Sky and Sky+ remotes - Easy (or not) to JP1?

[P cole]

Well, what rdf are you using?

I'm using BSKY (Sky Digital).rdf as both the remotes I'm using are the older type bsky remotes RC 1600/00 OP000009 -31 & OP000019 -7B2.
I think thr RDF must be correct, as I wouldn't have been able to assign the buttons & get them to work.
The issue with the buttons that I mentioned above, was that assigning one seemed to make its previous function swap to another, but after several tries I got it right. It could have been operator error on my part.

...and I haven't seen any Raw dumps yet, from which someone could start building an rdf.

Have I missed something?

I haven't got one of these later remotes, it would seem.
If I'm able to get hold of one, I'll post a dump from IR.exe

I can confirm that to use a DIL version of the eeprom, requires chopping a bit of the case out from around the JP1 connector apperture.

[Capn Trips]

If I'm able to get hold of one, I'll post a dump from IR.exe

I can confirm that to use a DIL version of the eeprom, requires chopping a bit of the case out from around the JP1 connector apperture.

Don't go to any trouble - if you read this thread from the beginning, you'll see that Mike-C is doing exactly that with my Sky and Sky+ remotes as we "speak".

[Mike-C]

If I'm able to get hold of one, I'll post a dump from IR.exe

I can confirm that to use a DIL version of the eeprom, requires chopping a bit of the case out from around the JP1 connector apperture.

Don't go to any trouble - if you read this thread from the beginning, you'll see that Mike-C is doing exactly that with my Sky and Sky+ remotes as we "speak".

IR raw dumps for each of the three Sky remotes are now posted in the Diagnosis Area.

Sky Digital Remote, Model 1600-00U Revision 6

Sky+ Digital Remote, Model 1650-01 B00 Revision 6

Sky+ Digital Remote, Model 1680-00U


Mike

[Capn Trips]

Cool!

Rob (or anybody who knows how to create an rdf) - how do we/I proceed from here? What do you need done to help create an rdf for these remotes?

Is there a process of trial and error to see if any 9xx commands work, and then try to create some keymoves, etc, to help you sort our mappings and boundaries and that sort of thing?

(Perhaps there needs to be a tutorial of sorts on how to create an rdf )

[Mike-C]

Cool!

Rob (or anybody who knows how to create an rdf) - how do we/I proceed from here? What do you need done to help create an rdf for these remotes?

Is there a process of trial and error to see if any 9xx commands work, and then try to create some keymoves, etc, to help you sort our mappings and boundaries and that sort of thing?

(Perhaps there needs to be a tutorial of sorts on how to create an rdf )

I've been having a bash at developing an RDF file for them and this is what I've found out so far.

Signature = BS03BS30
Sig2 = $FF $FF $FF $FF

Via the remote control, I can change the TV code (bytes $0C/$0D) but not the Satellite code (bytes $0A/$0B) - I guess it's fixed for Sky only with a value of 0875.

The remote can switch between Sky Digibox or Sky+ mode (byte $17), which is set by pressing

Sky mode = TV SELECT+YELLOW 0 SELECT
Sky+ mode = TV SELECT+YELLOW 1 SELECT


The remote can run in one of four sub modes (byte $16) which is set by pressing

TV SELECT+BLUE x SELECT (where x = required mode 0, 1, 2 or 3)


Macro data (bytes $18 to $1B) is set by pressing

TV SELECT+GREEN {a b c d} SELECT

Up to four keystrokes can be stored and this is meant to be used to select which TV preset the Digibox uses if an AV (SCART) lead is not used.

A full reset of the remote can be done with

TV SELECT+RED 9 8 1

although sometimes the IR program complains of a bad checksum which can be fixed by filling the memory with $FF and then doing the 981 reset again.


In summary :

0000 .. 0001 - Checksum
0002 .. 0009 - Sig = 42 53 30 33 42 53 33 30 (BS03BS30)
000A .. 000B - SAT code
000C .. 000D - TV code

000E .. 0015 - ???

0016 - Mode 00=0, 01=1, 02=2, 03=3
0017 - Digibox mode 00=Sky, 0C = Sky+
0018 .. 001B - Macro data

001C .. 07FF - ???

I've assumed that there are only two devices available on the remote - TV and SAT. Default values are 0875 for SAT and 1533 for TV.

I've taken an existing Sky remote .RDF file and started to modify it for use with the new remotes. I've included a copy of it in case anyone finds it useful or can see a load of errors that are stopping it from working. I'm not too sure about the data in the [DigitMaps] and [Protocol] sections...

It also uses the existing Skydigital.map file with the RM program to allow commands to be allocated to buttons. That's about as far as I've got, and I haven't yet got the remote to work as anything other than a Sky or TV controller.


#- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
# BS03BS30.RDF development file
#- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[General]
Name=Sky Rev 6 Remote - Proto MC
EepromSize=$800
AdvCodeAddr=$01C..$0FF
UpgradeAddr=$100..$3FC
DevCodeOffset=$1C
Processor=6805
ProcessorVersion=RC16/18
RDFSync=3
ImageMap=Skydigital.map



[Checksums]
^$000:$002..$3FC


# signature (part2) = ""
[FixedData]
$0FC= $FF $FF $FF $FF

[DeviceTypes]
SAT = 0
TV = 1


[DeviceTypeAliases]
SAT = Cable,SAT,Video Acc
TV = TV

[DeviceButtons]
SKY = $00a $00b
TV = $00c $00d

[Buttons]
rear:SKY=2
TV=3
1=18
2=34
3=16
4=38
5=32
6=15
7=19
8=24
9=20
0=39
"vol up":vol+=28
"vol down":vol-=4
mute=25
"channel up":ch+=30
"channel down":ch-=6
power=1
"up arrow":up=29
"down arrow":down=10
"right arrow":right=37
"left arrow":left=8
select=31
display:i_button=26
"next track":text=5
"prev ch":backup=11
menu:help=7
"+100":red=14
exit:green=33
surround:yellow=12
input:blue=35
guide:"TV guide"=21
"shift-left":"box office"=22
"shift-right":services=23
"prev track":interactive=27
center:shift-power=$81
phantom1:"TV phantom"=9


# 0 = (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9), (Vol+ Vol- Mute), (Ch+ Ch-), Power Select Text i Help BackUp Red Green Yellow Blue Up Down Left Right TV/Sat TV TVGuide BoxOffice Services Interactive
# 1 = (0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9), (Vol+ Vol- Mute), (Ch+ Ch-), Power Select Text i Help BackUp Red Green Yellow Blue

[ButtonMaps]
0 = ($27, $12, $22, $10, $26, $20, $0F, $13, $18, $14), ($1C, $04, $19), ($1E, $06),
$01, $1F, $05, $1A, $07, $0B, $0E, $21, $0C, $23, $1D, $0A, $08, $25, $09, $02,
$15, $16, $17, $1B, $81
1 = ($27, $12, $22, $10, $26, $20, $0F, $13, $18, $14), ($1C, $04, $19), ($1E, $06),
$01, $1F, $05, $1A, $07, $0B, $0E, $21, $0C, $23

[DigitMaps]
161 160 29 46 12 92 75 94 38 07 162 89 104 71 37 33 74 85 26 30 79 32 163 105

[Protocols]
0001, 000B, 000D, 0010, 0011, 0013, 0014, 0018, 001A, 001C,
0020, 0024, 002A, 002C, 002E, 0034, 0037, 003D, 0041, 0045,
004A, 004B, 0051, 0056, 005A, 005C, 005E, 0064, 0065, 0067,
0068, 0074, 0075, 0076, 0077, 0079, 007A, 0080, 0082, 0087,
008C, 008E, 008F, 0090, 0095, 0098, 009D, 00A1, 00A5, 00A6,
00A7, 00A8, 00AA, 00B0, 00B2, 00BD, 00C9, 00CA, 00D4, 00D5,
00D9, 00DF, 00E2, 00E8, 00EB, 00EE, 00F3, 00F4, 00F6


All feedback welcome

Mike

[mr_d_p_gumby]

Via the remote control, I can change the TV code (bytes $0C/$0D) but not the Satellite code (bytes $0A/$0B) - I guess it's fixed for Sky only with a value of 0875.

There may be an undocumented "setup-lock" function that prevents the setup code for Sat from being changed on the remote. Many of the UEI OEM cable remotes have this feature.

A full reset of the remote can be done with TV SELECT+RED 9 8 1 although sometimes the IR program complains of a bad checksum which can be fixed by filling the memory with $FF and then doing the 981 reset again.

...which means that IR and the remote don't yet agree about what the EEPROM should contain.

I've assumed that there are only two devices available on the remote - TV and SAT.

Hard to say for sure right now, but you are probably correct.

I'm not too sure about the data in the [DigitMaps] and [Protocol] sections...

The data in those sections is probably wrong. You could remove them for now. They should not have any significant impact on IR funtionality, but they'll be needed later on in order for RM (or KM) to properly build upgrades.

I've indicated a few areas below where I think you should remove items from the RDF. In particular, because you found an 8-byte signature at the start of the EEPROM, there shouldn't be any 2nd signature. That may be part of your checksum problem.

[General]
Processor=6805 <-- DELETE
ProcessorVersion=RC16/18 <-- DELETE

# signature (part2) = "" <-- DELETE
[FixedData]
$0FC= $FF $FF $FF $FF <-- DELETE

[Mike-C]

Via the remote control, I can change the TV code (bytes $0C/$0D) but not the Satellite code (bytes $0A/$0B) - I guess it's fixed for Sky only with a value of 0875.

There may be an undocumented "setup-lock" function that prevents the setup code for Sat from being changed on the remote. Many of the UEI OEM cable remotes have this feature.

Thanks for the quick response.

I think it's probably possible to assign a code to the SAT device using IR, but I meant that the remote control doesn't allow another code to be assigned to it "officially" ie by pressing a combination of buttons on the remote, like you can for the TV button.

I've indicated a few areas below where I think you should remove items from the RDF. In particular, because you found an 8-byte signature at the start of the EEPROM, there shouldn't be any 2nd signature. That may be part of your checksum problem.
[General]
Processor=6805 <-- DELETE
ProcessorVersion=RC16/18 <-- DELETE

# signature (part2) = "" <-- DELETE
[FixedData]
$0FC= $FF $FF $FF $FF <-- DELETE

Thanks for the tips. I seem to need the Processor=6805 line kept in though to stop the RM program from generating a "Remote Load Error" box on start up.

A full reset of the remote can be done with TV SELECT+RED 9 8 1 although sometimes the IR program complains of a bad checksum which can be fixed by filling the memory with $FF and then doing the 981 reset again.

...which means that IR and the remote don't yet agree about what the EEPROM should contain.

I think you are right. I'm sure I've got a long way to go yet.....

[bearneb]

If This Is Any Help, i uploaded it on tuesday as it seems to work perfectly.
the upgrade was created from scratch using the learn facility on the OFA



http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=2794

[Capn Trips]

If This Is Any Help, i uploaded it on tuesday as it seems to work perfectly.
the upgrade was created from scratch using the learn facility on the OFA



http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=2794

Thanks, bearneb, but this thread isn't about learning the Sky or Sky+ codes. Those have been pretty well documented in a number of upgrades in the file section.

What we're trying to do here is to hack the Sky and Sky+ remotes, since they're UEI remotes that can be made JP1-compatible. There is an rdf for a different version of the Sky remote, but these are substantially different, so we're stumbling along trying to build the rdf.

Appreciate the help, however.

[bearneb]

sorry about that but im just pleased to get ir.exe and remotemaster to produce something i can get to work

[Capn Trips]

OK. Thanks to Mike-C, the three remotes in question (2 Sky+'s and a Sky) have been modified to be JP1 compatible. As you can see from the thread up to this point, Mike has successfully downloaded the EEPROM's from all three, and they are all the same signature. He has returned two of them to me, and I cannot get a successful communication between the remotes and IR. I've tried all of my usual battery tricks, and nothing works. Here is a summary of my pop-up messages from IR.

Tried orienting the connector both ways - cable tending "down" (which I believe to be correct) and cable tending "up". With all of my other JP1 remotes (RS 15-1994, RS 15-2117, URC 8910, URC 9960 and HTPro), cable tending "down" gets correct connection, although each calls for a different battery configuration. So here's what I get:

Message (a):

No response from interface. Make sure that the interface is connected to the PC, and that you've specified the correct port

Message (b):

No response from the Remote. Make sure your Interface is plugged into JP1 properly

(1) with batteries out: "down" - Message (b); "up" - Message (a);
(2) with fully charged batteries: "down" - Message (a); "up" - Message (a);

(3) with weak batteries: "down" - Message (a); "up" - Message (a);

(4) with one battery reversed: "down" - Message (b); "up" - Message (a);

981 reset works fine after every event.

I'm wondering what's so special about Mike's computer and interface versus mine. Especially, when my computer and interface work perfectly fine with a handful of other JP1 remotes

I'm using my only JP1 cable, a trusty old simple parallel.

It probably has something to do with 1 vs 10 (K?)ohm resistors, or Schottke diodes, that I'm clueless about. I bought the interface cable about three years ago and have never bothered figuring out what components are in it. Maybe I'm gonna have to.

Anybody with a hacked Sky remote have any advice?

Rob - want one of these to play with?

[Mike-C]

OK. Thanks to Mike-C, the three remotes in question (2 Sky+'s and a Sky) have been modified to be JP1 compatible. As you can see from the thread up to this point, Mike has successfully downloaded the EEPROM's from all three, and they are all the same signature. He has returned two of them to me, and I cannot get a successful communication between the remotes and IR. I've tried all of my usual battery tricks, and nothing works. Here is a summary of my pop-up messages from IR.

Tried orienting the connector both ways - cable tending "down" (which I believe to be correct) and cable tending "up". With all of my other JP1 remotes (RS 15-1994, RS 15-2117, URC 8910, URC 9960 and HTPro), cable tending "down" gets correct connection, although each calls for a different battery configuration. So here's what I get:

Message (a):

No response from interface. Make sure that the interface is connected to the PC, and that you've specified the correct port

Message (b):

No response from the Remote. Make sure your Interface is plugged into JP1 properly

(1) with batteries out: "down" - Message (b); "up" - Message (a);
(2) with fully charged batteries: "down" - Message (a); "up" - Message (a);

(3) with weak batteries: "down" - Message (a); "up" - Message (a);

(4) with one battery reversed: "down" - Message (b); "up" - Message (a);

981 reset works fine after every event.


I'm using my only JP1 cable, a trusty old simple parallel.

It probably has something to do with 1 vs 10 (K?)ohm resistors, or Schottke diodes, that I'm clueless about. I bought the interface cable about three years ago and have never bothered figuring out what components are in it. Maybe I'm gonna have to.

Anybody with a hacked Sky remote have any advice?

My simple parallel interface cable is made with 1k resistors and worked with the Sky remotes.

As as test, I replaced them with 10k ones and then got the same error messages as you. It looks like the resistors could be the problem and fitting two 1k resistors instead should put it right

[Capn Trips]

My simple parallel interface cable is made with 1k resistors and worked with the Sky remotes.

As as test, I replaced them with 10k ones and then got the same error messages as you. It looks like the resistors could be the problem and fitting two 1k resistors instead should put it right

So I guess I have to actually take a look inside my parallel connector housing, eh? ...and then de-solder and re-solder 2 resistors?

We're heading for brave new territory here, as I have neither the tools nor the skills to do this easily.

Well. it'll wait (at least ) until I return from a business trip I'm off on tonight.

[Mike-C]

So I guess I have to actually take a look inside my parallel connector housing, eh? ...and then de-solder and re-solder 2 resistors?

We're heading for brave new territory here, as I have neither the tools nor the skills to do this easily.

Well. it'll wait (at least ) until I return from a business trip I'm off on tonight.

If you'd like to stick the lead in the post, I'm happy to mod it for you.

Mike

[Capn Trips]

Well, I've opened it up, and the two similar resistors have the following color-code:
Brown-Black-Orange-Gold (or possibly the reverse ) is that 10K or 1K?

It really looks like quite an untidy assembly job, so I'm surprised that it has worked so well for me through the years. I might take you up on your offer, but again - no time right ow. Thanks.

(Although, on second thought - perhaps if it had the right resistors, I would not have had to experiment so much with varying battery configurations with various remotes )