JP1 Remotes

[zoiks]

OK, got the remote, got pissed that the left navigation and exit keys wouldn't program because of really stupid design flaws (I use my remote for my MythTV based entertainment center), searched the web, found this site and stumbled on the whole JP1 thing. Thought, "hey, that could be a way around the stupid design flaw."

It's been three solid days now, wife is starting to worry.

Fast forward, I've built a JP1.2 serial interface. The nominal pin 5 pad on the circuit board is not connected to anything, so should have no antenna effect (another design flaw IMHO). Connector tests fine on basic resistance, basic transistor functionality seems OK (found 1 transistor in my batch that was NG, the hard way), though Tx pin 3 of the DB9 seems to have trouble pulling down pin 4 on the JP1.3 connector (when high, 5V, pulls it to maybe 1.7-1.8 volts or so). Kinda seems to me 100K for R2 is a bit on the high side when the opposing R7 is only 1K. Also polarity of polarized C1 is goofy, especially if TTL levels are present on the DB9, should be flipped, but that's a small detail.

Anyway, I am connecting through a USB-serial converter/adapter, Prolific PL2303. I've seen at least two places here in the forums which claim this arrangement should work, though it converts to TTL level serial, not the oddball voltages that come out of a PC-standard RS232 port. Had to break a few arms to find Vista drivers for the PL2303 (remarkably it requires no drivers in Linux at all). I'm on a laptop with no built-in serial port.

Anyway, on to software, IR gives me "Failed to open JP1.x interface".

Test group, old version (jp1xTEST.bat), gives me:

[Thomas]

Hi zoiks!
Yes, this will certainly burn a hole in your free time.

I now have two RS15-100, both purchased when they were on sale for $16. I also built an interface using Tommy Tyler's design (revised 6-18-07), leaving out the JP1.1 components. It works perfectly with the RS15-100 and either IR or RMIR. However, I am using W2K and RS-232 serial port with this interface.

I purchased one of Tommy's USB interfaces, which works with both W2K and XP on my laptop.

Two things to check - do you have the correct components, wired correctly? And are you using female DB9 connector (somebody else had some confusion with a male connector), or anyway, is the Serial-USB adapter hooked up properly?

The other thing I would consider is trying the interface with a serial port - it is remotely possible that your USB adapter is not compatible.

Keep us posted.

Tom
_________________
Tom Carlson

[The Robman]

If you value your time, you might be better off buying one of Tommy's USB cables (assuming that your mod on the 15-100 itself is good).
_________________
Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

[zoiks]

Well, I have gone ahead and replaced R2 with a 10K and I'm getting the same basic results as before (i.e. seems to make no real difference).

Some more information:

When I run jp1xTEST multiple times, I get at random one of the two following results half the time each:
1) LED does NOT flash, and I get "version checksum mismatch", followed by "No JP1.x Compatible Remotes Found!" (just like in my original post).
2) LED on remote flashes long-short-long-long (4 times), and I get back simply, "No JP1.x Compatible Remotes Found!".

When I run Debug_tester, I get one of the following 2 results, again seemingly at random (50% each):
1) LED flashes twice (long long), received byte is 06 (which presumably is the ACK expected by software), and Debug_tester reports that it found the interface.
2) LED flashes twice (long long, same as #1 above), received byte is generally one of C3, 83, or 0E, seemingly at random. Debug_tester then reports "unable to connect".

Yesterday it seemed I was consistently getting the #1 result from each of the above.

Pin 5 is *not* connected, (it has a solder pad on it from when I was wiring up the connector, but that's it). The wire that was connected to pin 5 has also been cut back 2-3mm to stay out of the way.

So, I still don't get it. Does anyone have any idea what's going on?

[zoiks]

OK, now I've put the remote back together and the IR detector can no longer transmit *or* receive (i.e. learn) signals. All learn attempts fail, and no transmitted output is detected when hooked up to an IR photordetector. I don't see any physical damage, lead breaks, etc. that would cause the LED to be an open circuit.

Plus, I've noticed a couple of the LCD "pixels" don't come on anymore.

Other than that, the remote acts normally. Since it appears I've damaged it somehow it's going in the trash. I have no idea how I've damaged it - I've taken all the appropriate precautions handling this thing.

I'll start a new thread with a new idea in the "beginners" section. We'll see if it works, but I'm not holding my breath.

[The Robman]

Don't put it in the trash before you've given the group a chance to figure out what you might have done to break it.
_________________
Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

[zoiks]

[Thomas]

The display has soft (pliable?) contacts which connect to pads on the circuit board by pressure - you might have gotten it slightly misaligned while the case was open. Should be able to reseat it and 'fix' the missing pixels.

As far as the failure to learn, I suspect that you will need to get the interface working and upload a valid IR file. Since you can get to the P menus, it is not quite dead, yet.

I would still recommend that you try a computer with RS232 port and eliminate any doubts about the USB adapter.
_________________
Tom Carlson

[zoiks]

OK, I must say I don't get it. Here's what I've done:

I converted my serial interface to a JP1.x (JP1.1/1.2) by making the connections to pin 5 on the JP1 connector and adding the transistor, etc.

I am still using the USB/serial converter.

In addition to the TWC/URC1047 (Atlas 4?) JP1.2 remote, I also am using a Comcast remote (says JP1.1, URC1058) for testing purposes.

When using IR.exe, I always get "failed to open JP1.x interface", on either device.

When using Debug_Tester, I get:
For the URC1047 (JP1.2): returned byte is 00, failed to find a JP1.x remote.
For the URC1058 (JP1.1): returned byte is 06, JP1.1 remote found!

What gives?

I've been getting suspicious about the voltage levels from the USB/RS232 converter, but I think the voltage levels should work. They are not shifted to -10V, but they *are* inverted, so looking at the circuit diagram for the serial interface it should still work. Plus, I'm getting two LED flashes from both remotes when the Debug_Tester runs, indicating a successful reset before initiating communication (correct me if I'm wrong).

IR.exe, unfortunately, does not cause the LEDs to flash while it's checking the interface, so I don't know what gives. What is the difference between what Debug_Tester is checking vs. what IR.exe is checking?

I don't understand why IR.exe just doesn't include some debug output of its own, along the lines of Debug_Tester.

One other thing is that the COM port created by the USB adapter is COM4. There also appears to be a COM3 connected to something internally on this laptop (I have no idea what) that always returns a 0x45 when Debug_Tester sends an 0x45, as if it were connected as a loopback. But this is not the JP1 interface. Is there a chance IR.exe is getting stuck on COM3 because of the returned data?

[zoiks]

OK so I tried a "real" RS232 port, i.e. with shifted *and* inverted voltages.

My only "real" RS232 ports are on two desktop machines that only run Linux. Sorry, I'm not a Winbloze buff. One is a server with no graphics capability, so I tried running the software on the one with graphics, using the wine layer:

Results (all using wine):
URC-1047/Comcast remote (JP1.1):
- Debug_Tester.exe --> "JP1.1 remote found!" (COM1)
- IR.exe/check interface --> "Unable to open JP1.x interface."

URC-1058/Time Warner remote (similar to Atlas 4, JP1.2):
- Debug_Tester.exe --> "JP1.2 remote found!" (COM1)
- IR.exe/check interface --> "The interface check succeeded!"
- IR.exe/download --> "No definition file for AXL01008, etc."