How does one ensure that the code learnt by the Pronto is a clean code? I have learnt my Sony Projectors cursor keys in via the Pronto twice now and I now have two different sets of codes. The relearnt codes bear no relation to the first run for the same buttons.

The only way to get pure clean codes is to generate them algorithmically according to the enginering specs for the chipset used in the remote. Fortunately most IR systems are very tollerant of timing discrepencies. I and others have programs that will generate either the Pronto IR formats or the Pronto data base entries for very clean versions of the IR patterns, GIVEN that the protocol descriptions are available. These descriptions are available for many common devices made by pioneer, Sony, Nec, and others. Given samples of learned patterns it is very often possible to reverse engineer the protocol specifications since there are a limited number of protocols in use. That is because of the few number of different chip sets which are being used.

If you send me samples of what you have I can let you knew if I can generate for your devices. Give me the mfg and model, and a set of simpe patterns like power, numbers, cursor controls, volume, etc. If I can synthsize the pattern I can generally generate very clean codes. I normally generate them as a Pronto IT data base.

Mark, use IRTool.

Copy the hex for your code into IRTool and press Decode Hex button. Then encode it, and you should have a clean code to copy back into ProntoEdit.

Thanks guys for your input. Peter, does IR Tool recognise all device types. I noticed it picked up on the Sony Projector I have but suggested a Yamaha code for a Toshiba DVD player.

IRTool is not suggesting the manufacturer of a device, but rather the name of an encoding scheme. Many manufacturers use the same encoding scheme (or more accurately the same chips).

IRTool does not recognize all encoding schemes but seems to handle most common ones.

Is it just me or would it be nice to have a program that would go through a ccf file and "clean up" each IR by doing the equivalent of what Peter suggested with IR Tool (decode/encode)?

That would be a lot easier than doing it all manually.

I've been using the following:
IRtool - to help decode learned codes
ProntoUtil - to generate a complete set of clean codes
IRPanels - to generate a CCF
The Pronto and some patience - to explore all those "secret" codes looking for discretes

The Problem: Pioneer DVL919

It seems that most tools don't handle this code structure. It uses a fixed "one time" device and command code, and the real information is the "repeat" device and command code, which uses a different device code than the one time. Details as follows:

Carrier=0067
0=0015 0015
1=0015 0040
Lead in=0155 00ab (for both one time and repeat)
Lead out=0015 03fc (for both one time and repeat)
One Time Device: 163 (fixed)
One Time Command: 153 (fixed)
Repeat Device: 175 (fixed, but different from one time)
Repeat Command: 0 - 225 (varies, as you would expect)

Here is what the first two codes look like:

Device Code: 175 Function: 0
0000 0067 0022 0022 0155 00ab 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 03fc 0155 00ab 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 03fc
Device Code: 175 Function: 1
0000 0067 0022 0022 0155 00ab 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 03fc 0155 00ab 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 0040 0015 03fc

The fact that Pronto Util can't direclty generate these codes is surmountable with some clever use of the "replace all" command in a text editor.

The real problem is that IRPanels can't generate the CCF to try all these codes out. Does any one know of a work around for IRPanels, or some other (automated) way to get the resultant 256 codes into some easilly testable format?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

Jeff,
I didn't have that problem with the DVL-90 (DVL-91, DVL909, DVL919). I might be that the code you are attempting to decode is a little dirty. If you want I have a Master IRPanel for the dvl series I can send you. Or you can pull down my device CCF for the DVL-90 and give it a try.

Bear

In many, many cases, a repeat code is not necessary, and in many cases a once code is not required. For examples, look at my Denon 4800 receiver ccf in the files area. On the keypad #1 key, I originally ended up with a once and a repeat code. I never really need a #1 repeat, so I removed it, saving 32 bytes. On the volume up key, I found that removing the 32 bytes for the once code worked perfectly well. A tap on the volume up key still raises the volume only one step, while holding it down repeats as it should. In my ccf I have gone through every code and made them be once or repeat but rarely both. The code savings was significant.

Barry,
Thanks, I think I already tried your DVL-90 CCF without success, but I will check and try again. I'm pretty sure the codes I learned are relatively clean, since they were all pretty consistent. There was only one strange patch... It seems that most of the transport keys were all One Time only commands, with the One Time Device of 163 (consistent with the problematic dual codes) and with Command numbers clustered around 153 (also consistent with the problematic dual codes).

loran,
Thanks, it's a good thought, and I'm aware of that... I tried ditching the Repeat codes and only generate the One Time codes (since the transport keys worked as One Time only codes off of Device 163)... but it didn't work. I also tried ditching the One Time codes and generate a Repeat only code based on a device of 175 without success. Guess I should go try the other two permutations... One Time only based on device 175 and Repeat only based on device 163.

Please keep your ideas coming. I don't want to loose my original thread though, which is: how to test these odd codes that IRPanels chokes on.

Continued thanks. This is a really cool community.

Cheers,
Jeff

Jeff,

Though I would be shocked if Pioneer changed their coding scheme just for 1 device, ProntoUtil should be able to generate what you need:

1) Set the Lead In for the One Time Burst Pair to the 34 burst pairs for device 163, command 153.

2) Set the Burst Pairs entry to 34.

3) Leave the other One Time burst Pair entries blank.

This will generate what you're looking for, even though I don't think it is ultimately the correct code sequence.

I have a new version of ProntoUtil that allows you access to all fields from the INI file in the program and also offers the ability to support Denon codes. You may need this version to do what you're looking for, but I think the old version should also work. I'll upload this new version to RemoteCentral.

Geoffrey Reynolds
Author of ProntoUtil

It has, no doubt, been previously said, but I feel compelled to voice it, again...

The experience of owning and fiddling with a Pronto has been exponentially enhanced by the availability of Geoffrey Reynolds' ProntoUtil program.

Geoffrey, I admire and appreciate your knowledge, work and generosity.

Thank you.

Geoffrey,

Let me amplify Byron's gratitude as well. Thank you thank you thank you! The work you (and the other utility authors) have poured into this really does make all of our lives so much easier!

As for Pioneer changing their structure, prepare to be shocked! It's true. If you take a look at Andy Storch's DVL-919 CCF, you'll notice the same coding structure that I've been struggling with. In fact, "Thank you Andy" for figuring out the discrete on/of codes!

Anyway, Geoffrey, I've been using your previous version of ProntoUtil (obviously) and have been merrily editing the ini file. The improvements you mention in your post sound fantastic. I can't wait to download it.

Thanks!

I'm still looking for a way to TEST all these funky codes that IRPanels chokes on, though.

Oh, an as per my previous post, I did try those other 2 permutations and they didn't work. :-(

Cheers,
Jeff

The new version is now available in the Utility file area.