Anyone do a mail-in upgrade lately?

[Bimwad]

I'm curious as to how the process is, post-Audiovox.

I find myself in a situation where I'm considering three options--

1) Mail in my current remote for an upgrade. However, I'm quite fond of my remote. Despite being a few years old, it's still in great shape, and I'm uncertain whether OFA still does exchanges rather than modding and returning.

2) Build a cable. Can't squeeze in another project at this time. Not economically feasible to buy a cable for the rare occasion when the need would arise.

3) Buy a replacement, which also nets a spare. However, sources for my preferred choice, the 8820N, have dried up. 10820N still available, but I still like its little brother more, now, for the same reasons I did five years ago, but in lieu of other options...

[mdavej]

What model remote do you have now?

[The Robman]

1) Mail in my current remote for an upgrade. However, I'm quite fond of my remote. Despite being a few years old, it's still in great shape, and I'm uncertain whether OFA still does exchanges rather than modding and returning.

They never mod remotes. They only exchange when the model is not physically upgradeable (like the URC-6131) but was sold as upgradeable.

2) Build a cable. Can't squeeze in another project at this time. Not economically feasible to buy a cable for the rare occasion when the need would arise.

Your $30 investment will undoubtedly pay for itself over time, so the only question is whether it pays for itself tomorrow or in a few years time.

3) Buy a replacement, which also nets a spare. However, sources for my preferred choice, the 8820N, have dried up. 10820N still available, but I still like its little brother more, now, for the same reasons I did five years ago, but in lieu of other options...

If buying a new URC-8820N would solve all your problems, I might be able to help you out.

[Bimwad]

What model remote do you have now?

An 8820B00 that lacks a device code for a media player I have.

They never mod remotes. They only exchange when the model is not physically upgradeable (like the URC-6131) but was sold as upgradeable.

Where do they get/and in what condition are the remotes they provide in exchange?

If buying a new URC-8820N would solve all your problems, I might be able to help you out.

I like to consider all options. If you can assist, I will listen.


It's disappointing to be unable to walk into a Radio Shack or Circuit City store and pick up one of these remotes at retail nowadays.

All that's left are Harmony, URC and maybe a couple others on the high end, and a mixture of Philips/Sony/RCA on the low end.

I realize that that one RCA 5-device remote is JP1, but there isn't anything with the same bang for the buck of the x820 series left.

[The Robman]

Where do they get/and in what condition are the remotes they provide in exchange?

When the URC-6131 was first produced, they had a certain number of them made with the JP1 parts already added, so when you sent in a store-bought URC-6131 they would exchange it with a brand new URC-6131 that had the JP1 parts factory installed. Then when they ran out of modified URC-6131s, they started returning URC-6820s instead. I expect, by now, that the URC-6131 is no longer considered upgradeable, as their support doesn't last forever.

If the remote being sent in is already upgradeable, like the URC-8820, they will simply add the codes and return the very same remote that you sent in.

[mdavej]

Bimwad,

Media players don't have many commands. Can't you learn them? Are you certain there isn't a code you can use? What model player is it?

If I were you, I'd search your local radio shacks for 15-100 and 15-13x which are only $1.

The reason I asked for your model was to see if it was wav upgradable, which it isn't.

[Bimwad]

Thank you both.

The player is a Patriot PBO Core, which apparently uses the NEC1 protocol. As well as feeling flimsy, its remote has a fair number of buttons, so I'd prefer not to learn them. I've tried all the available device codes associated with that protocol, but none of them work.

I guess the B00 is capable of it, but needs a byte flipped to enable it. I'm proficient at punching in codes, but when talk goes to bits, bytes, and that kinda stuff, my brain shuts down.

Although the 15-100 looks nifty, the RS's in my area have been cleaned out, if their inventory system is to be believed.

I think what I'm going to do is order a 10820N, which OFA tells me is the only one still current, and use it while I send the 8820B00 to be upgraded.

If I end up disliking the big brother, I can keep it as a spare and then use the upgraded 8820. OFA says they upgrade and send back if the header pins are present, or will exchange for an 8820N if they aren't. I would have thought all 8820s had pins, but I guess not.

[The Robman]

The URC-8820 has tons of learning memory, so your best move really is to just learn all of the buttons from the original remote.

Where did you get the info about the "Patriot PBO Core" using the NEC1 protocol? If we can see the source of the info, we might be able to provide better advice.

If you want to buy a URC-8820, let me know and I'll sell you one. If I know the code info for the "Patriot PBO Core" I can even pre-add the code.

All URC-8820 remotes have pins. Sometimes you have to disregard the bad info from OFA customer service.

[mdavej]

Shouldn't NEC 4DEV Combo work?

Try this. Set DVD or VCR to code 0845. Now tap setup followed by 12261. If that turns on your box, then we're in business and I can post the rest of the codes.

[The Robman]

Shouldn't NEC 4DEV Combo work?

Try this. Set DVD or VCR to code 0845. Now tap setup followed by 12261. If that turns on your box, then we're in business and I can post the rest of the codes.

Which codeset are you assuming it uses?

[mdavej]

THIS one.

[3FG]

This thread has details, mostly provided by mdavej.

Based on what I wrote there, I suppose the 8820B00 won't work without an upgrade.

[mdavej]

Ahh... that rings a bell. Anyway, shouldn't NEC 4DEV be able to shoot any dev.subdev, or are those hard coded in the fixed data?

[3FG]

Hardcoded. That's sort of what 4DEV implies. Anyway, the 4 device and subdevice are in fixed data and are selected by control bits in the EFC/Hex data.

The NEC1 Combo can do any subdevice, but it also specifies the device in the fixed data.

[mdavej]

I assumed it worked like Sony combo, but I see now that it doesn't.