Intermittent communiucation with IR

e.axel · Post by **e.axel** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm

On both of the remotes I am working with (8811 and 9800), today I have been getting a lot of (Unable to communicate with remote). Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Restarting the computer works some of the time. I read a post somewhere about remotes being very sensitive to battery voltage, but I can't find it now.
Any suggestions?

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 9:29 pm

1. Try it without batteries in the remotes
2. Try it with new batteries in the remotes
3. Try it with old batteries in the remotes
4. Try it with one of the batteries in the wrong way around

e.axel · Post by **e.axel** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:05 am

I guess thats everything with batteries. I'll try it tomorrow.
What is the technical rationale here?
Thanks
Elliot

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:10 am

The first item on the list was WITHOUT batteries. The problem is that the Simple interface relies on the LPT1 ports voltage, which is not a standardized commodity. On some PCs it's higher than others. Next up is the voltage in the remote itself, with brand new fresh batteries the voltage will be higher than with old batteries. If the voltage in the remote is too high, when compared with the voltage in the LPT1 port, the interface might not work.

Reversing one of the batteries reduces the voltage from approx 6v to 4.5v.

e.axel · Post by **e.axel** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:56 am

Thank you. I hope I will be able to get back to it later today. The 9800 is
controlling the replays perfectly now with my mods to the 0616 that was already in it, so this is just experimentation and an attempt to set up the 8811. I have yet to make any upgrade I have created from scratch work!

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:42 am

Who put the VCR/0616 code into the URC-9800? Did you send it back to OFA for an upgrade? I ask because the VCR/0616 code is not native to the URC-9800.

e.axel · Post by **e.axel** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:04 pm

I bought it on ebay, and subsequently discovered the 0616 (as well as an 0614 which I haven't touched) in the remote.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:07 pm

The Robman wrote: Reversing one of the batteries reduces the voltage from approx 6v to 4.5v.

Just to be anally-retentive for a moment, I would correct that reversing one battery SHOULD yield a battery compartment output voltage of ~3V, not 4.5 {1.5 + 1.5 + 1.5 - 1.5 = 3}

whompus · Post by **whompus** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:14 pm

e.axel if you are still using the same ir file as you uploaded before. The keymoves in it are not set right to operate the functions it wants to. They should be set for device key vcr and setup code 0616. That is if it is still the one you uploaded named with replay.

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:13 pm

Capn Trips wrote:
The Robman wrote: Reversing one of the batteries reduces the voltage from approx 6v to 4.5v.
Just to be anally-retentive for a moment, I would correct that reversing one battery SHOULD yield a battery compartment output voltage of ~3V, not 4.5 {1.5 + 1.5 + 1.5 - 1.5 = 3}

OK, Capn, since you're in voltage calculating mode; if you were to stick a potentiometer (variable resistor) in series with the batteries (via a pair of small contacts inserted between batteries or between one battery and its contact), what would be the optimum value (in Ohms) to give a decent, controllable spread of voltages?

e.axel · Post by **e.axel** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:24 pm

Battery options don't seem to give any consistent result. I only seem to be able to get to the remote by restarting the computer.

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:39 pm

e.axel wrote:I only seem to be able to get to the remote by restarting the computer.

Do you have any printer drivers or other software that might be using the parallel port? I know I've had trouble in the past with HP printer drivers hogging the port after printing... only a reboot would allow me to use my simple interface.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 3:46 pm

e.axel wrote:I only seem to be able to get to the remote by restarting the computer.

That tells us that the problem is not with the remote, or it's batteries, but with the computer itself (and the software/drivers running on it).

e.axel · Post by **e.axel** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 4:29 pm

You guys designed the software!!!!

gfb107 · Post by **gfb107** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 4:36 pm

Not the JP1 software. Some other software on your PC that is using the parallel port, such as a printer driver.