JP1 Remotes

Hi,
I've just bought a URC-5220 VCR Programmer. I hoped it would be JP1 compatible but it doesn't have the header and the PCB tracks I can see are 8 'staggered' pins. Anyone know anything about this device?

Since I searched the site for 5220 and found nothing I thought you might like some more info: The 5220 is not a standard remote. Instead it has a LCD screen and you 'program' it with the date and time of the channel you want recorded. You leave the device pointing at the VCR and cable box and at the programmed time the 5220 sends IR commands to select the correct cable channel and then more commands to start the VCR recording. At the end of the recording time it sends IR commands to stop the VCR. This means I can go out and leave my VCR to record from more than 1 cable channel - at different times of course

I thought the 5220 device was new because I had never seen it before, but it doesn't work with my Feguson FDT 2000 digital TV box (my version of 'cable') and after a quick call to customer services they said the 5220 was quite an old device and couldn't be upgraded even if I sent it to them. So either I have to buy a set-top box that the 5220 does support, or I'll have to upgrade the 5220... Any ideas gratefully received.
- Andy

It sounds like the Radio Shack 15-1996:

In this day and age, get a Tivo (or other DVR).
Otherwise, most digital boxes have timers which you can use with timers on the VCR to record programmes (yes, it might be a pain to go about setting both.) Some STBs have IR blasters too, which can control VCRs.

Rob,
You're right. Apart from the logo it looks identical to the 15-1996.

I couldn't find any info here on the 15-1996 either, but I've opened it up and I think I can see where to connect the wires for JP1. As far as I can tell it uses a 24WC01J eeprom and the S3C8 processor. There's not a lot of space for a connector so I think I'll have to use a ribbon cable and bring it outside the box.

- Andy

Hi,
I've got the JP1 interface to the 5220 working. I'll post some pics if anyone else wants to do this.

I'm not sure what to do next. I've downloaded the data from the eeprom and its here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jp1/files ... RC5220.txt

IR.exe says something like 'can't find RDF file for OAVLOA0 (which is true, there isn't one). I read something somewhere about how to create one, but I can't remember where that was!

Thanks,
Andy

How much info do you have on programming the remote? I guess you know how to program some kind of timer for VCR programming. What about KeyMoves or Macros? Does it support learning?

That eeprom image was nearly empty and not exactly what I'd expect for an S3C80 UEI remote. Unless Rob already knows more, you may need to use the more basic approach to decoding eeprom contents:

Program some feature into the remote and redump the eeprom image and see what changed. Repeat until it's all understood. We'll be glad to help. If you describe what feature you programmed in and point us to the before and after versions of the eeprom image, we're pretty good at seeing how the change in hex values encodes the feature.

John,
Thanks for pointing this out. I naively thought that once I had a JP1 Interface I could program the beast.

It appears that the memory is used for storing date and times of recordings and not for device setup except for a few bytes at the top (the 10 20 in bytes 12/13 are the device code 0032 which is for my VCR).

Even without the device functionality I can’t make this *^%@ thing take more than 1 program. I must be doing something obvious wrong, but if I can’t do it then my wife won’t be able to and I bought it for her (I’m sure they all say that ).

I think I’ll go and bribe the kids to program the VCR for me…

- Andy

Well it appears that you can only program ONE event into this little marvel. My English manual didn’t make that clear but the RS manual says it clearly "before you program another event you must clear the existing one".

I'm speechless. I paid 20 pounds for this gizmo. That's 36 US bucks (as opposed to 8 bucks at RS). 36 bucks just so I can record 1 TV show. Even I can make my VCR record 1 show.

This device contains 14 buttons, and alphanumeric LCD display. 1k of eeprom, a big fat micro and a real time clock with separate crystal, and all they managed to get it to do was program 1, repeat ONE, TV show.

Well, I guess it saves getting out of my seat and walking over to the VCR. Oh, and I don’t have to change channels on the cable box – it will do that for me – oh no, I forgot – it CAN’T do that because my box is too ‘new’ (only been around for a year or so).

Just FYI, this EEPROM only holds 256 bytes, so most of the data in the file you posted is actually just repeats of the first 256 bytes (ie, $100).

The first 2 bytes of the checksum.
The next 8 bytes are the sig (OAVLOAV0).
Then there's 14 bytes of actual data. In order to guess what this data is used for, I would need to see what changes when you change settings on the remote.

First off, 2 bytes of this data must be the VCR's setup code. If you know what setup code you entered, look for the hex value. Otherwise, change the setup code and see which bytes of data change. Then try changing the times, etc and again, see what changes.

Also, just FYI, this remote was originally $30 at RS, but nobody bought it so they reduced it. The technology is out of date since they invented PVRs.

Oh, how funny, this vcr programmer has to be the most useless piece of kit ever! I bought one last year in the pound shop for £1 only. I wasn;t holding much hope for it but when I found it could only program one event, what a joke! My sympathy to the OP who bought it at £20!

I mean, I doubt even in 1980 the ability to program 1 event was anything special, let alone even in the 90s or early 00s whenever this device was brought out.

It's misdescribed too because as said above it doesn't program your vcr but acts as the timer itself and sends the signal to record at the right time.

It is a shame because it is pretty well made from a hardware point of view, and as well as the lcd and clock has two led transmitters. If some way to update the memory and change functions could be found , they might make good little TV remotes, or if more events could be put in by adding extra memory they would be good for recording still for those with vcrs with limited programming (even dvd recorders don't have unlimited slots often), or else some other kind of programming use - i.e to turn your tv on and off when you are away to make the house look more occupied. There must be thousands being trashed.

I don't think they sold more than about 20 of them, total! 8)