Help using IRTool

crowfan · Post by **crowfan** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:42 pm

Hello folks,

Total jp1 newbie here.

I have been reading everything recently, and have started the upgrade process. I have an 8910, and a USB jp1 cable. I've successfully loaded upgrades, and now I am starting to program macros and am looking for discrete codes.

I found this site for my Onkyo TX SR501 receiver, with discrete codes for On and Off:

http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/fi ... ceiver&fc=

When I paste the hex code into IRTool, and hit the "Decode Hex" button, it seems to output information. I'm just not sure how to read it and turn that into a code for my receiver. Here is the screen (click to enlarge):

How do I read this?

Thanks!

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:41 am

I've never used IRTool, nor have I a need to, NOR (in this case) do YOU need it. There is a Onkyo TX SR501 receiver upgrade in the file section, but it doesn't have "on" and "off" discretes, but THIS ONE does. (and, in fact, ANY of the Onkyo receiver upgrades would probably do as a starting point).

Just download it and open it in either KM or RM and you'll see that the Discrete ON is Protocol NEC1 Device 210 Sub-device 109 EFC 180 OBC 004; and
Discrete OFF is Protocol NEC1 Device 210 Sub-device 108 EFC 170 OBC 071.

I would use these data from the 702 upgrade with the EARLIER (501) upgrade, which will require less memory, since it uses the built-in NEC1 Combo (official) protocol, whereas the 702 upgrade uses the NEC 2Dev Combo protocol, whihc would require a 100-byte protocol upgrade for your 8910

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:48 am

Where did you download IRTool from? Was it from here or from Remote Central? If you got the R/C version, it's out of date. If you got our version, you probably didn't also download the DecodeIR.dll program. DecodeIR needs to be downloaded and either stored in the same folder as IRTool, or stored in your Windows System folder. Then, when you press DECODE, you will see a pop up box that will give you the JP1 info for the Pronto hex code that you are decoding.

crowfan · Post by **crowfan** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 12:07 pm

Thanks to both.

I downloaded IRTool from here, but that's all I downloaded, so I guess I need to get the DLL too.

And thanks to Capn Trips for that thought. Now I just have to find discrete codes for a couple more units and I'll be golden. Unfortunately I don't think they're available for my TV (Electrograph) or my DVD player (Philips DVP642). Oh well.

Thanks for the help!

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 12:07 pm

I looked for the Jp1 version of IrTool.exe on hifi-remote.com, so I could post a link to it. But I can't find it there.

Fortunately there is another copy of it here: remotecentral.com ... IRTool-Mod.zip

Notice that is not the same as the original IRTool, which is still available in a different directory at RemoteCentral.

The original IRTool (which I assumed crofan had used to get the results posted at the top of this thread) does not use DecodeIr.dll and thus does not give useful (for JP1) decodes in most situations.

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:38 pm

I just looked and it's still in the Yahoo file section, nobody's copied it over yet:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jp1/files ... IRTool.zip

crowfan · Post by **crowfan** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:21 pm

OK, I've downloaded the DLL and that did the trick.

The problem that I'm having now is the some of the discrete codes are doing their job, and some aren't. For example, I input the data that CapnTrips gave me above (I also tested it myself after downloading the DLL and I got the same info). The discrete code for Off works (i.e., if it's on, it turns it off, but if it's off, it stays off). But the discrete for On functions like a power toggle. Same thing with my Electrograph TV. I found discrete codes for it, but some of them work, and some do not.

Am I just out of luck?

Thanks.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 1:27 am

That particular function may not work for you, OR that particular function may be incorrectly labelled in that upgrade, OR ...

Examine the OTHER Onkyo Amp upgrades, to see if they offer any other possibilities/suggestions;

See if anything ELSE acts like a discrete ON (for some Amplifiers, sending and input selection (like Tuner, or CD, or something will automatically power it on);

Do a code search - look at your list of used OBCs, and try ones that seem "conspicuously absent" from the upgrade; (but be wary of blind code searches with a TV)

Finally you could create a 2-step macro using "Discrete OFF"-"Power Toggle" as a Discrete ON (although it would have the effect of cycling Power to you unit every time you use it when the unit is already ON - a really unsatisfying solution).