Most Reliable Cable/Interface?

gstrickland · Post by **gstrickland** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:03 pm

Is there a consensus that one of the cables/interfaces (simple parallel, suped-up parallel, serial or USB) is more *reliable* than the others?

I ask because my parallel cable (several years old; presumably the simple parallel version, but I don't know) seems to take several attempts, massages, wiggles, prayers, curses and an infinite number of battery configurations before IR (on my desktop pc) will talk to my new 8910s and Remote Master won't talk to them at all (on my pc or laptop). If, by chance, buying a different cable setup would make it work more reliably, I'd certainly give it a try.

BTW... I've read several threads where other 8910/9910 users are likewise suffering from cable issues.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:32 pm

It sounds like the IDC connector (ie, the female part that connects to the remote) may have worn out.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:35 am

RM doesn't communicate with remotes.

RMIR currently only communicates with JP1.x remotes, but not with JP1 remotes (although I'm seeing other problems with RMIR - see thread in software forum).

As for JP 1 cables, my sense over the years has been that the "ultra" parallel interface has been the most robust, avoiding all of the problems one sees with battery voltage with the simple parallel interface, but I may be mistaken.

Additionally, the "simple" parallel interface seems to work more reliably if you ensure it has 1K resistors (instead the OOOOOLD design of 10K resistors) and a Schottke diode.

Just my 2 cents.

Ellen · Post by **Ellen** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:21 am

I have built and used several different JP1 interfaces over the years including simple, micro and both perfboard and PCB version ultra interfaces. I have found all of them to be perfectly and equally reliable with every JP1 remote I have including old URC-7800 and RatShack 15-1994 remotes, RCU810, 6131, 6131N, 6011, 8011, HTPro, etc. I don't know if it has more to do with the parallel port in my ancient Dell PC, or the interfaces themselves, but I have never had to do all of the battery dances that other folks seem to have to deal with to get their interfaces to work. I never have to remove batteries or make sure they are fresh or use one weak one or anything like that. I just plug the interface in and go.

Additionally, the "simple" parallel interface seems to work more reliably if you ensure it has 10K resistors (instead the OOOOOLD design of 1K resistors) and a Schottke diode.

Capn, I thought that the latest design calls for 1k resistors. At least the one currently in the files section does.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:08 am

Ellen wrote:
Additionally, the "simple" parallel interface seems to work more reliably if you ensure it has 10K resistors (instead the OOOOOLD design of 1K resistors) and a Schottke diode.
Capn, I thought that the latest design calls for 1k resistors. At least the one currently in the files section does.

I knew that.

I was just testing to see if anybody is paying attention.

(I've corrected my earlier post

)

gstrickland · Post by **gstrickland** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:54 am

Capn Trips wrote:RM doesn't communicate with remotes.

Huh? Then why does Remote Master (1.79) have the commands DOWNLOAD FROM REMOTE and UPLOAD TO REMOTE?

Keep in mind, that I downloaded RM for the very first time yesterday and have spent, at most, 30 minutes, playing with it and so I may just be confused... again.

Post by **The Robman** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:21 am

gstrickland wrote:
Capn Trips wrote:RM doesn't communicate with remotes.
Huh? Then why does Remote Master (1.79) have the commands DOWNLOAD FROM REMOTE and UPLOAD TO REMOTE?

It doesn't, those commands are in IR.exe (not RM).

gstrickland · Post by **gstrickland** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:20 am

The Robman wrote:
gstrickland wrote:
Capn Trips wrote:RM doesn't communicate with remotes.
Huh? Then why does Remote Master (1.79) have the commands DOWNLOAD FROM REMOTE and UPLOAD TO REMOTE?
It doesn't, those commands are in IR.exe (not RM).

Ok... on closer inspection... the app which I downloaded yesterday and thought was Remote Master 1.79 is actually Java IR 1.79. Funny thing, I got it from the Remote Master v1.78 is Now Available! (sticky) thread.

Stupid question: if Java IR is not Remote Master, then... um... where do you get RM if not from the Remote Master Now Available thread?

Nuther stupid question: is Java IR just an alternative to the EXE version of IR?

Confused... very, very confused...

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:30 am

RemoteMaster has no such commands.

There is a Java version IR (usually called RMIR for short) that is included in the RemoteMaster installation, so perhaps that is what you are referring to.

That program is not ready for prime-time. There are threads that discuss its progress, and it absolutely does not yet have programmed capability to communicate with JP1 remotes, only JP1.x remotes.

That self-installing version of RM that you have (version 1.79) is a pre-release version. The official version is 1.78.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:37 am

gstrickland wrote:
The Robman wrote:
gstrickland wrote:
Capn Trips wrote:RM doesn't communicate with remotes.
Huh? Then why does Remote Master (1.79) have the commands DOWNLOAD FROM REMOTE and UPLOAD TO REMOTE?
It doesn't, those commands are in IR.exe (not RM).
Ok... on closer inspection... the app which I downloaded yesterday and thought was Remote Master 1.79 is actually Java IR 1.79. Funny thing, I got it from the Remote Master v1.78 is Now Available! (sticky) thread.

Stupid question: if Java IR is not Remote Master, then... um... where do you get RM if not from the Remote Master Now Available thread?

Nuther stupid question: is Java IR just an alternative to the EXE version of IR?

Confused... very, very confused...

OK, as I described above, you downloaded the beta self-installing RM 1.79.

IR.exe remains THE program of record for communication with JP1 and JP1.x remotes.

RemoteMaster is a Java program that is one of the two primary programs used to build upgrades (the other being the Microsoft Excel-based KeymapMaster).

Recent versions of RemoteMaster have included (hidden) a draft Java IR (or RemoteMaster IR, or RMIR) program that is in development as a potential future IR.exe replacement.

You stumbled upon the beta self-installation version of RM that automatically installs BOTH RM and RMIR.

Go to the TOP of that thread where you found RM and download the NON-self-installing version of RM (1.78)

gfb107 · Post by **gfb107** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:14 am

As stated "RemoteMaster IR" (RMIR) is pre-alpha code and is available for review and feedback. If only communicated with JP1.x remotes.

If you've installed the windows executable version of RM, you should only use the "RemoteMaster" icon to launch RM, no the "RemoteMaster IR" icon.

gstrickland · Post by **gstrickland** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 6:34 am

Capn Trips wrote:That self-installing version of RM that you have (version 1.79) is a pre-release version. The official version is 1.78.

Ummkay... but I thought that the 1.78 now available thread said that the installer for 1.78 was broken because the builder used a trial version of the installer-distributor-builder-thingy so somebody took 1.78 and a paid-up installer-distributor-builder-thingy and rolled up an identical version and just called it 1.79. I thought that 1.78 = 1.79 except for a difference in the installer.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:03 am

Look, I'm nof an expert, but I'm certain that the currently "official" release of RM is 1.78, is available via the FIRST link in the first post of that thread, and it does not use the self-installer.

gfb107 wrote:
Capn Trips wrote:
gfb107 wrote:Here's a build of RM v1.79 built using Excelsior JET 5.0 Professional Edition. It should not have an expiration date. Please give it a try.

It should also address Liz's protocols.ini issues, and the S3F80 issues.

http://rapidshare.com/files/32936074/Re ... 9.exe.html
Is RM 1.79 a new release?
Not yet. Soon. It is in progress, but I thought it worth a trial of the new JET release.

It takes you to SourceForge where it downloads a zip file containing all of the necessary files for RM to work.

Do what you want.

It's immaterial, I have seen no problems with either 1.78 or 1.79, but NEITHER of their versions of Java IR is a ready-for-prime-time program, so you still have to use IR.exe to communicate with your JP1 remote.

classicsat · Post by **classicsat** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:39 pm

FWIW, I have been using the same simple interface for a few years now, 2.2k resistors and standard 1n4148 diodes, with no problems.