JP1 Remotes

Tommy Tyler · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject:

Andrew,

Without realizing it, I gave you an excellent example of why I recommend staying away from IR until JP1xTEST says the interface is working. I said maybe you should try a manufacturer's reset. That was a stupid suggestion, and has nothing to do with your problem. A manufacturer's reset restores a section of memory that has become corrupted and is causing malfunction of a remote. By contrast, the JP1xTEST program just checks to see if the remote can grunt out a primitive acknowledgement to a serial communication interogation. That's the beauty of it. It doesn't care if the remote has become stuffed with nonsense. It just sends it a single character and wants a simple "yes" or No" answer. This may sound like I'm splitting hairs, but there's a big difference between performance and communication. Fortunately, the portion of memory dedicated to serial communications is not in the area that sometimes needs a manufacturer's reset. So stick with JP1xTEST until it gives you an OK.

Tommy

Tommy Tyler · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:37 pm Post subject:

A year ago Greg published a version of tester.exe, a JP1.x communications test program, that displayed some additional comm debug data. I have not promoted it because there are no instructions or explanations of the displayed results, so only a handfull of our experts can understand them.

Nevertheless, I have just posted a fresh copy, along with the necessary utilities and a batch file to run it, at http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=file&file_id=4992.

Andrew, you might try running it and post your results here so we can see if that sheds any light on the matter.

Tommy

abroadst · Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

The output doesn't look promising. "Got no response" is printed after each test. During the test the remote blinks twice. When I unplugged the cable it also blinked twice. Here's the link to the output:

http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=file&file_id=4993

Tommy Tyler · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:41 pm Post subject:

When you try a download, immediately after the double-blink, with interface still connected to remote, is the remote operational, i.e., when you press a key does the red LED flash?

I suspect not. If I'm right, unplug the interface and see if the remote is operational then. You might try this several times.

Tommy

abroadst · Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

Yes the remote is operational with the cable connected, and the LED flashes.

-A

Tommy Tyler · Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:46 am Post subject:

Your last reply puts a whole new light on things. The only two options you have left that I can think of are (1) Try another JP1.2 Interface (not recommended yet) (2) Test the interface you have to see if it is communicating. I can walk you through the test very simply, if you have access to a RadioShack store and are willing to spend 99 cents on a 5-pack of 1/4 watt resistors. It's your call.

Tommy

abroadst · Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

Do I need a soldering iron or any other tools? A multimeter? (I have nothing.) Is there a doc posted here that tells me what I need? The remote is at my in-laws' place and I won't be back there for a couple weeks, unfortunately.

Tommy Tyler · Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:41 pm Post subject:

No soldering iron, tools, multimeter, or wire needed. See:
http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?allCount=100&cp=2032058.2032230&fbn=Price%2FUnder+%243.99&fbc=1&categoryId=2032267&fr=StorePrice%2FRSK%2F00000000%2F00000399&pg=3

Buy one pack of resistors:
Ist preference is 271-1335 (10K)
2nd preference is 271-1330 (4.7K)
3rd preference is 271-1328 (3.3K)
4th preference is 271-1325 (2.2K)
5th preference is 271-1321 (1K)

The only other thing you need is a 9V battery. If you don't have one lying around, borrow one from a smoke detector or some other gadget.

I'm preparing documentation now. Contact me when you're ready. (See your private messages in this forum.)

Tommy

Tommy Tyler · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:56 pm Post subject:

The documentation referred to in my previous post has been posted at:

Serial:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=file&file_id=5964

USB:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=file&file_id=5965

Tommy

pmiller056 · Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

I'm new here. I have successfully built and used a serial port JP1 interface based on a 74HC03 (or something similar - it's not in front of me). I'm now moving on to a serial port JP1.x interface. I have built the version with discrete transistors. It passes all the tests and IR.exe (ver 7.07) works correctly with a URC8206 remote (JP1.2) when used on the work PC.

The same interface and same remote fail to work with the home PC or a laptop. In both cases it will intermittently pass the the jp1xtest program, correctly identifying the remote when it passes. Sometimes the interface tester in IR.exe passes or fails the interface. If the interface passes the tester in ir.exe it will always fail with a 'failed to open jp1.x interface' or with a 'jp12 read failed -1' error when I try to communicate with the remote control. I cannot predict which error message I will get...

The only thing that is changing is the RS232 interface in the host PC. I'm thinking that something is marginal when it comes to RS232 signalling with the non-working PC's and I'm losing patience with what I built.... Is it worth rebuilding the interface from scratch using a 74HCxx (whatever suitable open collector device I can find) or go the whole way and do the RS232 interface properly with a MAX232 (or whatever) line driver IC.

Thank you all for developing and supporting the JP1 'scene'

Regards

Peter

IBNobody · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 124

greenough1 · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 659

I generally with IBNobody.

Have you looked at this:
this trouble-shooting guide ?

and this one which shows a hardware mod on the remote:
link .

What you saw with your JP1.2 remote and serial interface (JP1.x) was the same symptoms IBNobody saw with his JP1.3 remote using his home-built JP1.x. Might there still be an issue with the JP1.x interface.

IBNobody, did you get a DIYGadgets interface that worked, or did you fix yours yourself, if I'm remembering correctly?

Best,
jeff

IBNobody · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 124

pmiller056 · Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

Hi

Thanks for all your suggestions. The trouble shooting guide was of limited use because of the inconsistent results, depending on the host PC. I ended up swapping all the transistors for something with higher gain - It turned out that the transistors I was using were relatively high current switching transistors with correspondingly low gain (junkbox specials). They would not operate correctly when connected to an RS232 interface which only just meets the spec, as many modern driver IC's intended for laptop applications do. Gone are the days of 1488/1489 line drivers with +/-12V output swings.... The 100k base resistors shown in the schematic don't help either....

I appreciate the comment about buying an interface from diygadgets, but I'm on another continent. Shipping, import duty, import agents handling charges all add up and make it a non-starter.

Now to get the lady of the house away from in front of the telly so I can tinker, push buttons and get things set up in a way that we understand....

Peter.

thanasis · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

Hi,
I have received 2 cables(Product Code: DG-JP12-01) I ordered from this page: http://www.diygadget.com/store/jp1/jp1-x-for-remote-controls/jp1-2-serial-cable/prod_25.html
for use with my URC-7555 (jp1.2).
Cables arrived pretty fast.

I tried the following:
- Trimmed the plastic edges, so the cable can fit.No harm to the cable itself.
- connected it to a serial port and to the remote
- verified that pin1 is correct
- got correct rdf file (10751075 (URC-7555 OFA5).rdf)
- tried ir.exe version 7.0 (beta) as suggested by the link where I ordered the cable
- got three flashes of the TV button and message : Failed to open
jp1.2 interface when trying to download or check interface
- used ir.exe version 7.07 - same behaviour
- used RM IR (Java IR, v1.82) - three flashes and No Remotes found
after trying to download
- tried 2 other PC's
- tried USB2serial cable
- tried EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TESTING A JP1.x INTERFACE
(Ver. 3 9/11/07) by Tommy N. Tyler
- reset circuit is OK (getting flashes when turning on DTR)
- interface is not communicating properly when trying the resistors
and the battery test (receiving random bytes or nothing)
- jp1xtest.exe returns no remote found.
- tried another remote of the same type URC-7555
- tried another remote URC-7780, rdf file:
10621062_(URC-7780_Stealth_12).rdf, same behaviour

I attempted all these tests with one cable.
Then I opened the cover of the remote, provided for power supply and tested the other cable as well(without trimming it).
In both cables the reset circuit works but no receive-transmit.
Is this cable ready to use as indicated on the site?
What are the odds that both cables are faulty?
Is this the correct software and do I use it correctly?

P.S. when connecting the cable to the remote only, Tommy N. Tyler
suggests that the remote should work fine. However keys 4 to 9 do not
send anything while all other keys function properly. Keys 4 to 9 work
fine after removing the cable.

I look forward to your answer.

Karamanidis Athanasios