Hi guys,

I own an XBR television (XBR52HX909) and have virtually everything I'd like working—except, embarrassingly, for the most basic procedure: turning the power on.

That is to say, once I've turned the TV on using the remote, I can then control all documented features using RS232 exclusively—but I have yet to get the television to actually turn on via RS232 command.

The only manual I was able to find (an updated version of the "KDL40XBR5" manual found on this site, which isn't quite the same model, but appears to have a similar API) states:

"When set is at standby mode, only receives Power ON command."

... and:

"To turn on the set, first set standby command as Enable. After this, the set can receive Power ON command."

OK, fair enough: I should be able to turn it on by sending the "standby command enable" followed by "power on" commands.

So, i've tried sending the standby command enable:

8C 00 01 02 01 90

... But I get no response code, successful or otherwise, back from the television, no matter how long I wait. I've also tried sending the power on command as well:

8C 00 00 02 01 8F

... After, and before, sending the standby command enable, but also get no response. Nothing I send via RS232 seems capable of waking the television up. I believe my commands and checksum are all correct because they are calculated automatically using the same function for all commands (and every other command works), but I will gladly admit to any error that gets me over this hump!

Someone in another thread ([Link: remotecentral.com]) mentioned using IR-over-RS232, which I thought might have meant using the SIRCS protocol; I found a document in an hours-long googling fog on the internet for an "MA2 RS232 Module" ([Link: protvsolutions.com]) that lists some additional RS232 commands, including discrete power on/power off commands using a different header address than the TV's doc. Again, the power-off command works great when the TV is already on, but the power-on command does nothing when the set is off. The SIRCS table in that document makes no mention of any power toggle, discrete power-on, or standby modes.

Is there some special setting that has to be enabled in the TV settings to power it on via RS232? Maybe I need to have the "fast power on" mode enabled during the timeslots I want to use RS232 control?

Any help from someone who has this working would be greatly appreciated; it would be very painful to have to use an "IR blaster" solely for the purpose of turning the television on and off when I can control everything else I want via RS232.

Thanks in advance! Happy New Year, everyone!