URC-6131 and Hauppauge PVR250

[broderp]

I'm very interested in buying the URC 6131.

Does the modified version still contain the data base the un-mod unit has for all the different brand remotes, or is it now basically an "empty shell" requiring programming to work at all?

I'm having a hard time finding a remote to use on my HTPC to replace my haupauge PVR-250 remote. I found a file in the forum that claims can be used, but I will first need to get the remote.

Also, the manufacture claims that code "1992" is for my PVR card. Can you verify this, or are your 6131 remotes "old stock" (before they included this code?)


Thanks. Great site by the way.

[johnsfine]

Does the modified version still contain the data base the un-mod unit has for all the different brand remotes, or is it now basically an "empty shell" requiring programming to work at all?

The main database is in ROM and is not modified by JP1.

With an EEPROM and JP1 you can add new setup code and/or override existing one, but that doesn't remove anything. Even if you hid a built-in setup code by overriding it, you can always get it back by deleting the override.

[The Robman]

Also, the manufacture claims that code "1992" is for my PVR card. Can you verify this, or are your 6131 remotes "old stock" (before they included this code?)

The manufacturer of the OEM remote is unlikely to know what the correct "One For All" setup code is, so I have no idea what the "1992" code is referring to.

You can add any code you like to a JP1 enabled remote if you have a JP1 cable. So, if you were to buy a URC-6131 along with a JP1 cable, you could load the upgrade that you found in the file section. If you don't want to get into JP1, I can pre-load the upgrade for you and just sell you the remote, but I don't make any guarantees regarding whether the upgrade will work or not (as I didn't create it).

[johnsfine]

Also, the manufacture claims that code "1992" is for my PVR card. Can you verify this, or are your 6131 remotes "old stock" (before they included this code?)

I'm not aware of any newer version of the 6131 built-in library, nor of any model including a setup code 1992.

I think you misunderstood. UEI can add setup code 1992 to the EEPROM of a remote sent to them for upgrade, but I don't think they manufacture any with that setup code in ROM.

Rob usually can find the data to make an upgrade matching a given UEI setup code number, so he should be able to give you what you need to load that upgrade into a JP1 equiped 6131.

Edit: I was typing the above while Rob posted. If Rob is right that you meant "manufacturer" of the original remote rather than of the 6131 (as I assumed) then the "1992" is meaningless to us and he probably couldn't get that data for you (but there are plenty of other possible sources of IR data for your devices).

[broderp]

I think everyone mis understood me.....


I EMAILED ONE FOR ALL, and they responded to me:

Hello Mr. Broderp,

The code for Hauppauge pvr is 1992.

If a code is not in your remote, you might consider sending the remote
in to
have the code added. This process is free to you, as the company will
cover the cost and the price of shipping the remote back to you. The
only
cost you would incur is that of shipping the remote to the company. On
average, this takes 7-10 business days from the time you ship the
remote to
the time you receive the remote back. If you are interested, please
fill out
the following information so that we can get started.

Name:
Address:
Daytime Phone Number:
Remote Model Number:
Code Being Added:



In order for us to assist you properly and efficiently, we will need
you to
include all original messages each time you reply. Thank you.

Rachel Kazadi
postmast@ueic.com
E-Services

After reading this email, I figured that the code MAY be in the remote, I don't know. Hense my question. I suppose it was a generic responce and I would have to send my remote in to them (if I get it) to enable this code.

[johnsfine]

are your 6131 remotes "old stock" (before they included this code?)

...

I think everyone mis understood me

Really?

With everything you've said so far, it still seems like OFA told you they could add 1992 to a remote, and you interpreted that as meaning newer "stock" have it already.

You can get a 6131 from Rob or from elsewhere. The built in library will be the same and won't include 1992.

With JP1 you could add support for your device, maybe by having Rob find data on the official 1992 setup code, or maybe by using data someone else uploaded about that PVR.

[The Robman]

I think everyone mis understood me..... I EMAILED ONE FOR ALL.

A-ha. For future reference, when you refer to a "manufacturer" around here, we will usually assume you are talking about the manufacturer of your original equipment (ie, OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer). In this case you evidently meant "One For All". If you want to refer to them, either use their full name or use their initials (ie, OFA).

Also, just FYI, OFA is just a brand name now, it's not a real company. All JP1 remotes are actually made by UEI (Universal Electronics, Inc).

[broderp]

Really?With everything you've said so far, it still seems like OFA told you they could add 1992 to a remote, and you interpreted that as meaning newer "stock" have it already.

Wow, you seem upset at my comment. Sorry for beig new to this. When someone tells me "IF" as in "IF your remote does not have the code..." I have to believe it is possible that it COULD have the code. Otherwise my e-mail would have said "The 6131 DOES NOT have......"

This would tell me that some models come with it, a newer different data base, and others, most likely OLDER stock would not. Companies update and improve thier product all the time. I meant no offence about the OLD STOCK comment to anybody.

Either way, I'm interested in the remote, but wonder how much fuctionality the code they provide will give me vs. a JP1 modified one. (I don't think they will accept a modified unit for upgrade, so I would have to buy and upgrade the unit first, then ship it to be modifed.

Is this something you could do Robman? I could purchace the remote at a modified price, you ship me a unmodified unit. I send it to the manufacture for ROM update, then send it to you for JP1 modification, and then we could share the new ROM info with the forum as well if it was possible to extract the info.???

What do you think?

[johnsfine]

Wow, you seem upset at my comment.

Not at all. (Though I can see how what I said could give that impression). I was just trying to make sure the misunderstanding was resolved.

When someone tells me "IF" as in "IF your remote does not have the code..." I have to believe it is possible that it COULD have the code. Otherwise my e-mail would have said "The 6131 DOES NOT have......"

I also din't mean to imply you weren't somewhat justified in misunderstanding what they said.

Either way, I'm interested in the remote, but wonder how much fuctionality the code they provide will give me vs. a JP1 modified one. (I don't think they will accept a modified unit for upgrade, so I would have to buy and upgrade the unit first, then ship it to be modifed.

I have no idea if they would accept a modified one, but if they would it would be a waste of your effort anyway.

If you send them an unmodified one, they make it JP1 capable. I think they use a 1K eeprom and Rob uses a 2K, but that isn't a massive difference and you can use JP1 with the remote you would get back if you send it in unmodified.

then we could share the new ROM info with the forum as well if it was possible to extract the info.???

OFA does not change the ROM when they "upgrade". They do exactly the same thing that we do via JP1, with only the following differences:

1) I think they use a 1k eeprom and Rob uses 2k
2) They have a bigger library of setup codes to select from than we have, so we might not be able to get the one mentioned here (though Rob usually can get any OFA setup code)
3) With Jp1 you can customize things a lot more to fit the way you want it.

Bottom line, if you want to use JP1 forget about getting the remote "upgraded" by OFA. Just buy it from Rob and ask for some help at loading the upgrade you want.

[The Robman]

If your end goal is to simply have a URC-6131 remote that works your PVR, just ask me to install the Hauppauge code in it before I send it, and you'll be all set. You won't even need a JP1 cable. The only difference between the code that I will load and the one that OFA will load, is that I will map out more buttons than they will. In fact, I just downloaded the Hauppauge upgrade from the file section and there's more than enough buttons on the URC-6131 to cover all the buttons on the original remote.

Now, if you want the ability to re-program the remote yourself, or if you want the ability to program macros, you should get a JP1 cable too.

[broderp]

Thank you guys.

I think I will be happier with a JP1 remote, but really don't look forward to learning new software. I read about it, and it looked more complicated than I'd like to have to do.

I will build a JP1 cable (can do it for about $4 and 10 minutes of time, OK,,,,$4.35 and about 15 minutes ) and see what happens.

Let me look over the remotes again, read a bit more on what exactly I will be getting myself into, what features i want and need, what I can do using my existing software and then I'll order.

Thanks.

[classicsat]

IMO IR (the program used with JP1, which is free BTW, so you are not at a loss if you don't like it), is simle as pie, aand has a fair to middlin learning curve, if you put aside extenders, upgrades, protocols.

[vasqued2]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are two Haupauge remotes. A black one and a gray one. I'm not sure if they use the same upgrade or not. I know the gray one has more buttons.

The RM upgrade I posted was for the gray remote.

David

[broderp]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are two Haupauge remotes. A black one and a gray one. I'm not sure if they use the same upgrade or not. I know the gray one has more buttons.

The RM upgrade I posted was for the gray remote.

David

Hmmm...

My Haupauge remote is BLACK AND SILVER. The top is silver with aout 33 buttons....

[ToonGal]

The main reason I got involved with JP1 was to customize a remote to handle my new HTPC with SageTV as the PVR, the PVR-250 as my encoder, and the URC-8810w as the JP1 remote. I think I have useful information and links to share that will help you across the board for your PVR-250.

The PVR-250 silver/black remote sends RC-5 codes to a running program named ir.exe. These codes are parsed by the configuration file irremote.ini found in your windows directory. Depending on the PVR you have installed, it is preconfigured to handle / respond to the codes from the remote. Basically, you want your new remote to handle all the default RC-5 codes as used by convention, and allocate unique unused RC-5 codes to any newer buttons on the JP1 remote. Then you can add these controls after the fact via the config file, and never have to modify the remote again.

- Unoffical documentation, but as complete as you will find for the irremote.ini configuration to ir.exe on the web.

- Latest ir.exe program, version 2.42.22180, released unofficially from a contact inside Hauppauge, and only available here. There is also a good documentation file from the Haup contact here.

- My own irremote.ini file is modified to be far more readable from a technical standpoint, and should be good for learning purposes. I renamed the variables so the file is more readable and usable for me, but you can keep the originals if that is easier for you.

Ought to be enough to get a good start. Happy to help further with any PVR-250, ir.exe, irremote.ini, SageTV, etc. questions. I'll leave the JP1 side to the professionals, although I did find it not hard to get my own remote set up by myself. Still have some minor things outstanding and might open my own thread again at some point, but highly recommend going the JP1 route as it is not as tough as it seems when you actually do it.

Hope that helps, hun!