old Cox M7820 with Insignia BRDVD3 via key magic (9xx)

[The Robman]

They're also all made by hand. If a company was mass producing them and churning them out in the millions they would be a lot cheaper.

But there's another way of looking at it. Just think, for $30 you can give yourself the ability to turn loads of cheap universal remotes into high-powered PC programmable remotes. Typically, to buy a remote with the power of a JP1 remote you need to spend around $200 and up.

[nw]

Oh I also found I have what might be two old Atlas remotes with JP1 on the back. They are so old that it's only three devices and the PVR only has the three color button instead of 4. Might be JP1.1 though.

By the way, there is the RCRP05B master thread? I am having a hard time finding it because you can't search by just thread title only.

What I wanted to know if the on the RCRP05B, when you enter a 5 digit key magic code ie. 34906 if that first #3 is meant to assign it to the DVD button? Does that mean I could use other numbers 1-5 to assign it to a different button, and if so, what's the map for that? ie. 5=?

[The Robman]

What I wanted to know if the on the RCRP05B, when you enter a 5 digit key magic code ie. 34906 if that first #3 is meant to assign it to the DVD button? Does that mean I could use other numbers 1-5 to assign it to a different button, and if so, what's the map for that? ie. 5=?

The first digit of SETUP codes is the device type on some remotes, but not ADVANCED codes. All 5 digits of 5-digit EFCs are used to produce the 2 bytes of data needed for the keymove.

[nw]

Okee the RCA finally arrived.

I am slowly programming it.

But why is the power button giving me the solid error light at the end?

Is power a protected key? I hope not.

Other keys are accepting the codes.

Darn, none of the keys/codes are working. At all.

I know the remote itself works because it can control my TV fine.

I wonder if the BRDVD3 codes are not right.

I take that back, I am able to manually send EFC codes.

Perhaps I am programming keys wrong, I will double check.

Update: aha - the codes work on keys when I program the audio button, but not the PVR or DVD button. I remember reading I might have to teach the DVD button to be audio. Except I don't remember how to do that - will hunt for it.

Whew finally figured it out:

1. program PVR as Audio [setup+] 992 [audio] [pvr]
2. program PVR as code 1609
3. then program keys! yay!

Only problem left is power does a solid at the end, cannot be programmed?

[mdavej]

I've seen other reports of this, so the power key may not be programmable. You could try assigning the code to Shift-Power by pressing the Setup button before pressing Power when you program it. Use it the same way, by pressing Setup, then Power. If that doesn't work, just pick some other nearby button like Live or List.

If you ever plan to get a JP1 cable, there is no such limitation on the Power button. I've never attempted to program my RCA by hand, so I didn't know this limitation existed.

[nw]

Ah okay, darn it then. I realize the RCA was the cheapest/easiest solution but I am not crazy about the size/shape/layout.

I looked at the circuit diagram for JP1 cable and I think I can make a serial one myself. It will be a good learning experience.

Thank you to everyone for all your help here. Y'all are a really great bunch.

[vickyg2003]

I looked at the circuit diagram for JP1 cable and I think I can make a serial one myself. It will be a good learning experience.

Ths remote requires a FLASH cable like the JP1 2/3 cable. So make sure when you look at circuit diagrams that you are looking at something that will read a JP1.3 remote!

[The Robman]

Hopefully, these are the document that you found...
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=5958
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=7756

[nw]

Oh I had seen the 1st link but not the 2nd.

The 2nd by Steve/Kernowkoi with all the photos is AWESOME.

Will definitely try to make one now, reminds me of when I was a child and built a Heathkit AM radio.

Just picked up another 2 RCA @ Walgreens for $8.50 each just in case I blow up my original, lol

[mdavej]

nw,

Thanks for posting the device reassignment instructions. I've posted that info in the thread in the insignia forum.

And thanks for the tip on the new price. I'll have to pick up a few spares myself.

Building a JP1.3 cable is beyond my skills. But I've built many JP1 cables. Getting parts cheap is the hardest part. But you can use old computer parts for the wire and the plug. The last six pins of an IDE cable works great, as do a pair of CD audio computer cables glued back to back.

Let us know how it turns out.

[nw]

Thanks for posting the device reassignment instructions. I've posted that info in the thread in the insignia forum.

Which thread is that? Because I probably should be following it.
Oh this one right http://community.insigniaproducts.com/t ... 461/page/6

Yeah I've gotten all the buttons coded now, though some are more clunky in placement and labeling than I'd like them to be (ie. there are like 4 different kinds of menus, good luck remembering which button is which)

Also the RCA in pure black is impossible to read in low light.

Is there any way without a JP1.3 cable I can make the RCA have the equivalent of a "punch through" on the channel +/- buttons?

I only have one device that uses the channel buttons, the OTA DTV box. I have it programmed on the cable button.

I guess I could copy 5-digit EFC code for the +/- to every single device on the RCA ? Or actually that wouldn't work because they each have a different base 4 digit code for each device. Hmm.

So only possible with a cable eh? Darn.

[mdavej]

Channel punch through is no problem. I think it's called channel lock in the RCA instructions (973, IIRC). Alternately, you can always do keymoves or macros to assign any function to any mode(s). You don't even need any codes. You just press the buttons in the mode you're moving from to the mode you're moving to when you program them.

Check out more manual programming instructions HERE. You can do plenty without a cable, but life is much easier with one.

In addition to being able to program the power button, you'd be able to put macros on shifted device keys if you had a cable. That makes "activities" very intuitive. For example, you can put your "Watch DVD" macro on the shift-DVD button and "Watch TV" on the shift-TV button. Without a cable you can add any other shifted-key macros/functions you like. I like to put my master power off macro on shift-Power and eject on shift-Stop. You get the idea. The more intuitive, the better.

The RCA also has some other advanced features like device specific macros and multi-macros. If/when an extender is written for the RCA, you'll have even more functionality, like long key press and double key press macros, nested macros, toad-togs, device multiplexing, unlimited home theater modes, etc. Not bad for an $8.95 remote.

[nw]

Oh duh! I cannot believe I missed that "channel lock".

They call the same concept different terms I guess.

Thank you so much for pointing it out.

The problem with macros and other advanced stuff is I will forget what does what. I don't have such fancy needs anyway, I'm still using a CRT type TV !

[nw]

You know what - 973 isn't working for me.

I can do the "deactivate" sequence (ch-) and get 4 blinks.

But the activation sequence (ch+) does the solid error light.

This might be because I have a custom EFC set for "enter" (OK) on the DVR button?

Tried it several times without luck. Deactivate works but not activation.

Even tried the 982 cable mode lock toggle, no difference.

What I did instead for now is use EFC to give the TV ch+/- button a fake bad code (12345) so they don't do anything and don't throw the TV into an empty channel.

[3FG]

nw,
Just so we're all on the same page, is it the RCRP05B that isn't responding to Ch+ using the 973 command?

With channel lock, normally if it is activated, then Ch+/-, digit buttons, and OK are all routed to the cable device, even if the remote is in TV mode.
With it deactivated, none of these buttons are routed to cable while in TV mode.

What behavior do you want? If it isn't one of the two above possibilites, you will need to employ keymoves to get the desired behavior.

However, we know that the RCRP05B handles volume lock differently than most UEI remotes. Perhaps the channel lock behavior is also different. I can look at that tonight, but it would be good to know just what behavior you're trying to get.