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Sharp Bluray 232 protocol

Useful tip for anyone trying to control a Sharp BD-HP50 or BD-HP70.

Do NOT use $0A at the end of the command string. It will lock up the COM port, though not right away. The only way to get the com port to work again is by pulling power.

So please disregard this helpful nugget in Sharp's protocol manual:
After sending the return code (0DH), make sure to send line
feed (0AH) as well.

Thanks Sharp!

Comments

  • John NagyJohn Nagy Posts: 1,734
    I'd like more information here... we have a number of device drivers that end commands with a line feed. For years. I've never seen one of them lock up a NetLinx com port.... it's useful for breaking up lines of commands in visible diagnostics. It can't happen specifically because a Sharp Blu-Ray is at the other end of the wire....
  • PhreaKPhreaK Posts: 966
    John Nagy wrote: »
    It can't happen specifically because a Sharp Blu-Ray is at the other end of the wire....
    I'm guessing he was referring to the 232 port on the Sharp.
  • ColzieColzie Posts: 470
    PhreaK wrote: »
    I'm guessing he was referring to the 232 port on the Sharp.

    Correct. The Sharp's com port is the one that stops working. The AMX com port is blissfully unaware...
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    Thanks for the tip. I bet that was a fun problem to track down.
    Colzie wrote: »
    Useful tip for anyone trying to control a Sharp BD-HP50 or BD-HP70.

    Do NOT use $0A at the end of the command string. It will lock up the COM port, though not right away. The only way to get the com port to work again is by pulling power.

    So please disregard this helpful nugget in Sharp's protocol manual:


    Thanks Sharp!
  • VLCNCRZRVLCNCRZR Posts: 216
    Sharp Blu-ray

    I had to actually do a firmware upgrade to get RS232 communcation active.

    Does anyone have any advanced command strings beyond the basics
    listed in the owners manual (ie: requests, IR remote keys, etc)?

    Thanks
  • HedbergHedberg Posts: 671
    This is odd. We've done two Sharp blu-ray players recently and both work with crlf (i.e. 13, 10) as terminator. These things are fussy, In both cases, they stopped responding to RS232 during setup. It seemed to be when the guys with the screwdrivers and soldering irons were playing around with the IR remote while trying to traverse menus using RS232 commands. In both cases, hard power cycling (removing ac power) brought the units back. Cycling with the power button didn't do it.

    I'd like to avoid these things in the future -- is there a comparably priced unit with RS232 by anybody else?
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    Hedberg wrote: »
    I'd like to avoid these things in the future -- is there a comparably priced unit with RS232 by anybody else?
    What price are we talking? Denon/Marantz are nice but I think OPPO is propably better and less expensive.
  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    No idea of your target price, but Pioneer's BD's control well. I am working with a BDP-33FD now.
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    vining wrote: »
    What price are we talking? Denon/Marantz are nice but I think OPPO is propably better and less expensive.
    I was investigating Theta today and decided to look at their Blu Ray player the "Compli Blu" BPD 83. I started through the manual and noticed a familiarity in the pages so I pulled up the Oppo manual for the BDP 83 in part because of the model number. The manuals match page for page. The player display and remotes are also identical. The Compli Blue lists for $3k and the Oppo BDP 93 (83's replacement) is $499.00. Even though components used in the Theta version are most likely better it still speaks to the quality of Oppo being related to Theta.

    I came across a similar situation when talking to a McIntosh DVD Player that returned strings saying it was a Denon 2900.

    I've only used Oppo twice but I really like them. A very high quality product.
  • shr00m-dewshr00m-dew Posts: 394
    vining wrote: »
    Even though components used in the Theta version are most likely better it still speaks to the quality of Oppo being related to Theta.

    You say that, but....

    http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/transports/high-definition-dvd-players-hd-dvd-blu-ray/lexicon-bd-30-blu-ray-oppo-clone/oppo-inside-lexicon-outside-1

    Lexicon took a BDP83, pulled the front, rear, and top panels off, and then dropped it in their own case.

    Kevin D.
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    shr00m-dew wrote: »
    You say that, but....

    http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/transports/high-definition-dvd-players-hd-dvd-blu-ray/lexicon-bd-30-blu-ray-oppo-clone/oppo-inside-lexicon-outside-1

    Lexicon took a BDP83, pulled the front, rear, and top panels off, and then dropped it in their own case.

    Kevin D.
    Well in that case you have to love the Oppo even more. Basically it's a $3K Lexicon w/o the THX label which apparently is meaningless. Maybe the Theta model made real changes although I don't know why it would ne necessary.

    I should buy some fancy cases and start selling them too.
  • JeffJeff Posts: 374
    VLCNCRZR wrote: »
    I had to actually do a firmware upgrade to get RS232 communcation active.

    Does anyone have any advanced command strings beyond the basics
    listed in the owners manual (ie: requests, IR remote keys, etc)?

    Thanks

    I ran into the lack of these commands about a year ago on a BD-HP50U. I noticed that every command seemed to be 'D*** ',$0D, but when I called sharp they were unable to provide specifics on what other commands were available. So I wrote a quick program that would send a command every second to the sharp, and if it responded with 'OK' I logged it, then I sent everything from DAAA to DZZZ and kept a record of what came back. Then I went to lunch.

    Something like two hours later, I ended up with this list

    DAKY
    DANG
    DAUD
    DBKY
    DCKY
    DCLR
    DDKY
    DDSP
    DDWN
    DEJT
    DENT
    DEXT
    DFNC
    DFWD
    DLFT
    DLGT
    DPGN
    DPGP
    DPIP
    DPLY
    DPMN
    DPUS
    DREP
    DRET
    DREV
    DRGT
    DRPL
    DRPO
    DSBT
    DSET
    DSKB
    DSKF
    DSKS
    DSTP
    DTMN
    DUPK

    The ones I ended up using were

    DPLY - Play
    DSTP - Stop
    DPUS - Pause
    DSKF - Next (Skip Forward)
    DSKB - Back (Skip Back)
    DREV - Rewind
    DFWD - Fast Forward
    POWR1 - Power on
    POWR0 - Power off
    DTMN - Disc Menu
    DPMN - Popup Menu
    DUPK - Up
    DDWN - Down
    DRGT - Right
    DLFT - Left
    DENT - OK (Enter)

    I don't know what the rest of them do but I hope this gives you a good place to start
  • a_riot42a_riot42 Posts: 1,624
    No idea of your target price, but Pioneer's BD's control well. I am working with a BDP-33FD now.

    I've had these lockup just using the IR remote!
    Paul
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