm going to use it with a URC 8810 and I'm wondering which way to plug it into the remote?

The cable has a grey parallel connector on 1 end and a 2x3 connector on the remote end. The cable itself is blue. I bought it from someone at this forum that was selling cables then, but can't remember who. The small connector has an arrow that I assume indicates pin 1, but can't see any marks on the remote to indicate pin 1. If the cable is plugged in backwards, will it do any damage?

Thanks,
BGC

You can't harm the remote either way, so try both and it will just not work if you got it wrong. Then try the OTHER way and it should work.

The captain is right, you can try it either way.

But it can be a pain to not know which way to plug them in when you have a lot of remotes/cables.

Even if the jp1 connector on your remote doesn't have the numbers to indicate the pins, they usually have a box painted around the perimeter of the connector. If you look closely one of the corners on that box is notched and that indicates pin1.

The cable usually has the red wire connected to pin1.

Once you get the cable working, its a good idea to mark pin 1 so that its easier the next time.

I gotta tell ya, that I have NEVER tried to figure out "pin 1" or any of that stuff.

If you look at the "factory" JP1 connectors on UEIC Remotes (not DIY cutouts on stuff like the Sky remotes or the RS 15-100), the opening for the connector is NOT a rectangle, but is in fact, "T"-shaped (granted a short, fat, "T", but a "T" just the same.)

Every cable I have ever had plugs in such that the cable tends (lays) IN THE DIRECTION OF the vertical leg of that "T". On MOST JP1 remotes, that direction is "down" towards the bottom of the remote, but on some (Atlases for example) that is "up" towards the "head" of the remote.

I have never had an example in which this rule did not apply. In general, the way MOST cables are made, this rule will hold true (I realize that there may be exceptions, but I believe that most of the cables available for purchase are built this way)

I had to figure this out, because my original JP1 cable was very, very finicky about the batteries. It would take 5 to 6 tries to download the remote, if the thing was plugged in correctly. That one, also plugs in backwards, where it bends at an awkward angle when you plug it in. I remembered the pin 1 red wire from the time I had to add a hard drive to my pc, and that has served me well with the wide variety of JP1 gadgets I had.

It wasn't unti John Fine told me to mark my connections that I it became a no brainer.

I discovered that my cable lays towards the head of the remote on both the 8810w and 15-1994. I don't recall who was selling cables 5 yrs ago, but the cable itself is round with blue insulation containing individual insulated wires.

BGC

5 years ago it was probably either Hovis or Filebug.