JP1.4 on a URC1672 / SkyHD

Techbox · Post by **Techbox** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:36 pm

Hi,

I've just got a URC1672 (its a UK "SkyHD rev.9F" RCU) which I would like to program with codes to play/pause/stop video on a Xbox 360, as well as the TV/Sky functions built-in.

The device has 6 holes labeled JP1.4 near the battery compartment but I can't find any mention of "JP1.4" on here - Does anyone have any info on it? Is it likely to work with the same software/cables for JP1.3?

Has anyone got the JP1.x cables working with a SkyHD RCU?

greenough1 · Post by **greenough1** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:09 pm

Do you have a JP1.x flashed based remote cable? If so, try and dump it with IR. Post what you get.

Best,
jeff

Post by **The Robman** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:44 pm

Just FYI, in case you don't already have a JP1 cable, there's no guarantee that this JP1.4 remote will work with a JP1.3 cable. At this point in time, we don't know what JP1.4 is.

Techbox · Post by **Techbox** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:11 am

greenough1 wrote:Do you have a JP1.x flashed based remote cable? If so, try and dump it with IR. Post what you get.

I don't have one... yet.

Since posting I've been doing a bit more research on MCE/Sky and found that Sky uses RC6-6-20 protocol and MCE/Xbox uses RC6-6-32. Although I'm a very technical person, I'm still learning on Ir so please forgive me for this next question!

Would the difference in data bits (20 vs 32) mean different hardware is required in the RCU to support the MCE protocol? Do any TV RCU's use 32 data bits? i.e. Lots of TV's are supported on the URC1672, as well as AV equipment which I know don't all use the same RC6-6-20 protocol..

If I could communicate via the JP1.4, would I be able to 'upload' a new protocol or am I barking up the wrong tree here??

The reason I ask is 1st line support from Universial told me the URC1672 would need different hardware to support MCE... IME, 1st line support arn't always that technical so I just wanted to throw the question to you guys who apear to be experts in all things IR!!

If in theory the URC1672 'could' support the addition of RC6-6-32 protocol, I don't mind getting a JP1.3 cable and having a play!

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:39 am

Our JP1 remotes have an MCU onboard that controls the sending of IR signals. The MCU is pre-loaded with a whole bunch of setup codes that control various devices. A setup code consists of two parts, the first part defines the fixed variables (ie, device codes, etc) and the codes for each button. The second part is an "executor" written in assembler that doesn't the grunt work of actually generating the IR signal. An executor can be used by multiple setup codes.

So, for a single remote (is that what you mean by RCU?) to be able to send two different protocols (eg, RC6-6-20 and RC6-6-32) it simply needs to have two executors loaded, either by the factory or as a JP1 upgrade.

When a remote is programmed using JP1, we are able to make it do virtually anything.

So the only question is, will your remote work with a JP1.3 cable, or do we need to invent a new JP1.4 cable (and I suspect that it's the latter, unfortunately).

RichG · Post by **RichG** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:40 am

Hi Guys

Been lurking for a week or so, still finding my way around. Prompted by ditching Sky here and having a collection of various vintages of Sky remotes, I Built a USB 1.3 interface & that's working fine with a URC-7556 & a URC-1660 that I also happened to have.

So the latest Sky remote I have is a URC-1672 (SkyHD rev.9f) and as stated in this post it has the holes for a 6 pin connector marked 1.4

Soldered in the pins and tried with the 1.3 interface but get the failed to open JP1 interface message.

Tried Tommy's Realterm test.

IDENTIFYING THE MICROCOMPUTER AND SIGNATURE OF AN UNKNOWN FLASH REMOTE

however the remote switches back to normal operation, with a double flash.

Have searced around for the latest on 1.4 but not clear if there is or might be a solution? Just wondered what is the latest?

Many Thanks

Rich

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:41 am

JP1.4 was a short lived UEI platform that uses a new communication method that is not compatible with the current JP1 software. This platform uses a Samsung S3F8 processor (similar to the JP1.3 processor).

UEI has since ditched the JP1.4 platform and moved to a Maxim MAXQ610 processor, which they call JP2.

JP1.4 and JP2 both use the same new communication method that is not compatible with the JP1 software, yet!

I say "yet" because we have determined that you can use a traditional JP1.2/3 cable with these remotes, but our software is going to need to be updated to handle the new communication method.

Unfortunately, things are significantly different, so there's no ETA for when we'll be able to handle the new remotes.

RichG · Post by **RichG** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:22 am

Thanks Rob, some posts seemed to indicate it was a lost cause, & others that there was hope.

If I can do anything to help, I have a logic analyser etc, then let me know?

Am new to remotes, but not to reverse engineering & reprograming.

Rich

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:46 am

Before there was hope, there was no hope!

I think at this point, we just need to do all the old-fashioned stuff, that is, download the memory, change a setting on the remote, download again to see what changed. Etc, etc.

RichG · Post by **RichG** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:08 am

As you are testing. Is it reasonable to assume that the interface & chip comms protocol is now fully understood?

Look forward to further updates.

Rich

gmaslin · Post by **gmaslin** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:49 am

Fell upon this year old thread while studying. What is the current state of JP2?

Post by **mathdon** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:05 pm

JP1.4 and JP2 are supported by RMIR v2.02a that was released a few days ago, but I don't know if there is an RDF for your remote. A JP1.2/1.3 cable should work, but there have been indications that not all such cables do in fact work. Those supplied by Tommy Tyler certainly work with JP1.4 and JP2 but if you don't already have one from him, his store is currently closed. If you do have a cable then try a raw download with it and RMIR v2.02a. If that works then all is well.

NBoater · Post by **NBoater** » Sat Dec 01, 2012 11:00 am

Saw this thread when it was recently "touched".

I soldered the pins into my SkyHD remote and performed a raw download in RMIR. This is uploaded to http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... e_id=11549.

I also tried using jp12test but this failed. I think this could be down to my poor soldering!

NBoater

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Sat Dec 01, 2012 11:17 am

The soldering looks fine. We just need to make a RDF file for it. The Portmon log returns signature 316405BSkyB REV9F at address 3300, and the Raw Download reveals the typical segments of a JP1.4 remote.

We don't expect jp12test to provide a good result with JP1.4/2/3 remotes.

You can start on a REF file by making either macros or keymoves, keeping track of which buttons were used, and doing another Raw download. We need this to find out the button numbers of all the keys.

JP1 Remotes

JP1.4 on a URC1672 / SkyHD

JP1.4 on a URC1672 / SkyHD

URC1672 (SkyHD rev.9F in UK)