Remote codes for Topping?

[Harmonie]

Cool and just 5 solder points or so.
Definitely worth checking that.

 

[somebodyelse]

Nice example. It'll be near identical with one of the cheaper arduinos if you don't need the wifi, or you can extend it to make a full wifi to ir remote gateway.

 

[halfSpinDoctor]

Quick update: It came together quickly and I have been using it for 2 days now. Overall very happy with the result.

Removing the programmer board and adding a little modular microUSB board for power makes it lower profile. Next step will be 3D printing an enclosure.

I had to play with the timeout period a bit to make it more responsive. The example I show has kTimeout = 50 ms, which for me feels "laggy" and is above the threshold of what feels "instantaneous". The problem with setting this too low is that the Sony IR signal from the remote will overlap the retransmitted NEC code, so the code won't get interpreted correctly. This means a rapidly repeated signal, like vol+/-, won't work. You have to press the button multiple discrete times for repeated commands. Still happy with the result, but just something to be aware of. I found you can get kTimeout as low as 25 ms, but it works consistently at 30 ms.

It'll be near identical with one of the cheaper arduinos if you don't need the wifi,

Definitely! I liked this board because it came with the IR Rx/Tx LED, voltage regulator (supports up to 6 VDC input), and everything I needed without much thought. I also plan to set up a web UI off the device at some point, and make it phone/browser-based universal remote.

In general, I have been looking more at generic ESP8266/ESP-32 based boards for these microcontroller projects, rather than Arduino-branded hardware, because they are getting cheaper and more plentiful on Amazon.

 

[IchAlex]

Hi
Does anyone reach to control a Topping device with magic remote from LG tv?
I am planning to buy Topping E30 Dac just to have volume control on optical and will be nice to have same remote for tv and dac.

Haven’t been able to yet. Topping isn’t in the list of manufacturers

 

[gmurphy]

Ok, that was easier than I thought. I used the IRremoteESP8266 library. You can download it directly within the Arduino IDE via Tools > Manage libraries.

Within the Fire TV settings, I added a "Receiver" under equipment, selected Sony, then yes "Yes" to both questions (does it power on/off?, does the volume control work?). This should set it up with the 1st Sony IR profile.

Created an account to say thanks for this - I had the same problem with an LG C1 and Topping E50, so I set the LG Magic Remote to think I had a Sony soundbar attached, then used what you made and it works super well. Now I just wish the E50 could be made much dimmer so I could show the volume without distraction in a dark room.

 

[Kobe beef]

RC-16A bundled with MX5 is not compatible with RC-15A.
I captured the codes using ATOM Lite and M5STACK IR unit. It seems that 11ee just changed to 5aa5.
Huge thanks to halfSpinDoctor for the code!

      // Topping RC-16A
      // Power: 5AA518E7
      // Mute:  5AA5609F
      // Vol +:  5AA5629D
      // Vol -:  5AA56897
      // Left:  5AA5E21D
      // Right: 5AA5A857
      // A:     5AA520DF
      // B:     5AA502FD
      // C1:    5AA52AD5
      // C2:    5AA50AF5
      // Gain:  5AA508F7
      // Dim:   5AA528D7

Some additional info to share, I used an ESP8266-based IR module from SparkFun to dump all of the NEC codes from the Topping RC-15A remote:

This is the module I bought: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/15031
It also needs an FTDI programmer board if you want to use it with the Arduine IDE over USB.

Power        Mute
0x11EE18E7    0x11EE609F

Input Left    Input Right
0x11EEE21D    0x11EEA857

Vol Down    Vol Up
0x11EE6897    0x11EE629D

Headphones    Line Out
0x11EE20DF    0x11EE02FD

FIR            M
0x11EE2AD5    0x11EE0AF5

AUTO        Brightness
0x11EE08F7    0x11EE28D7

My goal is to make an IR repeater module that listens for Vol +/- commands from my Amazon Fire TV remote and translates them into the Topping remote codes, so I don't have to find both remotes all of the time when I want to watch TV

 

[d314]

For IR remote related stuff one can also look in the direction of
LIRC https://www.lirc.org/
It can be used to capture codes or to control the devices from linux.

 

[soerenssen]

Is it possible to use one remote to turn on two E50 DACs at the same time? (one for LR, another one for Sub 1/2)

 

[oidarnam]

It seems like adding direct input selection ir codes is low-hanging fruit, even for budget dacs (the added cost of a few optional buttons on the remote?). Certainly, it would make it much simpler for home entertainment centers using a universal remote for macros and activities that need to assign the digital audio input to match the "activity." The current menu systems on SMSL, Topping, etc. make it difficult or impossible to insure the correct input, systematically. If I'm making a false statement, I'd sure love to hear how to do it.

 

[Berwhale]

It seems like adding direct input selection ir codes is low-hanging fruit, even for budget dacs (the added cost of a few optional buttons on the remote?). Certainly, it would make it much simpler for home entertainment centers using a universal remote for macros and activities that need to assign the digital audio input to match the "activity." The current menu systems on SMSL, Topping, etc. make it difficult or impossible to insure the correct input, systematically. If I'm making a false statement, I'd sure love to hear how to do it.

The manufacturers wouldn't even have to add the physical buttons to the case or remote. They just need to change the firmware to respond to some codes and publish them. It's probably not top of their list of things to do though...

 

[Berwhale]

Is it possible to use one remote to turn on two E50 DACs at the same time? (one for LR, another one for Sub 1/2)

Yes, both units will respond in the same way to the same IR code. You would want to make sure that both units are close together so they both receive the codes and don't get out of sync.

 

[Berwhale]

For IR remote related stuff one can also look in the direction of
LIRC https://www.lirc.org/
It can be used to capture codes or to control the devices from linux.

FLIRC works well for me on Windows... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...te-or-any-other-ir-remote.36869/#post-1297243

 

[oidarnam]

The manufacturers wouldn't even have to add the physical buttons to the case or remote. They just need to change the firmware to respond to some codes and publish them. It's probably not top of their list of things to do though...

Right!, but it might be easier to program into a given universal remote with ir "learn" function. Not all universals are good at entering an ad hoc command code. And yes, but alas, the reason I'm looking for a good budget dac with ir is just for this reason. Otherwise, I'm perfectly fine with our Schiit Modi3 with the toggle switch.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

Yes, both units will respond in the same way to the same IR code. You would want to make sure that both units are close together so they both receive the codes and don't get out of sync.

sync ain't really an issue in case you turn them on before you got signal in

it's more of a horizontal/vertical directivity IR receiver issue, which shouldn't be a problem with two of the same (well besides possible QC issues)...i'm using the same remote for a E30/E50 combo which is pretty sensible about the blaster directivity (a macro programmed on a Sofabaton universal remote)

 

[Berwhale]

sync ain't really an issue in case you turn them on before you got signal in

I mean one unit being on and the other off (because it didn't pickup the IR).

 

[Aldoszx]

I have an ESP8266 IR blaster controlled from Home assistant.

The codes captured for topping E50 are the following:

#Topping RC-15A


On/OFF : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE18E7","DataLSB":"0x887718E7","Repeat":0}

Vol- : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE629D","DataLSB":"0x887746B9","Repeat":0}

Vol+ : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE6897","DataLSB":"0x887716E9","Repeat":0}

Source> : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EEA857","DataLSB":"0x887715EA","Repeat":0}

Source< : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EEE21D","DataLSB":"0x887747B8","Repeat":0}

Mute : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE609F","DataLSB":"0x887706F9","Repeat":0}

Auto : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE08F7","DataLSB":"0x887710EF","Repeat":0}

FIR : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE2AD5","DataLSB":"0x887754AB","Repeat":0}

OK : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EEAA55","DataLSB":"0x887755AA","Repeat":0}

OutputCH : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE02FD","DataLSB":"0x887740BF","Repeat":0}

Brightness : IrSend {"Protocol":"NEC","Bits":32,"Data":"0x11EE28D7","DataLSB":"0x887714EB","Repeat":0}

 

[nathan]

Is this still an issue? I'm trying to set up a Harmony to choose the right input on the Topping for the source I want to hear (one coax, one optical).

The Harmony software allows the following kinds of INPUT SELECTION for the TOPPING:

1. Direct Input Switching
2. Input Toggling / Cycling
3. Input List with Up and Down Keys
4. Input List with 'Source" or "next input" buttons
5. input List with Number Buttons

and of course what we all want is #1. But when you select that, then the Harmony system wants to learn the discrete input selection IR codes by IR learning from the "original remote" which, of course, doesn't have those buttons so cannot send those codes.

So one needs to choose #2.

This relies on the Harmony system remembering what input you were last on, and what input you need to switch to, if a change is needed for a different activity, and then stepping through the inputs until it counts the right number of steps to get you to the right input.

NOT IDEAL.

As you can imagine, it is too easy to get out of sync.

So I'm wondering whether anyone has discovered discrete IR codes for input selection, or an AUTO SELECT option?