Rookie needs help w/ interface question

donstephens · Post by **donstephens** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 12:27 pm

I'm having a problem with DecodeIR 2.14.
I am getting a communication error "No response from
interface. Make sure that the interface is connected to
PC, and that you have corrected the correct port."

I have run HyperTerminal on the com port (1) at 300,1200 and
2400 with the interface connected and seem to be receiving data
from that port. I am getting characters on the HyperTerminal window.
From this I am assuming that the interface cable is OK.

I have tried reversing one battery as suggested in post http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2622 but
that didn't do anything. I tried to go back to a previous version as I had read that the URC8811 wouldn't program from
the latest version, but the earlier doesn't support serial port communication.

From this point, I don't know where to go. Can anyone suggest a way to
troubleshoot this?

Thanks;

Don

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 12:51 pm

donstephens wrote:I'm having a problem with DecodeIR 2.14.

I assume you mean IR v5.x? DecodeIR.dll is a support library used by IR and doesn't directly communicate with the remote.

I am getting a communication error "No response from interface. Make sure that the interface is connected to PC, and that you have corrected the correct port."

Go to the Interface menu in IR and make sure the Serial... option has a check mark next to it.

I have tried reversing one battery

Try without batteries as well.

donstephens · Post by **donstephens** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 12:58 pm

Thanks; Turns out that you CAN plug a parallel port device into a serial port.

Appreciate your response

Dumb Don

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:09 pm

donstephens wrote:Turns out that you CAN plug a parallel port device into a serial port.

You had me convinced you were using a serial interface when you talked about HyperTerminal.

donstephens · Post by **donstephens** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:14 pm

Yeah, well I was pretty convienced to. I couldn't figure out why they would send me a 25pin connector with the wrong gender. I'm glad this is just between you and I

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:18 pm

donstephens wrote:YeahI'm glad this is just between you and I

Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul!

MPSAN · Post by **MPSAN** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:19 pm

Me too. I just finished my Cable, parallel, and it will not work. I read your message and it made me look again. I am OK as my system is very new and it only has a db25 for a printer. I am starting to think the pins are getting pushed in on the jp1 I made and pin 3 may be pushed. I can fix that though. I did not see where the latest IR lets you specify a port. Is it automatic?

P.S. Mark, where are you in Connecticut?
Dave, Weaver HS, Hartford, Class of...well you get the idea.

Mark Pierson wrote:
donstephens wrote:YeahI'm glad this is just between you and I
Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul!

donstephens · Post by **donstephens** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:29 pm

Don't the pins have ears that lock them into the plug?

If you go into INTERFACE > PARALLEL > SELECT PORT you can specify the port.

Don't forget to slow things down in the ADVANCED > TRANSMISSION DELAY

Hope this helps.

Don

MPSAN · Post by **MPSAN** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:35 pm

Yup...just found that.
I did see the pins lock, but I reused the shell and the plastic locks may be bad. I can take them out of the shell and place them on the jp1 1 at a time to see if it works. The parallel part looks OK and ohms out OK.

Also my delay is 1600.

donstephens wrote:Don't the pins have ears that lock them into the plug?

If you go into INTERFACE > PARALLEL > SELECT PORT you can specify the port.

Don't forget to slow things down in the ADVANCED > TRANSMISSION DELAY

Hope this helps.

Don

MPSAN · Post by **MPSAN** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:43 pm

OK, I am "goin in", I will open the Parallel Conector as well.

This is stupid. It is not like it is "Rocket Surgery"

I built this whole OverClocked System with Raid0 and did not have this much trouble!

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:26 am

MSPAN, what remote are you using?

What message(s) does IR give you?

Have you tried with and without batteries in the remote?

Is your parallel port enabled?

BTW, I'm near New Haven.

MPSAN · Post by **MPSAN** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 10:09 am

Mark, our first house was in Milford. Born and grew up in Hartford and everyone I know is still there...including family.

IR Message just says that it can not find/communicate with the remote. This is on 2 systems and 2 remotes. One remote is a 15-1994 and the other is a 15-2117. Tried with and w/o batterys and even reversed 1 battery in the 2117.

Ports are fine and I have "ohmed" out the cable 10 times. Even checked out the Parallel ports and 25 is ground.

Can it be that my 5 foot cable is too long?

TIA,
Dave

Mark Pierson wrote:MSPAN, what remote are you using?

What message(s) does IR give you?

Have you tried with and without batteries in the remote?

Is your parallel port enabled?

BTW, I'm near New Haven.

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 10:55 am

MPSAN wrote:Mark, our first house was in Milford. Born and grew up in Hartford and everyone I know is still there...including family.

So how'd you end up in Portland?

I was born, raised, and still live in New Haven county.

IR Message just says that it can not find/communicate with the remote.

Is IR configured to use the Parallel... port on the Interface menu?

What message do you get when you click Interface, Driver Status...?

This is on 2 systems and 2 remotes. One remote is a 15-1994 and the other is a 15-2117.

Ya gotta love consistency!

Tried with and w/o batterys and even reversed 1 battery in the 2117.

Ports are fine and I have "ohmed" out the cable 10 times. Even checked out the Parallel ports and 25 is ground.

Is this a Simple interface? Homemade or purchased? Do you know what value resistors were used?

Can it be that my 5 foot cable is too long?

That shouldn't have any adverse affect. Did you check the cable itself for continuity from end to end?

MPSAN · Post by **MPSAN** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:08 pm

Well, I am a "migrant electronics worker".

Moved from Hartford to Fairfield, then Milford when I serviced Computers at State Nat'l Bank. Then on to Colorado, California and then offerred Job in Oregon.

Anyway, cable is OK as I tested pin-out from Parallel end to jp1 end and is OK. I used 1K resistors and built the simple interface cable myself. Parallel pin 3 to JP1 6 is 953 ohms. Same on pin 4 to jp1 pin 5.

IR is configured for Parallel and will look at the driver message.

Mark Pierson wrote:
MPSAN wrote:Mark, our first house was in Milford. Born and grew up in Hartford and everyone I know is still there...including family.
So how'd you end up in Portland?

I was born, raised, and still live in New Haven county.

IR Message just says that it can not find/communicate with the remote.
Is IR configured to use the Parallel... port on the Interface menu?

What message do you get when you click Interface, Driver Status...?

This is on 2 systems and 2 remotes. One remote is a 15-1994 and the other is a 15-2117.
Ya gotta love consistency!

Tried with and w/o batterys and even reversed 1 battery in the 2117.

Ports are fine and I have "ohmed" out the cable 10 times. Even checked out the Parallel ports and 25 is ground.
Is this a Simple interface? Homemade or purchased? Do you know what value resistors were used?

Can it be that my 5 foot cable is too long?
That shouldn't have any adverse affect. Did you check the cable itself for continuity from end to end?

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:11 pm

MPSAN wrote:Anyway, cable is OK as I tested pin-out from Parallel end to jp1 end and is OK. I used 1K resistors and built the simple interface cable myself. Parallel pin 3 to JP1 6 is 953 ohms. Same on pin 4 to jp1 pin 5.

And obviously you verified the diode is oriented properly, correct?

JP1 Remotes

Rookie needs help w/ interface question

Rookie needs help w/ interface question

Re: Rookie needs help w/ interface question