Hacking a JP1 Remote Control

by J.M.

Have you ever seen a connector like this labeled "JP1" on the back of a remote control and wondered what it was for?

The JP1 connector is what the remote manufacturer uses to program it at the factory.

But using a special cable you can connect it to your computer and reprogram the remote.

You can backup your settings, add new device codes to the remote, or even create your own devices if your remote has a learning feature.  And actually, some of the device upgrades you can use for these remotes can have unexpected features.  A device upgrade I found that worked with my stereo had a functioning sleep timer button, something my stereo's original remote didn't even have!

First, you need a remote with a JP1 connector, or at least a remote that has holes in the circuit board where you can solder a JP1 connector.

Next, you need to build or buy a JP1 cable.  I would suggest you just buy one already made.  They cost about the same as the parts and are a lot less of a hassle.  You can get a parallel port version of a JP1 cable online for around $15.  I bought mine from BlueDo.com.

Setting Up The Software

Once you get the remote control and a JP1 cable, you need to download some software.

First, download Remote Control Programmer by Mark Pauker & Co. (IR515.ZIP or newer) and RDFs_for_IR_and_RM_Version_x.zip from www.hifi-remote.com/files/tools.

Now create a folder and extract IR515.ZIP to it.  Then create a sub-folder called RDF and extract the contents of the RDFs ZIP file to that folder.  The first time you run IR.exe, go under the "File" menu and select "Set RDF Path", and select the RDF folder you just created and extracted the files to.

With Remote Control Programmer you can download and modify the settings from your remote, as well as create backups of your remote's settings so if anything happens to the remote and it loses its memory, you can easily reprogram it with all of your customizations.  And depending on your remote's capabilities, you can modify things like key moves, macros, learned signals, device upgrades, and more.

To create upgrades for the remote, or to use upgrade files other people have created, you will need a Java program called RemoteMaster.

First, download and install the Java 2 Platform (J2SE) version 1.4.1 or later from java.sun.com/j2se/downloads.  Then download RemoteMaster from controlremote.sourceforge.io.

To execute RemoteMaster, open the file: RemoteMaster.jar

Finding and Using Device Upgrades

You can find device upgrades that other people have already created in the "Device Upgrades" section of the "JP1 File Section" forum (www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php).

Note:  You have to register and be logged in to see anything in the list.

Once you find an upgrade you want to use with the remote, run RemoteMaster and open the upgrade file.  With the upgrade file open, select the model of your remote control in the drop-down menu at the top of the window.  Now click the "Layout" tab and make sure the remote buttons are oriented with the correct functions.  To change what function is assigned to a button, right-click it and select the function you want.

Once you have everything in RemoteMaster set the way you want it, click the "Output" tab.  This is the data that the Remote Control Programmer program will use.  Click the "Copy" button and go back to Remote Control Programmer .  In the Remote Control Programmer program, under the "Devices" tab, click the "Add" button.  In the window that appears, paste the data you copied from RemoteMaster in the top textbox.  Then just say O.K.  Now all you have to do is assign the upgrade's setup code to one of your remote's device keys and upload the settings back to the remote.

How to Create Your Own Device Upgrades

If your remote has a learning feature, you can also use Remote Control Programmer and RemoteMaster to create your own device upgrades if you can't find one that works with your device.

Once your remote control has learned the keys you want to put in the device upgrade, download the remote's data with Remote Control Programmer.

Under the "Learned Signals" tab, click one of the buttons you want to use with the upgrade and note the button's Protocol and Device code.  Then go back to RemoteMaster and change the Protocol and Device code to match what you got from the entry in Remote Control Programmer.

One last thing: Assign the upgrade a Setup Code.

Once you get the device set up, create and map the individual functions.

Using the "Learned Signals" in Remote Control Programmer, note either the EFC, OBC (Original Button Code), or Hex Cmd (Hex Command) for the function you want to create and enter it into the "Functions" list in RemoteMaster.

When you enter one of those three numbers into a function in RemoteMaster, it will calculate the rest.

Once you create all the functions you need, just map them to the buttons like you did before and copy the output to Remote Control Programmer.  Then just set up a device that uses the Setup Code you assigned to the upgrade and you're done.

If you create a device upgrade you think someone else may have a use for, you can share it by uploading it to the "Device Upgrades" section of the "JP1 File Section" forum.