JP1 Remotes

Read the article "JP1 - Just How Easy Is It?". It only mention identifying whether a remote is JP1 compatible by the 6 pin connecter. But it is just a connecter. Is there a better way to ensure a remote can be programmed with the software mentioned on this site, e.g. what chip used?

I mean as long as the chip is compatible, and knowing the chip leads orientation, adding a connecter is easy.

UEIC has used a number of different chips which have all had similar connectors on the remote PCB (and some that didn't have the connector, bubt could have one added). The original series of UEIC JP1-programmable remotes used any of SEVERAL processors and the common item was the presence of an EEPROM. These included Motorola P740, 6805 and later the S3C80 and the S3C80+.

More recent UEIC remotes have done away with the EEPROMs and instead use FlashROM processors which (iiuc) basically combine the "EEPROM"-like behaviour within the processor itself. These included the SST which uses the JP1.1 interface, the HCS08, which uses the JP1.2 interface, and the S3F80, a JP1.3 descendant of the S3C80 family of JP1 processors.

All of these use similar 6-pin connectors, but different interfaces. Some remotes can be modified to accomodate a JP1 interface, but to my knowledge, it's safe to say that if the remote has the tell-tale 6-pin connector, it is a UEIC remote and is one of the JP1, or JP1.x family. NO other remotes have a similar-looking 6-pin connector and are OTHER than one of these UEIC remotes.

Also, to the best of my knowledge, no other remote manufacturer uses the UEIC chips, and if they do, the programming in the ROM is completely different, so they would not respond to the JP1 tools anyways. (Experts correct me here, as I am straying well beyond my confort zone .)

Say, if I have a UEI remote but it doesn't have a 6-pin connector, how can I mod it to add the connector?

As far as I know any UEI remote that has been identified has had 1 of 3 things,

1- 6 Pins

2- 6 pads in the same configuration that can be used with a POGO adaptor and a regular cable.

3- 6 holes that can be used to add pins. With older jp1 remotes these were the cheaper remotes and were also missing the separate eprom for storing upgrades.

That's not precisely true, although it is true enough for practical purposes. For example, the old URC 7200 can be modified although you couldn't tell from just looking at it for holes or pads.

The Sky remotes (UK-based satellite provider) can be modified for JP1 use, but it is really painful to do so. Some of these had/have no holes.

Also, a promising new Radio Shack remote has been hacked, but it also has no VISIBLE holes or pads (unless you open up the case) but requires a LOT of effort to make it practical for JP1-ing.