Using RS 15-2116 shift button

raycmaple · Post by **raycmaple** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:15 pm

Hello,
I just picked up a 15-2116 remote yesterday, so needless to say, I an a newbie. I've got the parts to build a cable this weekend , but in the meantime I have been testing some of the advanced codes for discrete on, etc that I found over at remote central by manually doing keymoves. Since the family has already started to use my new "toy," I put the experimental codes on a shifted button to keep them out of harms way. However, when I tried to use a shifted button (pressed and released P, then the button) nothing happened - no led flash, no response from my TV. If I tried it several times in a row, no signal was sent, but after a while, the LCD would very briefly flash "exiting setup," even though I was never noticably in a setup mode.

Thinking I was doing something wrong, I tried press and hold the P button, then the bound button - no go. After playing around a little, I found that it did work if I pressed P TWICE and then pushed the button - LED flashed, TV turned on, all systems go. I tried a few other shifted keys, and got the same results. I had to double press the P key to get any response. From reading other posts, I did not get the impression that shifted buttons required a double press of the P button. Is this behavior normal? Remote is new, batteries are new. What could cause this?

Thanks,
Ray

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:19 pm

To use the P button as a shift, you press and release it (don't hold it), then press the desired button, unless you want to use one of the number buttons. In that case, you need to press P twice, and then the desired number.

raycmaple · Post by **raycmaple** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:40 pm

[quote="unless you want to use one of the number buttons. In that case, you need to press P twice, and then the desired number.[/quote]

That explains it! I was testing the new codes on shift 1, shift 2, etc, thus the need for the double P press. I did a search in this forum and on remote central, but never picked up on the difference for number keys. I'
ll keep that in mind as I lay out my functions. Thanks for the info.

Back to playing!

Ray

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:53 pm

The reason for the double-press is that the remote will think you're trying to do a direct EFC entry (i.e. $-1-2-8 to send EFC 128 to the current device) otherwise.

raycmaple · Post by **raycmaple** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 8:10 pm

So to test an efc, I don't have to keymove it to a button? I just press P ### ? That certainly makes testing codes a lot easier.

Thanks,
Ray

jamesgammel · Post by **jamesgammel** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 9:45 pm

If you're doing an exhaustive test looking for "hidden functions" an even easier way is to make a series of "dummy upgrades. Using just the protocol and devices the device uses, map out 40 efcs in order from 000-040; 041-080;081-120,.......etc. till all 255 possibles are mapped to successive setup codes like 2000, 2001,2002, etc. each assigned to successive device buttons on the remote. then simply go down the row of device buttons, one at a time in order, pressing all the 40 buttons you used. then just note which ones did something and what it was. That beats a lotta 4 key presses per efc. (4x256).

Jim

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Thu Nov 27, 2003 7:14 am

raycmaple wrote:the difference for number keys. I'
ll keep that in mind as I lay out my functions.

When you use an extender that difference goes away. You can't test EFC's by that direct menthod while the extender is active, so you can use a shifted digit with just one press of P.

If shifted digits were intuitive for you layout, don't change that because of the double press. Use the extender so you won't need the double press. (Testing EFCs is a rare activity vs. using the remote, so just deactivate the extender for testing EFCs, unless you use an upgrade to test EFCs in which case the extender helps).

raycmaple · Post by **raycmaple** » Thu Nov 27, 2003 8:13 am

I was intending to eventually use the extender, so thats good to know. I now understand the "no direct entry of efc" in the externder readme. I was assuming that you couldn't do a direct Keymove of an efc. Does that mean this capability does exist with the extender? (Not that you'd really need it with JP1)

RE deactivating the extender, how does one do that? There's no mention in the readme, other than that you have to reactivate it everytime you do an upload/download to IR. I also recall seeing a post that indicated that removing the batteries would deactivate it. Is there a button sequence that will deactive it?

Thanks, and happy thanksgiving to you all.

Ray
[/quote]

Mark Pierson · Post by **Mark Pierson** » Thu Nov 27, 2003 8:24 am

You can't do a Keymove on the remote with an extender. In fact, the standard 9xx commands aren't available when using one.

The extender gets deactivated anytime the remote is reset. This happens EVERY time you do an up/download in IR, or when battery power is interrupted. There's no button (or sequence) to do it.

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Thu Nov 27, 2003 5:30 pm

The extender not only doesn't permit 99x commands while it's active, most extenders change the eeprom layout enough that KeyMove, Macro and Learned signal definition isn't even correct with a deactivated extender. Use IR.EXE for all KeyMoves and macros when you have an extender loaded (why would you want to use 99x anyway).

If you must deactivate the extender and learn signals, download the learned signals to IR and reupload the extender before reactivating it.

It depends on model, but most models have such low current when totally idle that removing batteries for just a few minutes won't deactivate the extender. But pressing any key while there is no battery present will deactivate the extender.