PVR-150+PVR-150mce - can I loose the USB-UIRT?

[oshapir]

Hi all,
After using my SageTV HTPC for more than a year, I'm building another HTPC - for a family member...

Just wanted to know if I'm correct and there are no problems with this setup:
If I use 1 PVR-150 and 1 PVR-15mce - I get also a remote control I can use with SageTV & I don't need a USB-UIRT for ir blasting the two STBs - both PVR got ir blasters and SageTV CAN use them.

Also, can anyone post a picture of the PVR-150/150mce ir blaster, the setup etc. ?

Thanks,
Oren.

[CyRex]

Actually only the retail version of the 150 has an IR blaster, the MCE does not. I have both a Retail and an MCE version right now, but I am not using the blaster, just the remote. I don't think you can do dual zones with the blaster, so you may need to use the USB-UIRT, or go with 2 Retail versions of the 150 (although I am not sure about compatability issues here...)

-Dan

[kny3twalker]

yeah you cannot use more than one of the ir blasters with the pvr 150s
you should probably pick up a pair of PVR 150 MCEs and a USB UIRT
check out pcalchemy.com for bundles and good prices

[Opus4]

There can also be a problem using the remote/IR blaster when mixing regular & MCE versions of the 150/250/350/500: the IR drivers can't tell the cards apart (unless the latest drivers can do that now, but I don't think that is the case), so it is possible for the IR software to try using the card w/o the IR port, in which case you will have trouble using the remote/blaster at all. CyRex just said it is working in his case, but many others have said they were unable to get it to work even after switching PCI slots and/or changing the install order, so I'm not sure if he was just lucky or if there is a solution now.

- Andy

[CyRex]

I didn't even realize other people were having trouble with this. I had the 150 Retail installed for a few months before I added the 150 MCE. I am not using the blaster yet, as I said before, but since installing the MCE I have had no problems in regards to the remote.

- Dan

[oshapir]

So, my best bet is to have 2 PVR-150 (with a spare remote...) and USB-UIRT for blasting the STBs.
OR
I could just use 2 PVR-150mce with USB-UIRT & some kind of a remote. (My current setup is 2 PVR-250mce, USB-UIRT & a remote).
And the bottom line is the cost.

[Opus4]

Two of the same cards + USB-UIRT sounds decent to me (unless the STBs have serial ports you can use), so I guess from your cost perspective, the 150 vs. 15mce choice would depend on how much you would spend on a different remote vs. the included Hauppauge remote. The newer Hauppauge remote is nicer/has more buttons than the old one, but with the USB-UIRT you do have flexibility to use just about anything. You could use a universal learning remote to let them control everything w/a single remote.

- Andy

[Wrx4me]

Hello everyone, long time lurker and new member. . I have had my sage system up and running with no problems for about a month with a 250MCE. I just recently picked up a retail PVR150 but I am having problems getting the remote to initialize with the 250 in the box at the same time.

I am replying to this thread because Cyrex is able to get this combo working for him. Please let me know if there are any special routines needed to get this to work. I currently have to disable the 250MCE in the device manager, launch the IR program and then re-enable my 250 before they can play nice. If anyone has a better solution, please let me know. Sorry for the long first post. Thanks.