JP1 Remotes

Hey guys, I more or less driven here trying to find a reliable urc w/learning that would let me deal with a Toshiba DVDR with Digital D-R550. It came with an absolutely atrocious remote(looks like the remote designer just applied glue to a hand full of small buttons all the same shape and threw them at the remote).

To add insult to injury, Toshiba provides no Device code that will work for any remote I good find, and I did alot of looking and reading others experiences trying to get this remote integrated into a universal.

Bottom line, I am technically competent and I am ready to dive into what looks like a excellent solution for tweaking ones remote just the way they like it. However, because of the cost(cable,remote,time) to get on board the J1 bus, I want to get some feel it has the possibility of taking me where I want to go. So, here are my question:

1. What are my chances of getting a Device Code for a Allas OCAP that I can use, or J1 download from here, for this DVDR. I see your Device Update DVD file was updated in '09 and this Toshiba DVD Recorder is '07 device. It looks the Toshiba DVDR file was for a DVDR withouta Tuner, since I see there was no TV/DTV code yet.

2. Even if I don't have access to the Mfg Device code, is it possible get it from the original remote and a Learning OCAP urc, even if Toshiba has branded this DVDR from another mfg Funai (who also seems to supply Philips an almost identical DVDR). IE, can a Device Code be Learned by OCAP, or help from here if the Device Upgrade here is not helpful?

3. I assume once I have a Device code OCAP will accept, can learn andassign codes unique to this DVDR w/Tuner, to other buttons on OCAP.

4. I don't use a cable STB. I run my Basic Cable right out of the wall to this DVDR's HD Tunner. So, with J1.3 and 1056 OCAP URC, will I bel able
to substitute the CBL Device with my DVDR Device(assuming I get it working first thru DVD or AUX Device? If so, then I assume I will be able to assign any button now locked to CBL, to any other Device including DVDR of course. OR, will the Cable Service an OCAP was originally sold to by UEI, prevent their Cable Device assignment from being disabled or change to a different Cable or Device?

5. Will a new device code and assigned buttons, ie custom changes to OCAP, be lost on a Reset due to battery power loss for an extended time, or some other accidental or purposeful reset of OCAP?

Thanks guys for any help. I am really excited about this site, not sure how I found it(Amazon commenter complaining about Toshiba Remote I think} but I am sure glad I did. The custom possibilities for a user programmable remote leading to a 'truly' Universal Remote is compelling.

Hi Jrussel, if you have an Atlas LEARNING remote, and the appropriate cable, there is no stopping you. You can control everything.

However, because of the cost(cable,remote,time) to get on board the J1 bus, I want to get some feel it has the possibility of taking me where I want to go. So, here are my question:

1. What are my chances of getting a Device Code for a Atlas OCAP that I can use, or J1 download from here, for this DVDR. I see your Device Update DVD file was updated in '09 and this Toshiba DVD Recorder is '07 device. It looks the Toshiba DVDR file was for a DVDR withouta Tuner, since I see there was no TV/DTV code yet.

Chance are very good that you could find a code from our file section, or from remote central to upgrade a remote.

2. Even if I don't have access to the Mfg Device code, is it possible get it from the original remote and a Learning OCAP urc, even if Toshiba has branded this DVDR from another mfg Funai (who also seems to supply Philips an almost identical DVDR). IE, can a Device Code be Learned by OCAP, or help from here if the Device Upgrade here is not helpful?

With a learning remote and cable chances are 100% that you can control this DVdR with the remote.

3. I assume once I have a Device code OCAP will accept, can learn andassign codes unique to this DVDR w/Tuner, to other buttons on OCAP.

Yep

4. I don't use a cable STB. I run my Basic Cable right out of the wall to this DVDR's HD Tunner. So, with J1.3 and 1056 OCAP URC, will I bel able
to substitute the CBL Device with my DVDR Device(assuming I get it working first thru DVD or AUX Device? If so, then I assume I will be able to assign any button now locked to CBL, to any other Device including DVDR of course. OR, will the Cable Service an OCAP was originally sold to by UEI, prevent their Cable Device assignment from being disabled or change to a different Cable or Device?

Yep

5. Will a new device code and assigned buttons, ie custom changes to OCAP, be lost on a Reset due to battery power loss for an extended time, or some other accidental or purposeful reset of OCAP?

No, they will remain for years with the batteries removed.

If you just want a remote to learn all the codes of the original then the newer remotes have lots of learning memory in them. Enough for at least 100 buttons I think The URC 10820 should work well for this. If you want to create your on codes or upgrades, it will also work well for that with the proper JP1.x cable.

The short answer is "yes", you can do everything you want using JP1 (and that's the name, btw, not J1).

So Rob, I hate to beat a dead horse, but I hope you understand the need for some clarification. The devil is usually in the details.

If I have an Atlas OCAP, originally specified by Time Warner, as an example, for their Cable Service and not others obviously, and contract to UEI to make it, are you saying Cable companies don't or can't prevent another Device, say a DVD for my purposes, from bypassing their restrictions(if any) if I use JP1, and I will be able to reassign CBL to my DVDR and reassign other STB buttons locked to CBL for STB use, for my own purposes?

Pardon me again for double checking. My past experiences with OEM stuff sold and branded by others companies for use for their services, are usually locked or disabled in some way for use by another cimpany's service. Cell phones are the classic example.

Thanks again for your time.

All locks and restrictions, including those you mentioned, can be bypassed with or without JP1. Turning off CBL setup code lock and reassigning device keys is documented in the manual. You also have options in the JP1 software to do this.

Are you certain you have a learning OCAP? I only ask because those seem to be rare. Doesn't really matter if you have another learning JP1 remote. Just something you should be aware of.

Ok. Your help has paid off guys. Here is my personal experience with getting a near perfect URC using JP1, which I hope will help others:

I got interested in JP1 after I bought a Toshiba D-R550 DVDR w/Tuners that came with a non-universal and horrible remote. Can you imagine a Vendor selling a Device with a TV Tuner built-in supplying a non-universal Remote with no way to control volume on the TV it is channel tuning??

In addition, from comments on Amazon, it was clear finding a URC that had this Devices code was going to be a real hit or miss proposition. Further, my experience with URCs I have owned before were generally negative. I always had to have the originals Remotes near by, because my URCs were never programmable enough to allow me to include the necessary keys needed to eliminate the originals. I could never unload multiple remote baggage.

I am happy to report JP1 has solved this frustrating and irritating situation for me, without having to spend $200 for a more complicated and expensive LCD Remote solution. But alas, not without some JP1 touch and go, as well as hardheaded persistence. It is not for the faint of heart.

First, UEI Remotes rock. As you guys informed me, these remotes offer a high level of customization even without JP1. In addition, since they are a major supplier to Cable Service Set Top Boxes, they must be, and are highly reliable, NO LOST CODES/programming. They are also very reasonably priced as new or used Cable STB Remotes on eBay or JP1 sellers. My experience so far with a Cox Model 7820B and Time Warner Atlas OCAP has been excellent.

Now for my trip report to the JP1 Community:

1. The RDF you guys helped me find, the Toshiba D-R400/410 RDF,
worked perfectly with my D-R550. The only difference between the 400
and my 550 is mine has built-in Digital Tuners. The 550 Remote adds
CHannel Up/Dn, DTV/TV digital or analog TV select , and a '-' for
digital TV sub-channel select.

2. The Device and button codes given in the 400 RDF allowed me to
assign all my D-R500 button codes manually into a Cox 78200B, minus
the new buttons 550 of course. When I get a Learning remote, I will
post a 550 update to the 400/410 RDF.

Though the JP1 Compatible Remotes XLS file lists Cox 7820B w/J1.3
connector as a Learning Remote, my JP1.3 Cox would not Learn any
codes I tried from several original remotes I had around. It would
begin blinking as soon as I selected the learning button, then I would
press and hold the teaching button, but it would always just end with
a long blink. It was trying, but with comments by others on JP1, I see
that even if it blinks like it is trying, it does not mean it has all the parts
installed to Learn.

3. My experience with both a Cox 7820B and Time Warner OCAP is
neither would allow a new Device Assign to the CABLE button manually,
unlike some on JP1 thought it would. I am sure I followed the Assign
Device procedure correctly, and everything worked as the procedure
indicated, until it got to the step to press CABLE, xferring a DVD
Device to it. Just got one long blink on Cable. Tried it several time on
both Cox and TW Remote. The GOOD NEWS is JP1 let me do it via IR.
NICE!

Assigning my DVDr to CABLE was important to me because I don't use
a STB, so my DVDR w/Tuner becomes my STB. Yy Cable Service
comes directly to it right out of the wall. Btw,many digital channels and
sub-channels are available at no extra charge from Basic Cable
service if you have a QAM digital cable turner like that built into the
Toshiba D-R550/60 or Phillips DVDR3505/6 DVDRs(same products
made by Funai). The ability to automatically time Record all your
favorite programs not only means you won't miss them, but I have
found even more convenient is the time savings gained by the ability
to Instant Skip through commercials or segments of a program
you don't care about, limiting the time you spend in front of the boob
tube.

Speaking of time saving, my DVDR had this really neat feature that
allows you to speed up the program PLAY back by 1/3 without
changing the voice tone. I found this very useful for news/talk
programs where audio is the more important component.

4. The Device code 1008 given in the 400 RDF file, as well as UEI's
website www.URCSupport.com for Cox or Atlas OCAP Remote, worked
for the Toshiba D-R500.

Btw, a very nice feature on the COX 7820, a redesigned Atlas DVR/
PVR 1055 Model for Cox, is a built-in Master Power macro that
works in any Device Mode, not just Cable mode like OCAP. If you
press and hold Power for 3 seconds, it will turn off the Device you are
in last, after the others you have selected for the built-in Power Macro.

5. My experience with JP1 cables and software were touch and go. I got
the DIYGadget Flash cable linked to on JP1. It was very nice, compact,
and professional looking. However, it came with no polarity indicator,
so didn't know which way to plug it on the JP1.3 and didn't want to run
the risk of frying my new UEI Remote.

DIY got back to me in 24 hours with how to determine polarity. Got the
Cable plugged in, after downloading and installing Taiowiki driver
pointed to by DIY. After a few hours of head scratching, hair pulling,
JP1 site, and web searching, I finally came to the conclusion the driver
linked to by DIY was not working for my Vista OS.

Thanks to the diagnostic tools on JP!, as well as others experience
pulling their hair over the deadly and depressing news from IR "Failed
to open JP1.x Interface", I was able to get DIY to locate and provide a
link to a Vista USB Cable driver. All was well and life was good again
with the new Vista driver and JP1's flawless IR SW. Nice job guys.

Since I am still somewhat new, I would appreciate any and all feedback and corrections to this post. My intent is to provide my experiences back to the JP1 Community for other Newbs who may gain from my virgin voyage through choppy waters on the way to Remote Paradise. I wouldn't want them steered off course by a deck hand.

Thanks again to all at JP1, and let me know where I should make a PayPal contribution.....and/or other possible time contributions.

PS: After I get the new codes for my Toshiba DVDR D-R550 w/Digital Tuners from a Learning Remote (only three needed), I will post an update RDF file. In addition, I will post the buttons I used to map the 550 remote onto my Cox 7820B(Atlas 1055) Remote. Very logical and intuitive, in my biased opinion.