30333033 Tommy's new JP1.2/1.3 USB & Atlas OCAP

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:09 am

I received Tommy's latest interface Friday. It works great with my URC-8820 but not with either of my 2 Atlas OCAP's (URC-1056BC1-BLX-XXX-0001-001-R). IR reports it failed to open the JP1.x interface as well as the Check Interface test. I also have Tommy's serial JP1.x interface (pin 5 connected) that works just fine with the OCAP's.

I questioned Tommy about this oddity and he suggested that I try connecting pin 5 of the USB interface. I did and now the Atlas that I tested it on is acting very strange. For starters, IR still couldn't commnicate with the remote. However, upon disconnecting the interface, the remote now continually flashes the CBL button 4 times, pauses, and repeats the flashing. Even removing the batteries overnight didn't help; it's still looping through 4 flashes, pause, 4 flashes...

Tommy had me try resetting the Atlas by toggling the DTR line. Doing so will stop the 4 flash looping, but the remote becomes totally unresponsive (nothing works). Removing and replacing the batteries brings back the 4 flash looping.

Tommy's now wondering if the remote is truly a JP1.3 model. As far as I can tell, all the evidence says it is.

Has anyone else with an Atlas OCAP 1056 experienced anything similar?

Is there a trick to reviving a borked Atlas remote?

Any ideas on what I should do next?

davewill · Post by **davewill** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:10 am

I just got my new interface with the FTDI chip. I have a 1055BA1-xxx-0001-001 remote whose 6 pin connector is labeled JP1.3. It won't pass the jp1xtest.exe test or work from IR. I can do the loopback test with the interface, no problem. The DTR line also resets the remote. I know Tommy tested it, and I'm confident the interface is wired right.

Unfortunately, I don't have another jp1.2/3 remote to try, nor do I have another interface to try.

During the test (either from IR or jp1xtest) I get a very short flash, followed by a normal flash. After the test fails, I get the two flashes I expect from a reset. Makes me think there might be a timing issue.

I downloaded and ran the debug version of TestGroup. Here's the output:

J:\JP1 Remote\Test Group with comm debug>Debug_Tester -debug
tester version 0.03
Parsing command list file tester.dat
Opening COM1
Opening COM2
Opening COM3
Opening COM4
Opening 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=0
XonChar=17
XoffChar=19
ErrorChar=0
EofChar=0
EvtChar=0
wReserved1=0
CLRRTS
CLRDTR
SETDTR
SETBREAK
CLRBREAK
Purging RX and TX buffers
Reading up to 20 bytes to flush out spurious data
Didn't get any spurious data
Sending tEst command (45h)
Reading up to 20 bytes of response
Got no response
CLRDTR
SETDTR
SETRTS
CLRRTS
Purging RX and TX buffers
Reading up to 20 bytes to flush out spurious data
Didn't get any spurious data
Sending tEst command (45h)
Reading up to 20 bytes of response
Got no response
SETBREAK
SETRTS
CLRRTS
CLRBREAK
Purging RX and TX buffers
Reading up to 20 bytes to flush out spurious data
Didn't get any spurious data
Sending tEst command (45h)
Reading up to 20 bytes of response
Got no response
Opening COM6
Opening COM7
Opening COM8
Opening COM9
Unable to connect

J:\JP1 Remote\Test Group with comm debug>pause
Press any key to continue . . .

Tommy Tyler · Post by **Tommy Tyler** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:35 pm

Mark and Dave's experience suggested something fishy about the Atlas remote, so I finally bartered for one that I could use for testing. Sure enough, it failed for me too, although not consistently. On opening the remote and examining the circuit I found a very weird circuit configuration unlike anything I ever expected to see in a UEI remote. Incredibly, UEI used the same processor pin for receiving serial data that they used for driving the infrared LEDs! The bad news is that my new USB JP1.2/3 Interface design is marginal for use with this circuit. The good news is I have an upgrade that fixes the problem. I am in the process of notifying everyone who bought one of these interfaces to send it back to me for upgrade at no charge if they need to use it with this type remote.

Note that there is no problem with serial JP1X interfaces used with this remote, even if used with USB-to-Serial converters. Nor is there a problem with USB JP1.2/3 interfaces when used with JP1.2 remotes. To really confuse you, there's no problem with my older style "thumb" interfaces (the gray ones, without LEDs). Let me try to make it crystal clear: If you have one of my LED blinking interfaces and an Atlas JP1.3 remote, you may have a problem.

Beyond that, I don't even know if UEI used this same circuit on JP1.3 remotes other than the various Atlas derivatives. I'm guessing all the Atlases have the circuit because there's evidence the basic circuit board has assembly variations. For example, there are empty places on the board for four transistors, 13 resistors, and three capacitors. (I think those parts are for learning and backlight control.) That suggests to me that this circuit board is common to all the Atlas variants cataloged in Capn Trips excellent guide here . There are also places for a dozen backlight LEDs. However, don't get your hopes up for adding backlight to a non-backlit model. The plastic plate that serves as a keypad spacer and backlight spreader is molded from black plastic. That has to be transparent plastic when backlight is provided.

So this is a request for anyone who has problems with a non-Atlas type JP1.3 remote (if there is any such thing) when using one of my newer USB interfaces to please contact me via PM.

Tommy

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:29 pm

Tommy, you are incredible! Thank you for all you efforts. You've gone above and beyond with this one.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:12 pm

Tommy's tenacity never ceases to amaze! (P.S. I have one of those blinking LED JP1.2/3 USB cables

)

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:04 am

Incredibly, UEI used the same processor pin for receiving serial data that they used for driving the infrared LEDs!

I know we don't like wild guesses here, but I wouldn't be suprised if this isn't a problem with the JP1.2 Atlas as well. I don't know anything about circuits, or hardware in general, but when I was working on the Atlas Extender, the LED's being lit interferred with the special protocols that used keyboard interrupts, even though there was nothing in the code to cause the problems I was seeing. This behavior was not exhibited on the 8820, when I was doing that extender.

jbrzezni · Post by **jbrzezni** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:08 am

I have the same remote and tried using it with the DiyGadget jp1.2 serial interface. I get one blink from the cbl button and then the interface check fails.

Are there any modifications that can be done to the DiyGadget jp1.2 cable to get it tow work with this remote or do I need to get Tommy's latest USB cable?

Thanks..

-- John

unclemiltie · Post by **unclemiltie** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:13 pm

The other interfaces (other than the Tommy Tyler blinking USB thumb interface) requires you to bend or remove pin 5 from the interface for it to work with the JP1.3 remotes. Did you do that?

After that it should work.

jbrzezni · Post by **jbrzezni** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:53 pm

I did bend pin 5 on the remote and got the described result in my previous post so something is not working.

I'm going to try some different laptops to see if its a serial port timing/voltage issue but I was wondering if the DiyGadget jp1.2 interface has the same issue with this specific remote.

-- john

unclemiltie · Post by **unclemiltie** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:02 am

I have three JP1.x interfaces and can report that all of them work with the Atlas JP1.3 remotes when Pin 5 has been removed.

The first is a home-built serial interface that I use with a USB Serial adapter. I don't use that one anymore but it did work.

The second is Tommy's first USB JP1.x interface that I don't use anymore either since unplugging it on my Mac/Parallells/Windows system hangs the virtual machine and I have to reboot the VM. It's a driver issue, I'm sure.

The third is Tommy's new USB JP1.2/3 interface and it works fine with my Atlas with the pin clipped. It doesn't work with the pin not clipped (I have to do some experiments for Tommy to figure out why but haven't had time to do so)

I do not have a DIY gadget interface so can't tell. If you're interested, I'd be willing to sell the older USB JP1.x interface since I really can't use it with the Parallels VM on my mac. PM me if you're interested.

skids · Post by **skids** » Thu May 08, 2008 1:32 pm

jbrzezni wrote:I have the same remote and tried using it with the DiyGadget jp1.2 serial interface. I get one blink from the cbl button and then the interface check fails.

Are there any modifications that can be done to the DiyGadget jp1.2 cable to get it tow work with this remote or do I need to get Tommy's latest USB cable?

Thanks..

-- John

Get Tommy's cable it works great. DIYGadget sold a bunch of junk cables.

speaker.guy · Post by **speaker.guy** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:39 pm

I use an older DIY serial cable and it has never failed on any remote, Atlas included!

timg11 · Post by **timg11** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 4:40 pm

I have a URC 1056 JP1.3 remote from Time Warner that I want to program. Does the DIYgadget "JP1.2/1.3 Serial Cable for OFA Remotes" support this remote?

The page does not show the 1056 on the list of supported remotes, but the list is titled "JP1.2 remotes". The header in my remote says "JP1.3".

The label inside the remote's battery compartment says 1056BC1-BXX-001-0001-001-R

From reading this thread, it appears that earlier this year there was some issue, but it is not clear if it only applies to the USB interfaces or to the Serial interface also.

I have a serial port, so I don't need to deal with USB-serial conversion.

I set a request to DIYgadget, but have not received any response.

unclemiltie · Post by **unclemiltie** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:57 pm

All of the atlas remotes are supported with the JP1.2/1.3 cables. Yours is surely a JP1.3 given the markings.

I prefer Tommy's cable to the DIY cable. The new one with the flashing USB plug are cool!

wified · Post by **wified** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:54 am

I've got the following:
URC-1056 Atlas OCAP Black Remote with backlighting (30333033)
JP1.2/1.3 serial cable from DIYgadget
PL-2303 USB to Serial adapter from DIYgadget
Dell Latitude XPS 1330 Vista notebook, with PL2303 USB to RS232 (Serial) Adapter Driver for Vista installed (from DIYgadget)

The "check interface" in IR confirms that everything is fine. I can download from the remote to IR 7.14 with no problem, but I cannot upload back to the remote the same file that I downloaded from it. When I try to do that, I get an error: "Error writing to remote"

I also tried to use an older XP notebook, since I thought that it might be an issue with the Vista driver, but I get the same problem on that computer.

Question - can someone confirm if I need to clip or bend pin 5 with this cable in order for it to work?
Any other suggestions? I tried three different sets of new batteries to rule that out.

JP1 Remotes

30333033 Tommy's new JP1.2/1.3 USB & Atlas OCAP

30333033 Tommy's new JP1.2/1.3 USB & Atlas OCAP

Mine, too