URC-6440/OARUSB04G Extender 1.04 now available

[macro]

Well, apparently it had something to do with OSX or my MacBook. After trying everything I could think to with the MacBook short of formatting the remote, I booted up my old XP box to give that a shot. Worked first try, and the remote seems to be functioning again. Phew!

Thank you guys for all your work making this possible. I'm excited to start programming this thing now.

[The Robman]

Is it working on the Mac too now?

[mathdon]

Well, apparently it had something to do with OSX or my MacBook. After trying everything I could think to with the MacBook short of formatting the remote, I booted up my old XP box to give that a shot. Worked first try, and the remote seems to be functioning again. Phew!

Thank you guys for all your work making this possible. I'm excited to start programming this thing now.

Are you programming it with RMIR? If so, are you using your MacBook or your old XP box? I would be very interesting if you can program it with RMIR on your MacBook but cannot use the MacBook to copy a settings.bin file to the remote.

Here's one thought for you. I see that your post says Settings.bin, starting with a capital S. Is this how you have re-named the file? If the MacBook uses case-sensitive filenames, try using a lower case S instead. When RMIR interacts with the remote, it references that file with all lower-case letters.

[macro]

Is it working on the Mac too now?

I just gave it another try with the Mac, but I just got the same error and bricked the remote again.

Are you programming it with RMIR? If so, are you using your MacBook or your old XP box? I would be very interesting if you can program it with RMIR on your MacBook but cannot use the MacBook to copy a settings.bin file to the remote.

Here's one thought for you. I see that your post says Settings.bin, starting with a capital S. Is this how you have re-named the file? If the MacBook uses case-sensitive filenames, try using a lower case S instead. When RMIR interacts with the remote, it references that file with all lower-case letters.

I ran into some trouble with the installation script for RMIR and haven't had a chance to use the software yet. All I've done so far is install the extender and program the stuff I can do manually.

I did try lowercase for the filename as well, but unfortunately I still got the same error. It was a good thought, though. Thank you.

[oliverl]

Hello,

I'm having the same problem as the poster who wrote:

"Now, the remote no longer lights up or responds to any inputs as far as I can tell. It does still show up as an external drive when connected to my computer. I tried pulling the batteries out for a while and spamming the buttons hoping the remote would reset itself, but it's still bricked and won't write the Settings.bin successfully. It was working fine before attempting to extend it. Any idea what I may have done wrong or how I might be able to fix it?"

Unfortunately, my remote doesn't recover when I reload the original RM file. Any ideas who to reset the remote?

Thank you.

[3FG]

my remote doesn't recover when I reload the original RM file

It isn't clear what you mean by the original RM file, but you should try to recover the remote by using the computer's operating system to write a non-extended settings.bin file to the remote.

[oliverl]

my remote doesn't recover when I reload the original RM file

It isn't clear what you mean by the original RM file, but you should try to recover the remote by using the computer's operating system to write a non-extended settings.bin file to the remote.

Thank you. I did simply copy my original settings.bin to the remote (I'm using Windows 10), and it worked.

For others in a similar predicament, my troubles came about in using RemoteMaster to upload my original, backed-up settings.bin to the remote. I was overcomplicating things; all I needed to do was copy via Windows Explorer.

Why I bricked the remote, I don't have a clue. I followed the instructions seemingly without problem, but after exiting RemoteMaster, it was trashed.

[mathdon]

For others in a similar predicament, my troubles came about in using RemoteMaster to upload my original, backed-up settings.bin to the remote

That's the cause of the problem. RMIR does not upload a settings.bin file, it only updates the setup data (that part that is sometimes referred to as the E2 or EEPROM area). If I understand correctly, you had the extender installed, loaded an unextended settings.bin into RMIR and did an upload. You would have finished up with a hybrid file in the remote, consisting of the extender code but with an unextended E2 area, which is inconsistent and will cause a crash.

The need to use standard OS file copying is explained in the extender installation instructions as follows:

Connect your remote to your PC and use standard file copying to copy the settings.bin file of step 2 to the remote. (Do NOT do this by loading settings.bin into RMIR and uploading it — this will NOT work, you MUST use standard file copying to the external drive created when you connect your remote.)

Just for information, if you ever get into a situation in which the remote doesn't even show up as an external drive when connected to the PC, the solution is as follows. Remove the batteries from the remote, connect the remote to the PC and THEN replace the batteries. It will now show as an external drive. Then copy a valid settings.bin file to the remote before disconnecting it from the PC. As far as I am aware, it is not possible to get the remote into a state from which even this will not work.

[mathdon]

I just gave it another try with the Mac ... I ran into some trouble with the installation script for RMIR

What installation script? The announcement for RMIR v2.03 says:

If your OS is Mac OS X then there is as yet no special installation procedure.

[jstiel]

Graham, many thanks from me and on behalf of many others. This is very impressive and made all the more so by your extremely well-written and comprehensive documentation. Your substantial efforts are greatly appreciated.

Jim

[tromperie]

Graham, many thanks for this significant piece of work.

My BRAND NEW 6440 just arrived this weekend (I'm in France, but multi-European) when I look in battery compartment it says :

Code: Select all

E152602
URC 11-6440 R02
MAXQ622X-2612+ E

Being a somewhat aged programmer. I do actually read the documentation (before charging into the unknown) where you write,

The earlier one is R00, the later one is R01. ... This extender is suitable for both versions and will effectively also update the earlier version to the later one.

My concern is that if the R02 revision is significant the extender will effectively downgrade the version and if the revision has unknown effects it may not be possible to uninstall by copying back the settings.bin

I am ready to upload the raw settings.bin to any appropriate location on request.

Trom

[mathdon]

Hi, Trom. We know the R02 revision of the URC-6440 and it is not a significant one. There is an RDF for it in the RMIR distribution and it will be recognised as the R02 revision if you download the unextended remote into RMIR. I suggest that you try this to make quite sure that what you have is the R02 we know about.

The extender is suitable for this revision and you would be able to uninstall it by copying back the original settings.bin. The extender adds substantially to the features of the remote and I would be very surprised if you decided, after trying it, that you wanted to revert to the original. But rest assured that you can do so if you wish. I hope this sets your mind at rest.

[tromperie]

Thank you Graham,
That does set my mind at rest. It wasn't wanting to go back to unextended that concerned me, it was hardware lockup.

So convinced by your Extender Manual that there is little that can't be achieved with the Extender without RMIR, I was going to try it standalone to begin with.

In passing, I'll mention that it wasn't clear whether one should take the original settings.bin before the very first Region Set. I assume there is no significant benefit as it always can be Reset.

My R02 (factory & UK region set) has the following sha1 signatures and appear to be dated 05.02.2015 :

Code: Select all

17919f736f8df108eb821f1d9e02157bd32ca8c9 *settings_raw_6440_R02_(05.02.2015).bin
63510f34ed3512db49051a95bf9ce7705cbacf1a *settings_raw_6440_R02_(05.02.2015)_UK.bin

Thanks again,
Trom

[AndrewZ]

One more 'thank you!' to Graham!

Just noticed that another version of extender became available, but cannot test it while my 6440 is not at hand.
Working on my off-line setup for now and have a quick question - can I use LKP on Device buttons as an alternative to Activity buttons? Is this supported by the Extender? Sorry if I missed earlier discussion on this.

[tranx]

Personally I found nothing that couldn't be done. After much trial and error it with three different extended 6440 and OARUSB04G set ups they have been working like a charm, so can't now remember all the ways of doing things.

There are several unique and useful extra features to do with the device and activity buttons and it would be interesting for others to learn where, or how, you might get stuck if you just try things out to see what happens. Tried everything to break it, infinite loops etc, and failed, so am pretty sure it wouldn't do any harm!