JP1 Remotes

[johnsfine]

Two stop bits is uncommon. If the USB to serial adapter is restricted in its range of com port settings, that is the one most likely to be the problem.

JP1.x uses two stop bits only for the slight increase in reliability it gives (because the remote side is bit banging the serial com with questionable timing). Two stop bits is not fundamentally necessary. If that turns out to be the thing the USB to serialm adapter doesn't like, we should have an option in jp12io.dll to turn it off.

[Tommy Tyler]

Greg, in past experiments I've noted that JP1.x remotes will talk to a serial port configured for either one or two stop bits. I originally specified two because that's what the remote used in its replies. Two stop bits is not very common. Is the COM port so picky that it doesn't like this, and if tester used one stop bit it would accept it?

Tommy

[roberto.fagagnini]

Hi everybody :

The error 897 was because the Software was checking ALL the serial Ports, also the ones not needed, but is not giving a clear evidence of which port is not properly working.
Now thanks to the debug version received ( THANKS a LOT ) I have been able to state that some unused ports weren't able to be properly setup.

I have esxcluded them, and now I m in the situation like the Interface is not connected.

In fact this is the result of the program :


C:\Downloads\TestGroup>tester
tester version 0.01
jp12io.dll version 0.00
Parsing command list file tester.dat
Openning COM1
Openning COM2
Openning COM3
Openning COM4
Openning COM5
DCB paramaters:
DCBlength=28
BaudRate=38400
fBinary=1
fParity=0
fOutxCtsFlow=0
fOutxDsrFlow=0
fDtrControl=1
fDsrSensitivity=0
fTXContinueOnXoff=0
fOutX=0
fInX=0
fErrorChar=0
fNull=0
fRtsControl=1
fAbortOnError=0
fDummy2=0
wReserved=0
XonLim=2048
XoffLim=512
ByteSize=8
Parity=0
StopBits=2
XonChar=17
XoffChar=19
ErrorChar=0
EofChar=0
EvtChar=0
wReserved1=0
Openning COM6
Openning COM7
Openning COM8
Openning COM9
Unable to connect

===============
I would be really thankful if somebody could lem me know the URC-8206 Pinout

I think that the pins are :

1 3 5
2 4 6

This is lookin the backside of the remote unit, and having the batteries located down

Thanks for you reply. and for helping
Roberto

[Tommy Tyler]

Roberto,

Looking at the back side of a URC-8206 with the batteries down, the pins are:

5 3 1
6 4 2

Please let us know when you have been able to communicate with the remote via your USB-to-serial adapter.

Tommy

[gfb107]

If you know the name of the port you want to use, you can specify it on the command line. In your case:

[roberto.fagagnini]

I tried to modify the connector pinout, but still No response from URC.

Maybe it's a very stupid question, but....

Do JP1.2 BKGND signal ( pin 7 of serial DB9 ) is necessary for thi interface ?

Since if I look at the schematic, I see that pin 7 has a dual function, and exactely START in the JP1 interface and BKGND in JP1.2 interface, but the notes tells you to remove this part in the case you are building the JP1.2 interface...
So I'm a little confused. ( also hoping that thi is the cause of non functionality..)

Thanks again for help

Roberto

[tlad]

My results from the debug version of tester. N.B. I manually changed port settings to 38400, 8, 2, N


C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\My Documents\RemoteControlStuff\TestGroup>teste
r
tester version 0.01
jp12io.dll version 0.00
Parsing command list file tester.dat
Openning COM1
DCB paramaters:
DCBlength=28
BaudRate=38400
fBinary=1
fParity=0
fOutxCtsFlow=0
fOutxDsrFlow=0
fDtrControl=1
fDsrSensitivity=0
fTXContinueOnXoff=0
fOutX=0
fInX=0
fErrorChar=0
fNull=0
fRtsControl=1
fAbortOnError=0
fDummy2=0
wReserved=0
XonLim=4096
XoffLim=1024
ByteSize=8
Parity=0
StopBits=2
XonChar=17
XoffChar=19
ErrorChar=0
EofChar=0
EvtChar=0
wReserved1=0
Openning COM2
Openning COM3
Openning COM4
Openning COM5
Openning COM6
Openning COM7
Openning COM8
Openning COM9
Unable to connect

C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\My Documents\RemoteControlStuff\TestGroup>pause

Press any key to continue . . .

[tlad]

Results from default port settings.

Tim.

C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\My Documents\RemoteControlStuff\TestGroup>teste
r
tester version 0.01
jp12io.dll version 0.00
Parsing command list file tester.dat
Openning COM1
DCB paramaters:
DCBlength=28
BaudRate=38400
fBinary=1
fParity=0
fOutxCtsFlow=0
fOutxDsrFlow=0
fDtrControl=1
fDsrSensitivity=0
fTXContinueOnXoff=0
fOutX=0
fInX=0
fErrorChar=0
fNull=0
fRtsControl=1
fAbortOnError=0
fDummy2=0
wReserved=0
XonLim=4096
XoffLim=1024
ByteSize=8
Parity=0
StopBits=2
XonChar=17
XoffChar=19
ErrorChar=0
EofChar=0
EvtChar=0
wReserved1=0
Openning COM2
Openning COM3
Openning COM4
Openning COM5
Openning COM6
Openning COM7
Openning COM8
Openning COM9
Unable to connect

C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\My Documents\RemoteControlStuff\TestGroup>pause

Press any key to continue . . .

[tlad]

In the JP1.2 you will not need to connect to the 7 pin in the DB9. Those components (resistor and diode) will not be there for the JP1.2... only JP1.x. You will also not connect to pin 5 on the IDC connector for the JP1.2 only interface. Make sure you have the up to date version of the schematic as there was an error which could lead to this confusion. Sorry I don't have the link handy.

Tim.

[roberto.fagagnini]

No chance to see the JP1.2 interface at work.
I have spent really a lot of time searching for a possible problem, but I cannot see the problem.
I have posted the photos of the two versions of the prototype i have realized, and hope that somebody can give a look to them, trying to locate a possible problem.

Thanks again

Roberto

PS photos are here :
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=download&file_id=3598

[Tommy Tyler]

I don't see any errors in connections to components, but you should make sure there are no accidental shorts caused by the copper pads on both sides. As you know, the spacing of the copper pads is 0.100"(2,54mm) whereas the spacing of the DB9 pins is 0.109" ((2,78mm). If you locate pin 3 directly over one pad, pins 2 and 4 will be slightly off their pads, and pins 1 and 5 even a little more. But on the other side, pins 6 through 9 are resting in the spaces between pads, and two of those might be touching opposite sides of the same pad. It would be better to cuts those unused pads off with a knife. Also, it looks like the bare wire from DB9 pin 2 might be touching a pad that pin 1 is soldered to. I suggest you concentrate your attention on that area around the DB9 pins and make sure none of the pins are shorted to another.

Tommy

[jetskier]

It might be better to completely remove the DB9 from the board and use a short length of cable so the connections can be properly made.

[roberto.fagagnini]

Well....
I have rebuilt the interface, with all your tips.

Now it W O R K S !!!

But i have introduced some other new variants...

The interface is the full one ( JP1.X + 1.2 )
No more DB9 but wire

Now i intend to prosecute in my investigation in oprder to understand which is the problem that avoid functionality.

I want to thanks everybody for the support and i'll be back asap with the solution to my previous interfaces.

Thanks again to ALL

Roberto - Verona - Italy

[aldaweb]

[kupakai]

I don't know if you are still keeping count, but I just got a USB to serial cable with Prolific chip (Rosewill RCW-601) and installed the latest driver from Prolific and everything works fine. I tried the tester, IR 7 beta 3 and RMIR and they all read and write through the new COM port.

I also tried it with VirtualPC 7 on the Mac and IR can read through the USB to serial cable as well. It just need to be turned on in the USB menu and then the windows driver installed in VPC. Mapping the cable to either COM1 or COM2 port does not work.

A bit off topic, but will the JP1 serial cable work with the adapter as well? I know there is a USB version as well, but with parts I have around, serial version would be simpler to make, and I'd try it if there's a possibility.