PVR-150 IR Blaster - RepeatCount doesn't work

[ben_95sl1]

I'm using the included IR blaster with the PVR-150 and I need to lengthen the transmit pulse because about 10% of the time, my sat receiver misses the 1st number. So I read about RepeatCount, but that doesn't get me anywhere...All I did was put:

RepeatCount 10

in the StubDevice.ir file, but Sagetv will just close/crash when I click on livetv

What I noticed earlier is that the irblastcfg exe settings for the hauppauge blaster do successfully change the time BETWEEN pulses when using sagetv, but there is no setting for length. So I'm wondering how sagetv interfaces with the hauppauge blaster, and if there is anyway I can get the pulse to be longer perhaps on the hauppauge blaster driver side of things?

The other thing is there is even a "hauppauge ir blaster" folder in the common/remotecodes dir, but it is empty. I know that the blaster uses the StubDevice.ir file because StubDevice is listed in sagetv wizard...and there is no option for me to change which file it uses (i think that can be changed in .properties file, but that may not make a difference anyway cause I'm just changing a filename it uses).

thanks for any help....

Ben

[Opus4]

SageTV just uses the Hauppauge IR blaster as it is set via the Hauppauge blaster config utility, so as far as I know, all of its options have to be set using that utility. Maybe someone else knows more about the capabilities of the blaster config program?

- Andy

[ben_95sl1]

ok, thanks....so that would mean that I need to get hauppauge to tell me how to do it then. Just sent off an email to their tech support. Anybody here have same problem and have a solution?

Ben

[spaceghost]

I have the same problem with a USB-UIRT/Girder and my cable box. This may not help you but it might spark a creative idea. I can see my UIRT trying to send the code (via the LED blinking), but it often missed the first part of the first digit. Almost like I had to prime the pump.

I tried to increase the transmit length too, but it didn't help. Seems the code for each number (for my remote) has 2 codes it transmits. The first code is the actual number, the second code is a null code(repeated). What I mean by that is if I push "6" on my remote, it first transmits the "6" code to change...if I continue to hold on that button, it's sending a null code over and over...and does nothing. Some remotes send the "6" again over and over, but mine sends the "6" then an ignore signal. I see an LED light up on the cable box when it's receiving an IR signal and it stays on constantly when receiving the ignore part. So if I extend the transmit length, it's extending the null part of the code...it's already missed the beginning of the code (the "6").

I also noticed that if I push the "enter" button, nothing happens. I can push this as many times as I want and nothing happens (which is normal and good). So I programmed Girder to send an "enter" first, then it sends the "6". It can either miss or get the "enter", it doesn't matter anyway. But now it catches the next digit, the "6".

Not familiar with what you would have to do, but an idea for you anyway. Even if you could edit the code...and it operates like mine does...you could add a couple of ignore strings to the beginning? Then continue with the regular code. May not be possible, but an idea.

[ben_95sl1]

well, I was actually thinking that if I had to, I could somehow get sagetv to output each number more then once really quickly....

for channel 234, send 222233334444 with no delay between pulses set in the blaster config file....but that's exactly what repeat count is...how would I easily implement that in sagetv????

I use the included ir remote, receiver and blaster which comes with the pvr-150 and it works great with sagetv 2.1...and I'm not using girder...but have in the past with lirc diy receiver. But using girder to to send extra commands is one thing, but when in sagetv and I'm going through the guide, I don't actually enter the numbers manually to select a channel(maybe I misunderstand how you're using girder). And, unfortunately, I'm stuck with hauppauge's config to do anything with the blaster AFAIK.

Thanks, I'll look into how the signals are sent to the receiver, and see what might work better.

wow, I wish htpc wasn't such a PITA....but I tend to forget about that when watching dvds with projector

Ben

[spaceghost]

I'm actually using the UNE written by Anders as a network encoder. Sage sends channel changes to the UNE, the UNE passes it to Girder. Girder receives a Number6, Number1, Number2 to change to channel 612. My situation is Sage sending commands to Girder (via the UNE).

I'm using the UNE to access HD channels thru the FW port on my STB. All of those channels are in the 6xx range. So I set up a multi command group in Girder that first sends the "enter" code, then sends the "6" code. It's a sweet work-around for me since it always outputs a "6" first, and there's no channels with a "6" as one of the other digits (ie, no 6x6 or 66x channels).

The problem with trying to send 222333444 is that your STB might catch anywhere in the string..might miss the first two 2's, but then catch on the third, fourth and fifth digits..so it picks up 233 instead of 234 like you wanted. I tried to do this with my problem. Edited the "6" so it sends the actual "6" code 3 times, then continues with the null code. When I tested it, my STB sometimes picked up 661, sometimes 666, sometimes 612 (when trying to send channel 612).

If I ever set mine up to access more than 10 channels, I'll have to be more creative. I couldn't setup an "enter-6" group like I have now. If I did and tried to change to channel 16, I'd send a 1, enter, 6...and get channel 1. I would have to find a button on my STB remote that does nothing... but the STB sees it. Like a reserved button that only operates in a menu...like the up button. I would setup Girder to send an "up-x" for each digit.

Anyway, good luck. Sorry I can't help directly.

What PJ do you have?

[ben_95sl1]

ok hauppauge tech support was of no help....they have no solution. For some reason I find it hard to believe: where are the software people for hauppauge located; I just need to talk to the right person?

Arghh, so can i make sagetv output the same number twice???




However they did send me the fix for the audio volume problem with the pvr-150. It seems to be what they figured out in the shspvr forum...use the 0261 pre-release driver and then apply a registry patch; guess I'll try that today...

PJ is Benq 6100....more then adequate for me, and got it refurb for about the cost of a decent regular 32" direct view. Could not resist picture size.

[Opus4]

You could always ask Frey tech support what they know about SageTV's usage of the 150's blaster, in case there is some other setting to change. I commented above that it just uses the blaster as set by the Hauppauge config utility, but maybe there is some hidden stuff I don't know about.

You mentioned SHS's forum... did you find any extra info about the blaster there?

- Andy

[ben_95sl1]

Frey tech support responded with an intelligent suggestion...

they suggested that perhaps that the only time this problem occurs is when using the remote(and thats exactly how i use it)....and I deduced that they were suggesting that the last IR command I sent from my remote happens very close in time to when the blaster starts firing, and perhaps was interfering. I simply blocked my receiver IR area/blaster with a cd case to see if it solved the problem (minimising interference). As of now, the problem hasn't reoccured, though I haven't performed a torture test of channel changes. I will post my findings once I'm sure....

thanks for the help.

[ben_95sl1]

and 50+ channel changes later, not one single problem.