JP1 Remotes

[Dreamzapper]

Hi, I am new here, and want some advice on how I best can satisfy my needs.

I am using three units: TV, Dreambox Satellite Tuner and a third unit, now a VCR, but to be replaced with another STB.

To make it as simple as possible, I have decided that the OFA URC7930 looks promising. It has the buttons I want in a suitable configuration, and as far as I can tell, it can learn the codes I need from the original remotes. (My Philips URC will not learn from the Dreambox DM7020 remote, which is an UEI JP-1 device)

It would therefore be most convenient for me if learning would work, but if I have to, I will get a JP-1 cable and start my own learning process. I expect the URC7930 to have the JP-1 header, or at least the six holes so I can fix it.

The OFA homepage describe this unit as ready to handle TV, VCR and DVD, but I believe the VCR or DVD positions may be used for any kind of device I want. True?

That should take care of #1.

#2: Especially for my wife, it would be most convenient (it wold be good for me too if it was good for her!), I would like for the remote to work (almost) regardless of what direction it is pointed. (My wife would make a very poor sniper indeed)

Could you recommend a suitable extender for my purpose?

I find the marketplace for such stuff quite difficult to be comfortable with, and in my country what dealers we have, they have a rather limited range of devices to offer. Except for all the Harmony devices - but I don't want anything like that!

Rolf, Norway

[binky123]

The Dreambox DM7020 V4 remote model URC-39930 is a JP1.2 remote. The URC-39730 is a JP1 remote. The URC-7930 is probably a JP1.2 or JP1.3 remote. The JP1.2/JP1.3 remotes require a different cable than the JP1 remotes.

The Dreambox machine uses the Dreambox/Fireball/Moxie/XMP 016C protocol which I recall might be difficult for some remotes to learn.

Yes, you can use any device you want on the device buttons but it may require you to change the device mode first. It may not matter for you as you seem to be planning to learn most of the keys onto the new remote if a built-in code is not found.

Since the Philips remote can't learn from the Dreambox remote, can you use the Dreambox remote to control the 3 devices? The URC-39930 and URC-39730 don't have learning but someone was able to solder the learning components into the remote and turn them into learning remotes.

[Dreamzapper]

Tnx a lot!

The DB remote was delivered with the 6 pins in place, and is a 39930 - and I believe with a 'B' added; it is a little hard to see without opening the unit.

I am not sure I know what you mean by 'turning them into learning remotes.'

I understand 'learning' in this context to mean that I can select a learning mode, for any key on the remote, and then transmit by IR the code directly from an original remote to the URC remote.

But that does of course require that the URC is equipped with IR receiving circuitry.

I 've also read, probably in the JP-1 For Beginners, something about a couple of three-digit codes (not published or documented by the OFA company) that may be entered, and that could be used for programming?

I don't yet know whether I may obtain a satisfactory solution without using JP-1, but I am prepared to do that if I need to.

It might perhaps be a good idea for me to get a JP-1 cable anyway to be prepared for future needs. Can you recommend a JP-1.2 cable that I could rely on to suit me? I doesn't matter if it is parallel, serial or USB, except as far as I understand, parallel may be the fastest - with serial the slowest?


BTW, I may decide to buy two 7930's since it seems to me that the signal strength of the Dreambox original unit leave something to be desired. I just hope that the 7930 is better in that respect.

Rolf

[Mark Pierson]

[binky123]

That's the correct model for the V4 remote. URC-39930BJ0-XX JP1.2.

Ths thread here discusses the JP1.X cables. JP1.X cables are only for serial ports. No USB JP1.X cables have been designed yet. Although a user recently reported using a USB-TTL Serial cable with the PL2303 chip to talk with a JP1.3 remote in this thread. This PL2303 chip is commonly found in USB-Serial cables as well.

Some UEI remotes have the learning software(SET-975 the 3-digit learning code) but not the learning components soldered into the circuit board. I'm not familiar with the URC-7930 but it may have the learning components. A recent user from the UK in this thread has the URC-7950(5 device model) and was also looking into sourcing a JP1.2 cable as well. I'm not sure if he was able to source a cable though.

[Dreamzapper]

[binky123]

Once you have the JP1.2 cable, you should be able to use the JP1 tools to have the URC-39930 control all your eqiupment.

[Dreamzapper]

[binky123]

You should click on and read the threads I highlighted. It explains the differences in the JP1 and JP1.2 cables. Your reference is to the JP1 cable kit.

This thread discusses adding the learning circuit components to the URC-39930 remote.

I'm not familiar with the European remotes but in that other thread, the user from the UK had a 7950 and that one had the learning components in it.

SET-994 Keymoves are useful for using built-in codes to remap or to add additional functions to the built-in codes. If you don't have a built-in code that works, this command is not that useful to you.

Since you are comfortable soldering, you can build the JP1.2 cable using the transistor,resistor,capacitor design highlighted earlier.

You only need the learning part of the remote for unknown devices and protocols. If the device you want to control has a device upgrade in the Files Section, then you can just upload that into your remote.

Your Dreambox(running Linux) may also provide access to its IR sensor via LIRC. I recall some threads here discussing how to modify the Dreambox to respond to different unit code #'s.

[Dreamzapper]

Thanks again!

I found the remote to my 'old' Force' satellite tuner, and it actually looks like a twin to the Dreambox remote except it has three instead of two buttons in the device select 'cluster'.

But I am unable to find its type number, and I cannot find out how to open the unit. I removed the screw, but I believe there must be something more that needs to be done as well. There is a small hole at the bottom inside the battery compartment, but I have been unable to see, or find anything to move down there. Do you know the procedure?

Rolf

[binky123]

The Force remote is very similar to the Dreambox V3 JP1 remote. The Force has a 2K EEPROM while the Dreambox has 1K. That's about all I know about the remote. I don't know if it has learning.

Check the hardware section as I've seen notes on how to remove the remote clamshells there. Usually they have plastic tabs holding the shells together. People slide an old credit card into the crease and move it along to slowly pop open the shell.

[Dreamzapper]

[Dreamzapper]

I tried with a credit card but it wasn't tough enough. Then I took one of those dummy covers used to cover empty slots for plugin cards on regular PC's.

Inserting the upper angle into the slot and bending a little, then moving the bracket along the slot all around the unit did the trick. Just beware of the IR transmitter, and when separating the two parts be careful and slide the IR-transmitter out of its hole.

The Pc-board may then be lifted carefully out - nothing is holding it in place, except be careful to lift it straight up, the device selector switches at the top may be a little fragile.

Now, I cannot see signs of any parts missing except there is printed a legend for a diode associated with each of the three switches - there is a solid wire soldered in place of the diodes.

This was printed on the PCB:

TPS OMEGA LEARNER REMOTE
UEIS-09538
URC-39720B00

And

39710-003-0010
REV: 01
1/23/2001


The chip is marked:

N236
3C80E7XHG-SOB7
UEIC 2002

Rolf

[Dreamzapper]

I found out it is a good idea to ensure that all the keys make it through the holes in the cover before pressing the two halves of the cover together. The unit seemed dead after reassembly, but helping the keys home seemed to fix the problem.

I wish I had checked the Force manual before opening the unit; the unit really is a learner. The key is 975. But have I destroyed something? Programming TV modus, whatever code I send to the 'left' key of the central pad, when executing, the key shifts focus to the 'Force' modus. Subsequent keypresses are indicated for the Force.

If I program the same key except for Aux modus, the same thing does not happen.

I wil check the Force website for more details about programming the controller, maybe a master reset might help.

But the bottom line may be that the JP-1 method is what I need anyway.

Rolf

[binky123]

Some remotes have an option that maps CH+/-, Transport Keys, Volume keys into a specific mode. If you press any of these keys in any mode, it will automatically switch to this specific mode and execute in that mode. The Atlas5 remotes have a CBL Channel Control Lock which will map CH+/CH- into CBL device mode regardless of which device mode it is currently in.

Usually these settings are adjustable within IR or via some SET-9XX command.

SET-975 is the standard learning command for UEI remotes.