I have tried the remoted un-extended, with Extender 3.1 first, and also with Extender 2.4.
There doesn't seem to be any problem with the remote working when un-extended, but then I can't do all the fun stuff I can do with an extender installed.
With either Extender 3.1 or 2.4 I get the same odd behaviour intermitently. Basically all the commands I send to my amp will not work. Sometimes miraculously 2 minutes later they start working. I have tried the amp using both a modified Kenwood amp code(1314) I built based on one I downloaded and with the 1313 code that comes preprogrammed. I get the same problem with both codes.
The remote sitll blinks like it's sending commands, but no response from the amp. It is not a problem with the amp since the original remote works fine with it all the time.
Any thoughts or suggestions on what the problem might be?
1) The extender has reduced the duration or repeat value of the signal which typically happens with some extenders and protocols.
2) If the commands are in macros they may be too fast so pauses may help.
If it is in a macro try putting the command at the end of the macro and hold the button to see what happens. And actually the same test should work for a single button since that will repeat the button until you let go.
If either of these work then you may want to try the device combiner in RM or KM for this device. With the DC you don't really have to combine devices but it does give you control of the duration with an extra parmater you can set for each button.
The commands are both in macros and not, so I don't think pauses in the macro are the culprit. For example, the volume control won't work even when I hold the button down continually. <-- kind of important for using the amp. I have not tried the device combiner. I assume there is some documentation on it on the Yahoo site. I'll take a look when I have some time and see if I can figure it out.
Based on my results do you think duration is still the problem?
Thanks so much for your reply. Any suggestions are appreciated since the whole point of the remote is to not get my lazy butt up off the couch to adjust the volume
Nils_Ekberg wrote:I guess there are 2 possibilities.
1) The extender has reduced the duration or repeat value of the signal which typically happens with some extenders and protocols.
2) If the commands are in macros they may be too fast so pauses may help.
If it is in a macro try putting the command at the end of the macro and hold the button to see what happens. And actually the same test should work for a single button since that will repeat the button until you let go.
If either of these work then you may want to try the device combiner in RM or KM for this device. With the DC you don't really have to combine devices but it does give you control of the duration with an extra parmater you can set for each button.
Since the commands work in the un-extended and not with the extender it does lead me to believe it is the duration so the DC is probably the answer and worth pursuing. The documentation for the DC is actually built into KM and RM but you can also post questions here.
Second, I've read the directions for the device combiner and *think* I understand how to program it, BUT my current amp upgrade code is a 2-byte one based on the NEC1 Combo protocol. So, as I undestand it, what I have to do in the device combiner table in order to use 1-byte protocols, is to set up seperate devices which correspond to each sub-device (the 2nd byte portion of the NEC1 combo protocol). Is that correct?
Forgive me if I have this totally wrong. I haven't done much programming with this stuff yet and the upgrade code I'm using I pieced together with the help of some premade files I downloaded.
Nils_Ekberg wrote:Since the commands work in the un-extended and not with the extender it does lead me to believe it is the duration so the DC is probably the answer and worth pursuing. The documentation for the DC is actually built into KM and RM but you can also post questions here.
You have it exactly correct. The "NEC Combo" protocol just lets you combine different NEC device codes, whereas the DC lets you combine any device code from any protocol, just so long as they all use 1 byte of variable data.
Rob www.hifi-remote.com Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!
Update: I made a new code that's basically the same as the 1313 code using the device combiner. Initially I've left the delays at default=0. I didn't have a chance to install it until late last night, but everything seemed to be working ok in the short time I used it. If I develop problems I will add delay to the commands and try again. If anything significant happens I'll post back here again.
Update 2: FYI: Everything is still working fine with the new device code using the device combiner. I did NOT have to add any delay to any of the commands. I don't know why it didn't work with the NEC Combo protocol, but does work with the device combiner. There is either something wrong with the extender or with the hacked NEC Combo protocol. However, the "built-in" 1313 device also wouldn't work periodically. I'm not 100% sure which protocol that is using, but that points to a possible problem with the extender.
I lied. It just stopped working tonight with the new device combiner protocol. I have added a delay of 2 to all commands and will give it a week or so to see how it reacts and update then.
tau166 wrote:Update 2: FYI: Everything is still working fine with the new device code using the device combiner. I did NOT have to add any delay to any of the commands. I don't know why it didn't work with the NEC Combo protocol, but does work with the device combiner. There is either something wrong with the extender or with the hacked NEC Combo protocol. However, the "built-in" 1313 device also wouldn't work periodically. I'm not 100% sure which protocol that is using, but that points to a possible problem with the extender.
I have tried using the device combiner protocol and added lots of delay to the commands for the the amp. This does not fix the problem.
The problem is that intermittently the remote stops working with my amp using either the built in 1313 or various custom versions of that device. It is not the amp (I assume) since the original amp remote works fine all the time. Sometimes it last 1 minute sometimes 10. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why this happens. Help please!
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