RCU810 seems to have died?

[Qballtx]

First of all...the JP1 Group is a cool idea, and thanks to all that help keep it running.

Now to my problem. I have recently attempted to reprogram an RCU810-A, and it has apparently died in the process. What did I do to it? Over the past several months I've been reading over the forums to familiarize myself before I tried anything. I then soldered the female 6-pin connector to the PCB as per instructions (thanks for the tips on that), and everything seemed fine.

All of the software was installed that I need for use with Excel on a desktop comp. (AMD K6 700Mhz running WIN98SE). I'm using: IR v. 6.00RC3 ; DecodeIR v. 2.14 ; Delcom USB driver 1.00.5001.6 ; USB JP1 cable bought from filebug earlier this year.

I reassembled the remote, and everything worked as it had before the disassembly, including the LCD. The only thing I didn't do is a "factory reset", but I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the problem. The cable was connected to the remote putting the arrow on the pin marked "1", and this is where it all starts going wrong.

I noticed at this time that the LCD was displaying every character possible, but I assumed this was normal and continued to attempt a download. It failed, giving me the message "SDA is being held low". After reading everything in the forums on this subject, I tried no-batteries, then reversing one battery, but to no avail. Of course, all of this was done with new batteries fresh off the rack. Even more strange is when I tried the other USB port on the comp., and tried a download, it said "SDA is being held high".

That's not the real problem, though. After the disappointment of not being able to download, I made sure to remove the batteries ('cause one was reversed). After about a week, I tried to connect it again, but now the remote won't work at all. Before... every time I put in batteries, the LCD would display all characters (this thing with the LCD started after the first time I connected the cable, and until it stopped coming on at all, it would always display all characters without hibernating whenever batteries were installed).

I tried different new batteries...no results. I also made sure that the springs that connect the batteries were all in the right positions. I haven't tried disassembly yet. What happened? Did I fry it somehow? I am an amature at soldering, but my solders don't look any bigger than others on the PCB, and I made sure none of them touch anything else. Could I have applied too much heat to the PCB in the process? What makes me wonder if I did anything wrong is the fact that the remote worked perfectly right after I put it back together.

Please Help.

[johnsfine]

I then soldered the female 6-pin connector to the PCB as per instructions (thanks for the tips on that),

Did you follow RCU810 specific "tips" on that process?

Did you clip (after soldering) or adjust (before soldering) the pins so they're nearly flush with the board where soldered? Did you cover with non conductive tape as extra protection against shorting the keyboard membrane?

It sounds like those pins (if you didn't do the above) or something else wrong in the reassembly moved just enough under the minor stress of connecting the jp1 cable that it now is shorting something.

[The Robman]

First off, the 6-pin connector is "male" not "female", the IDC connector on the end of your JP1 cable is "female".

Anyway, just to add to John's comments, if you didn't use hot glue or some other method to shorten the pins, they would end up sticking too far through the holes and would interfere with the button sheet. If you simply soldered the pins in place without pushing them all the way through, then pressing the JP1 cable into place would likely push the pins all the way through, which would not only cause them to interfere with the button sheet, but they'd likely rip away some of the PCB traces in the process.

My recommendation would be to...

1) RESET the remote, using the instructions found here...
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4057

then..

2) Open it up and see how things look where you did the soldering.

Just in case you haven't seen them, my instructions for modding the RCU810 are here:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/jp1/RCU810/

[Qballtx]

Thanks for replying guys. The "female" was just a typo, sorry.

The mod was done exactly as the instructions you are referring to Rob...hot glue, elec. tape and all.

In reference to the RESET...I wish I could, but the remote will not turn on at all anymore. After disassembling it, I used an 8x magnifying glass to inspect everything on the PCB, but found nothing out of the ordinary. The elec. tape was still in place, not worn, and just barely poking into the button sheet only enough to make an almost indetectable imprint. As mentioned earlier, the solders do not touch each other.

I paid close attention to the solders that attach the "springs" for the batteries, and they look fine also. At this point, using an untrained eye, I don't know what else to look for.

Thanks again for the help.

[mtakahar]

Is anything else other than the LCD working?

Hal

[Qballtx]

No, Hal.

I just now reassembled it very, very carefully...making sure the button sheet and other sheet (?) are in their correct positions with the correct screws and everything. Nothing works at all. Brand new batteries. Pointed it at TV and other components...nothing.



Bob

[Qballtx]

Is there anything I can do with a multimeter to confirm my suspitions that this remote is a lost cause not worth the effort anymore? I have my eye on the Kameleon 9960. Seems like a better idea...any thoughts?

Thanks for the help so far.

Bob

[The Robman]

I'm moving this to the hardware area where it has a better chance of being spotted by the hardware experts.

[jherrick]

Is there anything I can do with a multimeter to confirm my suspitions that this remote is a lost cause not worth the effort anymore?

Bob

Bob,
There is a very simple test you can do, and that is to take the batteries out of the remote, place the multimeter in resistance mode (Ohms) and check between the positive and negative springs in the battery compartment. It should read open. If not, you have a problem with a short somewhere. This is the simplest of checks. Without having one of those remotes here and no schematic, there is very little else I can tell you to do with the meter.

Also, try taking out the batteries and pressing a key, then putting the batteries back in. See if anything happens.

If you do take the remote apart again, try placing the circuit board in the bottom of the plastic shell without the top on, and without the LCD screen. Place the batteries in the compartment. You will see that this is possible after you try. Now take a metal object of some sort and just quickly short the traces together of one pad. See if the red LED at the top of the remote blinks. If it does, you have a problem somewhere in the LCD, keypad, or EL backlight sheet. If it doesn't, you have a problem somewhere on the circuit board.

Although we could what-if this all day, do these things and let us know the results, then we can go from there.

[Qballtx]

Okay...took the batteries out and checked the ohms between the springs attached to the circuit board. I get a constantly moving reading starting at .6 Mohms and quickly moving up.

Then tried removing batteries, press a key, replace batteries....nothing.

Disassembled remote as per instructions and put batteries in. Unfortunately, this remote doesn't have a LED, only a LCD screen. I did try pointing the remote at the entertainment center and shorted the pad that corresponds to the TV, then the pads for MUTE, PWR.... Many other pads were shorted with a screwdriver blade when nothing happened. I guess this would've had a similar test result, right?

Sounds like my remote failed the first test, assuming I measured between the correct points. What now?

[jherrick]

I may have to retract my statement about the open circuit being correct. Although it's not the same remote, I did a check of the 9810 HTPro I have here and it read 229 Ohms. But it was steady. If the resistance moves up on yours it may be an indication of a failed or failing part. If the resistance was decreasing I would say it resembled a capacitor. But as it's increasing it could be something else.

Before we go chasing anything around, do this. Remove the header you put in for jp1. Just get some desoldering braid from Rat Shack or somewhere and remove the solder then take the header out.

We need to get it back to original configuration and see if it works then. If it does, then we can conclude that something you put on it caused the problem. If not, then it may be that something happened to it that can't be reversed.

[Qballtx]

Thanks for the input jherrick, I'll pick up the desoldering stuff at Rat Shack, and let you know how it goes.

I was considering ordering the same remote online for a backup in case this one's problem is irreversable. I saw it for just under ten bucks. Perhaps this time I'll just connect the header pins to the cable and hold them in contact with the holes instead. If something fries again, I'll know what is causing it.

[Qballtx]

Okay...I desoldered and removed the 6-pin header and just stuck it into the end of the JP1 USB cable (from Filebug). Upon recieving the new rcu-810, I first did the MFR reset (as if it needed it straight out of the box), then I lightly held the pins in contact with the holes in the PCB.

With auto check disabled in IR vr. 6.00, and the transmission delay set to 750 (tried others like 400, 500..), and USB checked for the type of interface, I checked interface with batteries installed correctly (remote's LCD screen works properly so far) only to get the dreaded "SDA is being held low". Yippeee!

This is what I did: reversed one battery; removed batteries--same message. Batteries were reinstalled to get "SDA is being held high" now. All of these attempts were tried with putting the pins in the holes and holding to one side...setting the pins on the gold colored contacts around the holes...many, many attempts have been made to check interface. I even unplugged the cable from the computer and tried the other USB port with the same results. When I try to check interface with the USB cable unplugged at the black box containing a PCB on the cable, I get "Unable to open device. Please check connection." So we know the driver recognizes the cable and IR detects a problem with the connection. I even opened the black box and checked the resistors (they read about 1K) and checked the continuity between the 6-pins and their corresponding wire at the solder point on the PCB. Everything seems to check out fine with Tom's cable, as expected.

Then something odd happened which really threw me off... While trying anything and everything with the check interface, I checked it with the pins not connected to anything at all, just held the pins in mid-air. I got the "SDA is being held high" for awhile. If I let it sit for several minutes, it goes back to "unable to open device..." I assume a cap. is charged on the PCB in the black box on the cable? I have tried waiting the time it normally takes for the cap. to decharge and attempted a check interface right away, but it still says it's held high.

At least this remote still works...which is more than I can say for the one that I tried to solder the pins to. Apparently, I'm not good at soldering, so I'm obviously reluctant to attempt to solder on the new remote.

I there anything I haven't tried? Please help...I'm very anxious to get to programming.

[Qballtx]

After taking some much needed time off from this frustrating project, I'm back with more questions. Is there somebody that can give me a more detailed description of the process involved with "holding the pins in the holes on the PCB"? Maybe I was doing it wrong. If the male 6-pin connector really needs to be soldered on, then I'll need to take it to somebody that is better at it. Should I do that?

Thanks for the help.
Bob

[The Robman]

With this remote it really needs to be soldered in.