Help needed on JP1 interface

jp2 · Post by **jp2** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:15 pm

Hi,

I made a JP1 cable to fix my Outlaw 1050 (I've read its Catalyst48 OEM) remote after one fine day it decided its not going to talk with 1050 anymore, though it still works with my TV, DVD player etc. that I'd programmed into it. I can't get IR.exe communicate with the remote using this cable. Here are the details:

PC: Windows XP profressional, parallel port never put to use before this
IR.exe: Version 6.15. Used several values for transmission delay between 0-10000
JP1 cable: Using IDC cable prepared as per instructions in "SimpleRev5.doc". I couldn't find 1K resistors locally so I've used two 470 ohm resistors in series. I'm using a dongle for DB25 as it has PCB built in and pins soldered into it, making it easier to assemble your circuitry inside the connector. I'm picking signals before they hit any dongle circuitry (from the back of the pins that actually go into the PC).

1. Everything set up as it should be: No response from the remote
2. JP1 connector unplugged from remote: No response from the remote
3. Battery taken out: No response from the remote
4. New battery cells: No response from the remote
5. Cells in '-++-' combination: No response from the remote
6. Cells in '+--+' combination: No response from interface
7. JP1 connector rotated 180 deg: No response from interface
8. JP1 connector rotated, battery taken out: No response from the remote
9. Port number other than 378 used: No response from interface
10. DB25 connector unplugged from PC: No response from interface

I've verified continuity on all 4 lines between the DB25 and JP1 connectors with correct pin numbers. Verified that diode and resistors are good and soldering is not loose. Tried on a different PC with same hardware configuration running Windows2000, got the same results. I didn't sleep the whole night trying to get things to work...its 9:45 am now and I've given up. Please help.

jp2

Tommy Tyler · Post by **Tommy Tyler** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:08 pm

What tests have you done to confirm that the parallel port is correctly identified and that it works (for example, on a printer)?

jp2 · Post by **jp2** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 1:06 am

I opened my PC and verified the port is internally connected, Windows says its working properly, and as I detailed in my last post - most of the time I get a 'No response from the remote' rather than 'No response from Interface' message. Shouldn't that mean the IR.exe can talk with the parallel port and is able to successfully verify it on pins 2 and 11.

I've a USB printer, so can't use it for test. Other than that, I can't think of anything else that I have to verify the port. Please suggest if you have some other method of testing the port.

jp2

zaphod7501 · Post by **zaphod7501** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:20 am

There is one factor not checked as far as I can see and that is the possibility that the remote has a problem. Do you have any other JP1 enabled remotes to try? The connector could have come unsoldered or more likely, a torn trace on one of the pins. Cracked PC board or soldering elsewhere can occur. I don't know offhand if some eeprom failure could result in this symptom.

jp2 · Post by **jp2** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:38 am

The remote is my prime suspect as well. The reason that it stopped working all the sudden points to some real problem with it. But before I'd have jumped on that conclusion, I wanted to check with the experts here if I'm doing something wrong, or if there is an obvious problem with the cable that I can't figure out myself.

I'll order a new remote from Outlaw, both as a replacement for the broken remote and experimentation. If not for anything else, it'll give me some gratification for all my efforts with the cable etc.

Thanks for all the help.

jp2

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:29 am

How much is Outlaw asking for the Cat48 remote? You could save yourself some money and program a regular JP1 remote to work your system.

jp2 · Post by **jp2** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:14 pm

They are asking me $56 including shipping. I don't think its a high price to pay considering the market price of equivalent remotes in the market today and my own satisfaction with the original equipment. Its a fairly good remote that controls my receiver as well as most of my other home theater equipment. I might get something a little cheaper than that, but it certainly would not be worth considering the amount of time I'll have to spend on programming and customizing that remote, and the associated risk that it may not finally work.

The reason I wanted to fix my remote using JP1 would be my interest in JP1 and that I'm in India, so I'll have to make some arrangements in getting a new remote shipped to me. It would have brought me immense satisfaction to get my JP1 interface running (I'm an engineer working in tech industry), and thats the only reason I was up all night trying to make it work. But it seems, I'll have to get a new remote and see if I can get it to work with JP1. I'll keep you guys posted on home my experiments go with the new remote.

JP2

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:35 pm

IF you'd like to have a ready made JP1 cable and a JP1 learning remote as a tool that you can use to decode the signals from your other OEM remotes, I can send you a URC-8811 remote for $20 and a JP1 cable for $15, and shipping via Global Priority Mail to India is $9, giving you a grand total of $44 US. Assuming that you would need to pay using a credit card thru Paypal, there would be an additional $2 surcharge to cover the paypal fees, bringing the total to $46.

Then, if your Outlaw remote works with the new JP1 cable, you'll have saved yourself $10 (on the $56 cost), and if it doesn't, you'll still be able to use the URC-8811 to decode the signals from your other devices and while you wait for a replacement Outlaw remote, you can program the URC-8811 to work it using this upgrade.

jp2 · Post by **jp2** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 1:21 pm

Hi Rob,

You just gave me an offer which I find hard to resist. I'd get a remote that can be used to work the Outlaw gear plus something that I can play with. I have a friend who lives in San Diego and is scheduled to leave for India this coming Sunday. Tell me what the revised shipping costs would be for San Diego, and your number where I can place an order using my credit card. Also, please clarify that its a new remote cause my wife would be disappointed if she has to use something used.

Don't give me an 800 number, I can't call them from India. A direct, regular number is preferable.