I just installed a Twinhan VP 1020a (free to air reciever PCI card for my PC). My dish hasn't arrived yet, but I was trying to set up my universal remote so I could control it from anywhere in the house. I have a One For All 9911 (I think) universal remote that has a radio frequency base so I can leave the base near the USB remote sensor where it will retransmit in infra-red.

The trouble is my remote doesn't have enough memory to learn all the buttons from the Twinhan remote, so I was wondering if anyone knows of a standard brand of Satellite receiver who's remote can work the Twinhan? If I can tell my remote that it is a certain satellite receiver by entering the code for that receiver, then it would work for me..even if I have to program a few buttons. Even if by entering a different brand's code I only have the basic controls and the numbers I can probably program the rest by having my remote learn.

I hope my question makes sense.

The best suggestion is to get a JP1 cable for your remote.

With that cable you can read the remote's (eeprom) memory into a PC and see all the learned signals (which I'll assume include some of the signals for the Twinhan). The JP1 software can decode those signals and tell you what they are.

Depending on what the signals decode as (and probably by posting that decode info and asking for expert advice) you might:

A) Discover what built-in setup code can support that device. or

B) Discover what existing "upgrade" can be loaded into your remote to define all the keys of that device in a much more concise form than learned signals (so there will be no problem fitting them all in the remote's eeprom). or

C) Worst case, you may need to save that PC data, then delete the learned signals from the remote (which is easier via JP1 cable than manually) then learn the signals that didn't fit the first time and copy those to the PC as well. Finally combine the info from both (or more) sets of learned signals to create an "upgrade" that can be used as I described in "B".

Hi Johnsfine,

Thanks for the help. I am sure your solution is the best, but I don't want to spend any more money on this 'project' right now...not to mention waiting for a cable to arrive.

I would rather take a chance and clear out my memory and start over, but I was hoping to avoid that. I was just hoping somebidy would have had seom experience with the Twinham card and suggest a satellite reciever or something where most of the buttons would be the same.

I appreciate the help!

If it's not worth $14 to you to resolve the situation, then you'll have to make do with things the way they are.

Maybe you can get some help from OFA customer support or from Twinhan customer support. Almost any hint (from Twinhan customer support) about what IR signals they use could be enough to create a .wav upgrade using free JP1 software without the cable. (I think the model you mean is one that can take .wav upgrades. But I'm not certain that 9911 is what I think it is.) OFA customer support also probably has the right upgrade and can load it into your remote over the phone.

I sent a support request to both Twinham and One For All. If I don't hear anything I will cycle through a bunch of codes tonight...and if that doesn't work I will just clear my remote and start from scratch. Probably won't take too long anyways..if I can find the manual.

I am sure the cable is only $14, but after paying the exchange rate (I am in Canada), shipping, tax....I am sure it will be $30 or more for me. Just not worth it when I can just redo my remote for an hour or so.

I just checked the Hovis Direct web site and he charges an extra $2 for shipping to Canada, which would bring your total to $16, which is $19 CAD.


Your original post gave me the impression that you wanted to set up your universal remote to control this device, which I assumed meant on a permanent basis. If your intent is to use the remote for just an hour or so, then I agree it's not worth it. But I'm curious, if you just need the remote for an hour or so, why not just use the original remote?

I think you are going about this the wrong way. The card itself is a tuner, yes, but you are not directly interfacing with the card here. You are interfacing with a module that plugs into your USB port and receives the IR signal from the remote. Then it sends the correct command to the card. According to what I can find regarding this remote setup, it will control other PC based cards, as well.

The reason it can do this is that the commands from the IR receiver are being converted to keyboard commands. You should also be able to control the Twinhan card using keyboard commands.

You *may* find the right code in the satellite device setup codes, but you may not. It could be virtually any set of device setup codes (TV, VCR, DVD, CD, etc.). Worst case scenario is that it is a combination of commands that encompasses many different setup codes. Aside from trying every device setup code in your universal remote (good luck!) one of your other options would be to get a jp1 cable.

The only other option would be to join the jp1 forum and hope to find someone that you could ship the remote to with as many learned signals as you can fit. They could then download your remote, analyze the learned commands, and get back to you with the correct device code.
Jim

The reason I wanted to use my universal remote is so I can control the device (change channles, record, etc) from anywhere in the house (the remote is RF).

ofafan, what you are saying is very true. I did try all the codes for VCR's and Satellite receivers. None worked the program..so I cleared out my remote..and learned all the buttons. I then set the time, and theater mode, and learned a few other buttons that I use for different devices...and I was done.

Now I can be anywhere in the house watching tv (I fed a video/audio signal to a splitter, then to all tv's in my house).

Thanks for all the help guys!