How do I remove the cover of a URC9960B01

donphillipe · Post by **donphillipe** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:48 pm

Oh my, has it really been 10 years since I last programmed a JP1 remote? Maybe so! I have reached a point in age that learning is no longer a goal, as it escapes soon after entering these days, but lets get back to it as I learn how to do this all over again, at least for the moment :-O

My URC8810 finally bit the dust and I want to load what's in it to a URC 9960 I bought somewhere back in time and has been sleeping in my closet. I got the back cover off and the 2 screws out but the cover won't pop off for me to solder a header on it (or should I say "try to solder", he, he).

Before I try to pry anything apart, can someone help me figure out how to get the cover off. I see where ROBman used to sell these but no longer, so maybe it's no longer a trade secret. I can't seem to find any info on this online after a couple of hours.

So assuming I get the hardware modified, what's my easiest path software-wise these days to replace/transfer my old broken remote with this new-not-so-new one? Or is there another remote out there that would work better than this 9960?

THANKS (as always)!

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:56 pm

Your URC-9960 has a modem onboard, so you don't absolutely need to add a JP1 connector in order to add upgrades, because you can create WAV files using the JP1 tools and load them that way. (Be aware that the URC-9960 and the URC-9960B01 are different).

The easiest way to get the upgrades from your 8811 to your 9960 is to just download the upgrade files from the file section and re-configure them for the 9960. What does "bit the dust" mean exactly? Can you still connect the 8811 to a JP1 cable and download the memory? If so, you can import the upgrades, one at a time, into RM and re-configure them for the 9960.

If you want to go ahead and program the 9960 using a JP1 cable, you could simply buy yourself a pogo-pin adapter if you want to save yourself the trouble of soldering.

There's no secret to opening the casing of the 9960, it's much like any other UEI remote. The way I do it is to use a very small screwdriver to separate the casing just a bit, then I slide a plastic putty knife into the opening and slide it around the edge to pop open the rest of the casing clips. I find it easiest to hold the remote upside down, bottom-up (ie, non-button side facing me, with the IR-LED pointing towards the floor), then put the screwdriver in on the top righthand side corner.

Once it's open, you will find that there's a black framework attached to the PCB. There's no need to remove this framework as it is possible to solder with it still in place (and there are a lot of screws if you do want to remove it).

To solder on the 6-pin, first put some flux on the pads, then stand a 6-pin in place. Hold the 6-pin in place using a pair of tweezers, put some solder on the iron, then touch one of the corner pins where it's touching the pad. Repeat this for the remaining 3 corners. Then do the last two pins. There's no need to keep using the tweezers once you've got a few corners done. For one of the last two pins, you'll need to put the iron between the battery contacts.

Once it's soldered in place, test it. If it works, you can make it stronger by making a base of hot glue around the pins.

donphillipe · Post by **donphillipe** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 3:13 pm

thank you. I managed to get it apart with your help. I decided to go with removing the plastic frame to start the solder work, but found there are small guide pins from it that go through the PC board. I managed to get one of them pushed back through but not without breaking the others

.

In the process a small clip flew out of the assembly. Would you mind looking at this photo I uploaded and tell me where this part goes? Thanks!

https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=8159

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:01 pm

Take this with a grain of salt, but my guess is it presses against that copper semi-circle near the battery negative to ground the EL panel somehow.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:38 pm

donphillipe wrote:thank you. I managed to get it apart with your help. I decided to go with removing the plastic frame to start the solder work, but found there are small guide pins from it that go through the PC board. I managed to get one of them pushed back through but not without breaking the others .

I told ya not to do it!

donphillipe wrote:In the process a small clip flew out of the assembly. Would you mind looking at this photo I uploaded and tell me where this part goes? Thanks!

https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=8159

Look at the 1/2 circle on the edge of the PCB near the negative battery terminal, I think it goes there.

donphillipe · Post by **donphillipe** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:45 pm

I know, I know. I can't work in a little hole like that without taking something out with the iron so at the end, my losses will likely be less than chancing melting the plastic bracket or setting something on fire

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:51 pm

A steady hand is called for, and a soldering iron with a pencil tip.

I have to solder some pins onto a 9960 myself as I have to run some tests with a 4k remote. Maybe I should shoot a video to show how it's done.

donphillipe · Post by **donphillipe** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:17 pm

Does anyone have the Mouser part # for the JP1 header. The one I ordered and arrived today is not the correct one.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:50 pm

I don' t know the Mouser part, but I have a link to the Jameco part:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... reId=10001