JP1 Remotes

I just bought some very nice open box DVD recorders really cheap, because they didn't have the remote. No problem for me. These DVD recorders really work nicely with an extended remote. Triple stacking features with xShift. Long Key Presses, and DSM's make the JP1 remote so much easier than the OEM, that I really wanted to do extended remotes.

I didn't think it was practical for me to use the extender, as I had no idea what pieces of equipment would be used with these DVD recorders. I thought I was going to have to leave the remote in the unextended state in order to give them to non JP1 users.

I was thrilled to find that if I disabled the extender by removing the batteries, I could set the devices from the codes in the book, including TV and then hit TV Power and start the extender again.

Does anybody know if this is going to cause operational problems for the remote?

Has anybody else done this, and regretted it?

If you're gifting a remote to somebody where you don't expect that person to use JP1 to program the remote, I would recommend that you program it as best you can without using an extender. I can just see endless "tech support" phone calls in your future otherwise.

I think you may be right. I'm not sure that would be all bad in this case.
I'd love to hear more from them.

I probably should start at the basics and see what kind of support the urc6131 remote gives this DVD recorder, out of the box. I started out with doing an upgrade for the 7800, then have ported it to my other remotes and never even gave a thought to the newer remotes having the device built in. I probably should learn how an unextended URC6131 behaves.

I should also repeat this test on the target remote and make sure UEIC hasn't changed their programming to wipe out the keymoves on the device keys when you set up a new device.

If support got to be too much of an issue I could always give them some JP1 USB cables and direct them here for you guys to support!

It also may depend on your relationship with the person you're giving it to.

Some of the people (such as my mother) I've given remotes to would call me for support on their A/V problems regardless of whether I set up something unusual for them, regardless of whether I even set it up, regardless of whether I've ever even seen the equipment.

If you're giving a remote to someone like that, you might as well use the extender.

On the original question, I don't think there's any problem with deactivating an extender, changing device setup codes and reactivating it. Obviously you would not want to define keymoves or macros or learn signals with the extender deactivated and then reactivate it.

vickyg2003 wrote:I should also repeat this test on the target remote and make sure UEIC hasn't changed their programming to wipe out the keymoves on the device keys when you set up a new device.

An un-extended URC-6131 doesn't allow keymoves or macros on the device buttons, so that's not an issue.

As for using upgrades vs. built in setup codes, an un-extended 6131 with a 2k chip installed has more upgrade memory than you will ever need, so even if you created upgrades for every single device that they are using, you'd still have buckets of memory left over, so that shouldn't be a concern.

johnsfine wrote:On the original question, I don't think there's any problem with deactivating an extender, changing device setup codes and reactivating it. Obviously you would not want to define keymoves or macros or learn signals with the extender deactivated and then reactivate it.

Good point! I think everyone knows that the extender takes all your learning area and uses it for other things. What's not so obvious to the casual extender user is that the keymove and macros area is moved. The old keymove area contains a keymove defined on the TV Power key, that starts the extender. And of course my end users won't know any of that, so I'll make sure to include that in their Instruction Sheet. Do you think they'll read it??