Universal Remote Control (proper one) / cracking coding?

[N_Cook]

2 vital functions only via missing remote control, not available to buy or
borrow, to copy/learn from or to make a simple 2 function r/c. The other
functions are setup menus that have no need to be on a remote.
7 data lines to 3x4 ,12 switch matrix on the unit and no odd spare lines.
Large proprietory BGA controller does the decoding so totally hidden, no
separate IR decoder available to monitor.
Tried 5 "universal" zappers in quick search but no change from on to
standby.
Any ideas for at least cracking the ident/start code ?
Is it always the case that this ident code repeated after a gap is always
the code for on to standby operation?
Any off-the-wall suggestions for consideration? eg 2 fans/ motorised vanes
at variable analogue voltages interrupting pulsed beam of order 20 to 40
microsec repeat rate

 

[Martin Brown]

make/model of equipment in question?

I'll offer one that I would like the IR control codes for:

Singing Machines SMG-301 Karaoke box - 3CD elderly device belonging to
our village hall. Seems to be obsolete, but kit itself still works OK.
The remote unfortunately does not exist any more...

It is known to be incompatible with generic IR controllers and a
selection of randomly chosen CD controllers. The original controller has
vanished so no chance of repairing it.

If anyone would be kind enough to specify the control code sequences it
sends for each of the keys I could easily program a PIC to send them.
Thanks. Just the numbers and play buttons would do...

Thanks for any enlightenment.

Regards,
Martin Brown

 

[N_Cook]

I'll offer one that I would like the IR control codes for:

Singing Machines SMG-301 Karaoke box - 3CD elderly device belonging to
our village hall. Seems to be obsolete, but kit itself still works OK.
The remote unfortunately does not exist any more...

It is known to be incompatible with generic IR controllers and a
selection of randomly chosen CD controllers. The original controller has
vanished so no chance of repairing it.

If anyone would be kind enough to specify the control code sequences it
sends for each of the keys I could easily program a PIC to send them.
Thanks. Just the numbers and play buttons would do...

Thanks for any enlightenment.

Regards,
Martin Brown

The only suggestion I have is go into Google/images and try and find another
make+model that looks like a rebadged version of your one, then hunt for a
replacement on that make and model

 

[TheM]

If you can find a lookalike make/model on google images then it's worth
looking on www.remotecentral.com to see if anyone has made a config file
for the philips pronto touchscreen remotes for that device and on the site
for the company that makes the 'oneforall' brand remotes (www.ezremote.com)
to see if there's a setup code for your device on a recent model of their
universal remotes.

If either of these sites has a downloadable config with your device
supported then the raw codes can be exctracted from the config without
needing access to the correct universal remote and maybe allow you to
create that pic based remote (or maybe find someone to loan you the correct
remote for the config or one that can already operate your CD player and
let you copy all keys into a cheap learning remote).

Unfortunately remotes are complex devices - there are at least 20 different
protocols used (philips have 2, NEC have at least 2, Toshiba have a couple,
Sony have another couple, etc, all with multibit device number and button
codes making it almost impossible to guess correct code to send, and an
unknown brand chinese player could have used any one of them) so emulating
one with a PIC chip isn't as easy as you would expect.

I always wondered how the mute works? I'd like to be able to universally mute
any TV (usefull). Now the question is whether there are two different signals
for mute on and mute off or is it just a Flip/Flop kind of thing.

M

 

[Nitro]

The only suggestion I have is go into Google/images and try and find another
make+model that looks like a rebadged version of your one, then hunt for a
replacement on that make and model

You might also try the novii-remote web site, they sell an IR remote app for
the palm pda and they had a fairly large database available.
www.novii.tv, www.novii.com

You might want to post on their codebase
forum?
http://www.novii.tv/up/forum/viewforum.php?f=26&sid=adb7252fa86d07d5815fa55072
8ae016

 

[N_Cook]

I always wondered how the mute works? I'd like to be able to universally mute
any TV (usefull). Now the question is whether there are two different signals
for mute on and mute off or is it just a Flip/Flop kind of thing.

M

I seem to remember one of those gadget shps had a wrist watch that had an IR
random pulse stream mode. So you could sit in front of a TV and every now
and then TV would change channels or misbehave.

 

[Martin Brown]

If you can find a lookalike make/model on google images then it's worth
looking on www.remotecentral.com to see if anyone has made a config file
for the philips pronto touchscreen remotes for that device and on the site
for the company that makes the 'oneforall' brand remotes (www.ezremote.com)
to see if there's a setup code for your device on a recent model of their
universal remotes.

If either of these sites has a downloadable config with your device
supported then the raw codes can be exctracted from the config without
needing access to the correct universal remote and maybe allow you to
create that pic based remote (or maybe find someone to loan you the correct
remote for the config or one that can already operate your CD player and
let you copy all keys into a cheap learning remote).

If the original unit still existed that would be handy. I might yet be
able to find someone locally with an SMG-301 and clone the controller.

Unfortunately remotes are complex devices - there are at least 20 different
protocols used (philips have 2, NEC have at least 2, Toshiba have a couple,
Sony have another couple, etc, all with multibit device number and button
codes making it almost impossible to guess correct code to send, and an
unknown brand chinese player could have used any one of them) so emulating
one with a PIC chip isn't as easy as you would expect.

I thought that might be a problem. I wonder why SMG made their remote
deliberately incompatible with generic universal remote controls?
(it even says this in the manual which I have now found - unhelpful)

Thanks everyone for the various suggestions. I haven't been able to find
a codebase for the SMG-301 but I have found some new places to look!

Regards,
Martin Brown

 

[N_Cook]

I'll offer one that I would like the IR control codes for:

Singing Machines SMG-301 Karaoke box - 3CD elderly device belonging to
our village hall. Seems to be obsolete, but kit itself still works OK.
The remote unfortunately does not exist any more...

It is known to be incompatible with generic IR controllers and a
selection of randomly chosen CD controllers. The original controller has
vanished so no chance of repairing it.

If anyone would be kind enough to specify the control code sequences it
sends for each of the keys I could easily program a PIC to send them.
Thanks. Just the numbers and play buttons would do...

Thanks for any enlightenment.

Regards,
Martin Brown

I found the manual for my Tevion URCT 48B "universal"/learning r/c.
4 codes for Singer DVD units
scoping , without digging out a storage scope, just shows the same
background code of 105mS cycle repeat, 8.5mS block, space, 0.6mS block,
carrier 25uS, the non-repeated coding bursts are not triggerable.