Remote forgets mode - firmware upgrade possible? (urc7950)

General JP1 chit-chat. Developing special protocols, decoding IR signals, etc. Also a place to discuss Tips, Tricks, and How-To's.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
HZ
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon May 26, 2008 2:44 pm

Remote forgets mode - firmware upgrade possible? (urc7950)

Post by HZ »

Hi,

it appears that the URC 7950 / Comfort Line 5 and a few related remotes (URC 7930) share a bug: While using the remote in non-TV mode, it unexpectedly switches back to TV-mode for no apparent reason.

The problem has been observed by several users and discussed here and here.

Some users have contacted the OFA support and were told to reset the remote back to factory settings (didn't help) or to use batteries instead of rechargeables (didn't help, either).

Is this bug known to the JP1 community?

Is there anything one can do to resolve this?

One user reports that he owns two remotes of the same hardware series and one has the bug, one doesn't. So it might be a firmware bug.

Is it possible to upgrade the firmware of the remote?

Thanks!
matt
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:41 pm
Location: Cornwall, UK
Contact:

Post by matt »

I have this with my 7930.

I'm going to try to put an EFC on the down key rather than using what the built in setup code provides, to see if that makes any difference.

I do see that the 7940 and 7950 are no longer listed on the OFA website. Related?

matt
johnsfine
Site Admin
Posts: 4766
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2003 5:00 pm
Location: Bedford, MA
Contact:

Post by johnsfine »

Does anyone remember the threads about a different old model that had problems with the floating reset line?

I forget the model number and what keywords were in the thread, but I do remember the underlying technical issue:

The reset line of the main chip in older JP1 remotes is normally connected to nothing and that normally works right (connecting reset to nothing makes the reset signal reliably inactive). But on some units of some models, the disconnected reset input is randomly seen as active, reseting the remote as if you had just added batteries after the remote was without batteries for a while. Note this is much less of a reset than the reset via command, but is enough of a reset to lose the mode and related short term state.

The correction was adding a connection onto the JP1 connector inside the remote to keep the reset signal reliably inactive.
binky123
Expert
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:35 am

Post by binky123 »

I don't think we have any info on the URC-7930. What is its signature?. The URC-7950 30293029 does have a mode where the buttons are scrambled(Alternate/Standard keymap mode).

There was a remote URC-8308R01 that had problems with EFCs. The older URC-8308R00 didn't have any problems.
matt
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:41 pm
Location: Cornwall, UK
Contact:

Post by matt »

I can't open it up to see the PCB, but let me know how to get any other info. There is no JP1 header on this remote, nor holes for pins. Just a White outline where it might go.
The Robman
Site Owner
Posts: 21886
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2003 9:37 am
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Post by The Robman »

johnsfine wrote:Does anyone remember the threads about a different old model that had problems with the floating reset line?

I forget the model number and what keywords were in the thread, but I do remember the underlying technical issue
The keywords that I used were "floating reset line" which lead me to this thread:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=532
Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!
The Robman
Site Owner
Posts: 21886
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2003 9:37 am
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Post by The Robman »

Just FYI, Ryan has re-loaded his RCU810 page (the one mentioned in the other thread):
http://www.ryanosman.com/rcu810/rcu810.htm
Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!
Post Reply