How to get inside a URC-8305 (or URC-8308)?

mikemillen · Post by **mikemillen** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:48 pm

I'm sure I read somewhere on the forum that at least one person had got inside their URC-8305, but there were no clues given about how to go about it.

I don't want to damage mine with brute force, & the proper method is not at all obvious.

Any advice, please?

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:16 pm

This is Tommy Tyler's classic original guide to dismantling generic UEIC-manufactured remotes, and the basic principles still apply.

He additionally wrote this guide to accomodate some of the newer challenges/nuances of the new-generation URC-6131 (and other similar-design) UEIC remotes.

I don't know how helpful this will be for one those ultra-slim newfangled Kameleons, but older Kameleons followed the same basic design, so I expect the basic approach will be the same.

mikemillen · Post by **mikemillen** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:55 pm

Many thanks, Cap'n, but the OFA URC-8305 is nothing like any of those in the guides.

It's basically an aluminium extruded case with aluminium top & bottom caps & no visible screws.

The caps move slightly & obviously come off somehow, but the retaining mechanism is currently a mystery.

mikemillen · Post by **mikemillen** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:18 pm

For the benefit of others that pass this way, I can now reveal the secret, courtesy of Yesok, to whom, many thanks.

First you must remove the black plastic piece which is inset in the lower case section (the largest end, marked "ONE FOR ALL"). To do this, remove the battery screw, then prise out the lower of the two layers of black plastic that are sandwiched in there. Try to lever it away vertically, as there are a couple of plastic pins which go up into the next piece. This plastic piece is glued in, so it takes quite a bit of effort to remove it.

Once it's off you will see two self-tapping screws going up into the main body. Remove these, and then carefully pull away the lower section. There is a wire connected to this piece for the battery terminal, so don't break it!

Once the lower section is free, hold the main body and then slide out the pcb+keypanel upwards by pulling on the upper case section.

That's it! Easy once you know how.

There is no JP1.x connector, only pads. There is, however, room for a miniature round connector to be fitted between the LEDs in the top section, which is what I have done. I used a Hirose HR-30-6 connector, which I happened to have to hand. I fitted 2 diodes + 1 resistor inline between the connector & the pcb, allowing me to use a standard FTDI USB cable, straight out of the box.

http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Evalua ... 2R-3V3.htm

I wired the RTS line to pin 2, /RST, so the cable looks like an "old style" JP1.x cable. It works perfectly.

Now all I have to do is figure out how all this JP1 stuff works!

mully1999 · Post by **mully1999** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:51 am

Hi there,

I tried this but don't under stand the last instruction

Once the lower section is free, hold the main body and then slide out the pcb+keypanel upwards by pulling on the upper case section.

With the bottom section detached, and hanging by the wire, do you mean to nold the bottom of main aluminium case and pull on the black platic housing of the key pad to get it and the pcb to slide out ?

This is what I have been trying but it will not budge feels like something else is holding it in place.

Cheers,
Mully

mikemillen · Post by **mikemillen** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:33 am

mully1999 wrote:Hi there,

I tried this but don't under stand the last instruction
Once the lower section is free, hold the main body and then slide out the pcb+keypanel upwards by pulling on the upper case section.
With the bottom section detached, and hanging by the wire, do you mean to nold the bottom of main aluminium case and pull on the black platic housing of the key pad to get it and the pcb to slide out ?

This is what I have been trying but it will not budge feels like something else is holding it in place.

Cheers,
Mully

Sorry, Mully, but it's been so long since I opened it (& closed it up again) I really don't remember exactly how it went.

I think you have to hold the main metal body and pull on the small top metal section which slides out, holding the pcb, etc.

Mike

whoareyouuk · Post by **whoareyouuk** » Mon Dec 23, 2019 4:14 pm

Realise it's been some time since this post but what was the reason the diodes and resistor?

I'm just about to have a play wondered if you had much success?

mikemillen wrote:For the benefit of others that pass this way, I can now reveal the secret, courtesy of Yesok, to whom, many thanks.

First you must remove the black plastic piece which is inset in the lower case section (the largest end, marked "ONE FOR ALL"). To do this, remove the battery screw, then prise out the lower of the two layers of black plastic that are sandwiched in there. Try to lever it away vertically, as there are a couple of plastic pins which go up into the next piece. This plastic piece is glued in, so it takes quite a bit of effort to remove it.

Once it's off you will see two self-tapping screws going up into the main body. Remove these, and then carefully pull away the lower section. There is a wire connected to this piece for the battery terminal, so don't break it!

Once the lower section is free, hold the main body and then slide out the pcb+keypanel upwards by pulling on the upper case section.

That's it! Easy once you know how.

There is no JP1.x connector, only pads. There is, however, room for a miniature round connector to be fitted between the LEDs in the top section, which is what I have done. I used a Hirose HR-30-6 connector, which I happened to have to hand. I fitted 2 diodes + 1 resistor inline between the connector & the pcb, allowing me to use a standard FTDI USB cable, straight out of the box.

http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Evalua ... 2R-3V3.htm

I wired the RTS line to pin 2, /RST, so the cable looks like an "old style" JP1.x cable. It works perfectly.

Now all I have to do is figure out how all this JP1 stuff works!

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:28 pm

Neither of those guys have been around here since 2009, so I doubt that they will see your question. If you have an FTDI cable like these, and are able to get the remote open, I would suggest trying to jerry-rig a temporary connection to see if it works "as is" without a diode or resistor. If it does, all you will need to figure out is, how to fashion up a permanent connector that you can use once the remote is closed back up again.

I don't have any first hand knowledge of this particular remote, so I can only give general guidance.