Best full featured remote?

Zibri · Post by **Zibri** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 6:41 am

I was wondering: since I have a good old 7560 (OFA6), what "comparable" remotes are around.

OFA6 main features:

1) modem (wav) upgradable.

2) 6 device keys.

3) 8 ABCDEFGH keys.

4) learning capability.

Cross checking on ebay (new items) and the spreadsheet, I think the URC7781 might be similar.

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:11 am

The URC7781 has lots of features, buttons, memory but it feels very different to to the URC7560 - the buttons are smaller, the central rubbery-disc-thing different to the URC7560's chunky arrow keys etc. I had one and gave it away as I didn't like the feel. I currently use a 7552 in the bedroom (easier to feel the big buttons in poor light) and an 8820 in other rooms. You are aware, I presume, that the URC-7560 and the URC-7781 use different JP1 cables? A cable for the 7781, however, is fairly cheap (<US$20, UK£<15).

Zibri · Post by **Zibri** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:19 am

Yes.. I know.. I was just looking around... I don't even need one and my 7560 was almost unused for years until now.

I agree about the buttons though, the urc7560 has great rubber buttons (and poor arrow keys) but it was released a very long ago and before today's set top boxes and smart tvs.

As of now I used it only to test a few unmapped codes on my devices.

URC7960 is also very nice looking but has no modem which could be useful.

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:44 am

If you have a JP1 cable, why would you need a modem? Modems are great for non-JP1 users but are not needed for the rest of us. And as long as you have one JP1 remote with learning (so you can decode new devices) you don't even need your new remote to have learning either, so just go for the remote that has the best set of buttons for the devices that you wish to use it for.

Zibri · Post by **Zibri** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:10 am

The 7960 is really nice looking. Does anybody know what interface does it have? In the chart there is only the 7950 which is jp1.3

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:53 am

I am quite satisfied with the 7781.

+: Excellent extender available (thanx to Graham)
-: If not using the extender, can be annoying to select device through the --> and <-- arrows
+: 13 devices (despite the name), "only" 12 if using the extender
+: many keys
-: not quite optimally arranged, in particular the transport keys
+: looks ok
-: .... unless you are sensitive for finger prints...
+: works fine with rechargeable AAA NiMH batteries
+: backlit
-: lcd display fairly useless (too small, only device selected, and clock).
-: power button wears out in 1-2 years (can be fixed)
+: clock

Out of production, but still available for around 20€ on ebay/Amazon marketplace. So buy a few while you are at it.

andyross · Post by **andyross** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:39 am

You could also check out the RCA RCRP05B. It's about US$20 or less. http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/remotes/4- ... ku=RCRP05B

It's JP1.2. Only has 5 device keys, but supports 8 devices internally. There is an extender available. It has learning (I think disabled with the extender.)

It's optimized for the Comcast DVR (by Motorola) and even has an 'OnDemand' key. It comes with the Cable button pre-programmed for that.

It has color/ABCD keys used by many devices today.

No backlight or LCD, but the device keys light up.

My main complaint is that the keys are a bit spread out along the full length of the remote.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 7:05 am

andyross wrote:It's JP1.2. Only has 5 device keys, but supports 8 devices internally. There is an extender available. It has learning (I think disabled with the extender.)

It's optimized for the Comcast DVR (by Motorola) and even has an 'OnDemand' key. It comes with the Cable button pre-programmed for that.

The RCA RCRP095B is a JP1.3 or I'd be on it like a duck on a junebug!

_______________-
Vicky
JP1.2 Specialist

Zibri · Post by **Zibri** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 7:09 am

hmm URC 7960 is still my favourite as of now. But my 7560 even if it's a little 'bulky' it's very good too.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 7:26 am

Zibri wrote:hmm URC 7960 is still my favourite as of now. But my 7560 even if it's a little 'bulky' it's very good too.

As far as I know, there hasn't been an extender developed for either of these remotes. For years I was happy with an unextended remote, until I ran out of keymove/macro room. I'm not adventurous. I knew about extenders but was afraid to try them. Kind of like I feel about jailbreaking an iphone.

I tried everything to get by with an unextended remote. I bought newer remotes, I replaced keymoves with learns, I tried rearranging my equipment to different rooms to give me different setups that didn't need so many keymoves and macros. I evnetually gave up and decided I needed an extender. After using a modern extender on my new JP1 remote, I immediately was unhappy with my older remote with the primitive extender. This led to developing a full case of the JP1 sickness. I got into extender development, and made a modern extender for my old urc-7800. I then got worried about not having a big enough supply of these remotes, so I started developing extenders for the JP1.2 remotes.... All this so I could maintain a clean coffee table. No artfully arranged basket of OEM's for this girl. While I have remotes strategically arranged for convenience, you won't find the clutter of various sized remotes. Each viewing area has its own style.

If your remote doesn't have DSM, Macros on Device keys, LKP/DKP and ToadTog, you are not getting as much enjoyment out of the remote as you could.

I am crazy when it comes to these remotes!!!

And that is what happens to someone who has no hacking skills or desires. God only knows what will happen to you.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:18 am

Whoops, my mistake, there is an extender for the URC-7560 in the extender file area for at least one of the 7560's.

Zibri · Post by **Zibri** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:49 am

Sincerely, I merely use the 7560 for hacking other equipment. I haven't used my 7560 for more than 10 years and just took it from a drawer a few days ago.
I don't even use key moves (what's the need? please explain!).

About hacking things, I totally undersand you! Making one device do what you want and not what it was supposed to do causes a wonderful adrenaline rush.
Expecially when you "get in" something you were supposed to "stay away"

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 2:44 pm

Zibri wrote:About hacking things, I totally undersand you! Making one device do what you want and not what it was supposed to do causes a wonderful adrenaline rush.
Expecially when you "get in" something you were supposed to "stay away"

I didn't want to "get in" somewhere I was supposed to "stay away". That is not the way I am at all. It was actually hard for me to make myself go there. However there is that adrenaline rush, when you've done something to make it so much better than the engineers intended do.

Sincerely, I merely use the 7560 for hacking other equipment. I haven't used my 7560 for more than 10 years and just took it from a drawer a few days ago.
I don't even use key moves (what's the need? please explain!).

Well there is the need that the UEI engineers had forseen, where you need a function code that they didn't program in.

There is the convenience of simulated punch through where you may need a TV button like the aspect button in nearly every other device mode.

And of course the keymove is the foundation for all of the JP1 special features, like the extender, the DSM, the LKP/DKP, the ToadTog and the Multiplexor. All of these features make it very easy to setup an intuitive control that even your grandma can use.

The extender for the 7560 is pretty primitive from what I can see. I didn't see any mention of the special protocols, nor anything about xshift. All things that I wouldn't want to give up.

Once you've been bitten by the extender bug, its hard to get away. Again, I'm really not a hacker at heart, but couldn't avoid it once I got bitten by the JP1 bug.

For me the next step was protocol writing, and I'm so far over my head, its not even funny. But with my new found knowledge I was able to make a remote control that was easy for someone with small motor skill problems to use. I have put a pause in many protocols, that delays repeats, so that a person can easily get 1 key, even if they don't have quick reflexes.

All in all the JP1 remotes have given me a great amount of control for a pitance. I am very, very happy.

jetstar52 · Post by **jetstar52** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 1:01 am

vickyg2003 wrote:
andyross wrote:It's JP1.2. Only has 5 device keys, but supports 8 devices internally. There is an extender available. It has learning (I think disabled with the extender.)

It's optimized for the Comcast DVR (by Motorola) and even has an 'OnDemand' key. It comes with the Cable button pre-programmed for that.

The RCA RCRP095B is a JP1.3 or I'd be on it like a duck on a junebug!

_______________-
Vicky
JP1.2 Specialist

What is it about the fact that it's jp1.3 makes you dislike it, Vicky?

Zibri · Post by **Zibri** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:18 am

vickyg2003 wrote:
Zibri wrote:About hacking things, I totally undersand you! Making one device do what you want and not what it was supposed to do causes a wonderful adrenaline rush.
Expecially when you "get in" something you were supposed to "stay away"
I didn't want to "get in" somewhere I was supposed to "stay away". That is not the way I am at all. It was actually hard for me to make myself go there. However there is that adrenaline rush, when you've done something to make it so much better than the engineers intended do.

Obviously I was talking about gadgets and electronic devices only!

Getting in and understanding the innards of things by reverse engineering the firmwares is my way of learning things (the real deal, not the incomplete manuals). And also to find their weaknesses.

And it's because of that knowledge that I can work for big corporations to secure their devices and products.