brunnhilde's panoramic skylight remote

Brunnhilde has a panoramic skylight. The open and close of it is controlled by an IR remote control in the above picture (the white one on the left). When open, the skylight will close automatically when the rain sensor detects the rain drop. Sound good for simpleton bonehead designers who has no idea the challenges with implementing a reliable rain sensing.

I will spare the readers about the nuisance caused by the less than reliable rain sensor of the skylight. The other PITA problem with the remote control implementation is how one have to close the skylight once open. In the litigation happy country of US of A all of the automotive power window requires one to hold the close button in order to close. No more press once to close. I can certainly and agree with the safety concern with the windows.

But with the power skylight using this poorly made IR remote control with it's feeble IR beam press and hold for the during of a minute or more to close the skylight is a major PITA. To add insult to injury (pun intended), the buttons on the remote is so poorly made you have to press so hard that many remotes met the premature death. Good luck in finding a replacement even if you are willing to write a big cheque.

So if rain drop or condensation (condensation cause the skylight to close all too often) can close the skylight why can't the owner? I guess the liability lawyer will say the former is an act of god so if a child is kill there is no risk of law suit.

The subject of this post is how I am trying to save the IR codes of this poorly made remote in case it met the premature death. At least I would be able to program a programmable remote to use in it's place.

the remote control the opening and closing of the big panoramic skylight at the front

it also controls a light built into the left and right side of the skylight frame (you can see that they are both on in the photo if you look closer)

in order to be able to teach the Philips Pronto 1000 a clean code I have to remove the cover of the Dometic remote and press the buttons on the PCB directly

 here is a screen shot of the Pronto program capturing the discrete code

 i just hastily made a less than photogenic screen for testing purposes

It has been over a decade since I mess with the Pronto so it took a bit of time to get use to the temperamental software. The reason I have the Pronto is I used to have a home theatre in my basement circa 2000 in advance of the digital TV transition. The Pronto is nice when you have a lot of equipments.

Capturing a clean discrete code or toggle code is relatively simple. These are the "skylight open", "L Light", and "R Light" buttons. I was quite surprise to see the lengths of them though.


skylight open: (it is a discrete code)
0000 006f 0032 0000 0016 002e 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002e 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002e

skylight close: (this is captured when press once)
0000 006f 0019 0000 0016 002e 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 002e

L Light: (it is a toggle code)
0000 006f 0019 0000 0016 002e 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 002e

R Light: (it is a toggle code)
0000 006f 0019 0000 0016 002e 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 002e

What I need to figure out is how does the remote handles press-and-hold for the skylight close button. From what I remember it involves a sequence of repeat codes. I infer repeat code, like other codes, are vendor-specific and with a Dometic being the vendor good luck finding what they did.

I really cannot capture a clean code if I press-and-hold and the Pronto software is smart and ceases to learn when it sees the end of code pattern. Here is what it captured when I attempt to teach it press-and-hold with the skylight close button:

0000 006f 0032 0000 0016 002e 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 2251 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 0016 002d 0016 002d 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 000a 0017 0016 002d 000a 002e

The Pronto remote controller functions on all four modes. However for opening of the skylight each press will only raise it a minute bit as expected.

If you want to find out more about remote controls Remotecentral is probably the best place.