Full USB-UIRT support available

[homerj]

Jon,
yes the latest snapstream (now beyond tv) does. However, the presets are not tagged as .ir, as I searched there first, before posting the request above. Your box (usb-uirt) works well in both (sage and snapstream) implementations. Kudos!

[SHS]

That pettey cool DynamoBen but I'm not an Software/Hardware Engineering if I was I would try build something.

[davey_fl]

Jon. Will that dish.zip also work with a 4700 receiver?

thx

Davey

[jrhees]

Most likely YES. So far every Dish receiver I have seen uses the same IR codeset.

-Jon

[davey_fl]

thanks Jon. another question about the usb-uirt. Mine seems to have a very narrow receive band, while transmit is fine. For example, if I point my remote more than 20 degrees away from directly pointing at the device, the device still shows red leds as if it does see the IR signal, but not enough to actually perform the operation. With Tx, the USB-UIRT is below the stb, approximately 4 feet, pointing out into the room, but it has no problem sending the signal to the stb. Is there anyway to improve the Rx?

thx

davey

[jrhees]

Davey,

Yes there is. Unfortunately, it involves removing the front window. The case design plus the IR window will limit the sensitivity angle.

Some who have wanted to increase sensitivity have simply removed the dark window from the front.

If you want to try this, remove the (3) screws from the unit (there is one screw hidden under the serial# label).

Edit: oh, another thing -- if you have a 56KHz version, the additional 56KHz receiver is *much* more sensitive than the 36-40KHz receiver in the unit. So, if you have a remote which you can change the transmit frequency (like a Pronto, for example) of the buttons you're using to control Sage, you have a lot more range. I have tried the USB-UIRT design with a more sensitive 36-40KHz receiver, but very sensitive receivers in that freq. range get bothered by fluorescent lights (which operate the ballast at about 40KHz).

Best Regards,

Jon

[davey_fl]

thanks Jon. I should have ordered two the first time now you're out of stock! Oh well, I've placed the order and hope it'll be here soon

Davey

[MixTracks]

davey_fl, any luck using the USB-UIRT and Girder at the same time? How did the toggle input devices work?

jrhees, using the computer more and more with the same problems, I know exactly what is happening.

With SageTV asleep or minimized I open up Girder.

I press channel up for MyHD (another Girder comtrolled app), wait for about 5 seconds and Girder reacts and the light in Girder blinks (lower right corner).

If I press the remote button quickly after that (within 1 second) the next function reacts right away. If I wait for over a second I have to wait the 5 seconds again before I see a reaction.

When I close SageTV, everything is back to normal.

This happens everytime now, no matter what starts up first and if the toggle input devices is enabled in Girder.

-Thanks

[jrhees]

Mixtracks,

Thanks for the clarifications. I'll talk to Jeff (Sage) about this to see if somehow a thread priority issue is getting in the way, etc. It almost seems like the threads are getting bumped to some really low system priority...

-Jon

[davey_fl]

Hi Mixtracks. No luck. This is what I did though:

1) Setup Girder to control all aspects of SageTV, incuding a full power up/exit. This is done using my Tivo Remote.

2) Setup Girder to control Theatertek, this is done with my old DVD remote.

So when windows starts it fires Girder and Sagetv, as Sage is the most often used application. When I want to use another program, I exit sagetv (via Girder) and fire the other application (in my case, theatertek). When I'm done with Theatertek, I shut it down via Girder, press power on my Tivo Remote, and Sage Opens again.

So it's not running both programs simultaneously, but this solution works for me. I no longer use SageTv for Rx, but the USB-UIRT still Tx's to the cable box.

Davey

[MixTracks]

That's one way to go. I thought about doing that, but then I could not have Sage record programs when I am using TT or MyHD.

[gplasky]

Mixtracks
You could. I have girder put Sage to sleep. Then fire up TT to watch DVD. Why couldn't you do this? I believe the only caveat to this would be to use VMR9. If you were using overlay only 1 application can access that at a time. But with Sage sleeping is it truly doing that? Isn't it just writing a mpeg to the drive? This really shouldn't be an issue.

Gerry

[MixTracks]

gplasky, the problem is when sage is active or sleeping the USB-UIRT is not responding correctly to the commands (see above posts).

[jrhees]

OK Guys, I'm having zero luck duplicating what you are seeing with the sluggish response, etc.

Here's what I did:

1. Installed SageTV on a Shuttle-based PC (Athlon 2100) with a PVR-250 card in it.
2. Installed Girder 3.2.4 on the PC (actually it was already on it but not in use).
3. Installed the Girder Plugin and Sage Plugin.
4. Configured SageTV to *RECEIVE* from a USB-UIRT and set up a couple of buttons from a remote I had lying around for UP/DOWN to navigate up and down in the menus.
5. Configured a Standard Antenna source (I thought I'd wait on having the USB-UIRT *transmit* yet).
6. Shut down and restarted SageTV, went to LiveTV, etc., went into the Guide and verified the remote could navigate the guide, etc.
7. Started up Girder and verified it could also see remote commands.

In this config. I tested having either Girder or Sage and Both running and could not see any difference. I tried starting Girder before Sage, Sage before Girder, putting Sage to sleep, minimizing Girder, etc. etc.

8. I Then modified my Source in Sage for S-Video and configured the USB-UIRT to transmit. I verified that this was functional by watching the USB-UIRT's LEDs light up three times each time I changed channels.

I then retested alongside Girder and still could not come up with any problems.

So, the question: Is there anything you can think of in your setups that may differ that I could try?

-Jon

[maximumpig]

here's what I'm contemplating--

using my ati remote wonder as the sending remote to my pc (i like the RF-thru-the-wall aspect of it), then using girder to read the ati remote signals and send commands to various apps, including sagetv. then I want sage tv to be able to use the usb-uirt to send ir signals to my cable box (timewarner digital cable, haven't gotten the box yet so don't know brand/model).

Is there anything that jumps out at anyone as undoable here? I am in the process of learning girder and it seems like it would be simple to have girder control sagetv. the only thing I haven't tried is using sage tv to control the usb-uirt because I haven't ordered the usb-uirt (yet).

advice/thoughts/warnings would be appreciated. thanks.

[MixTracks]

jrhees,

Here is what is different with your setup:

1. I am using the last verion of Girder before it went to shareware) forgot the version.

2. You had a clean install, I modified a previous install.

3. I started out using SageTV and Girder to send codes to the sat receiver. I then installed the USB-UIRT file in Sage to have it send and receive when it was available.

4. I am using the sharing plugin for Girder, I am not sure what version you are using.

5. I am using the file metioned at the start of the thread in Sage.

Did you try to control something with Girder? You metioned you were able to get the light to blink, but what about sending a command?

You might be on to something when you said about the thread priority issue with Sage. One way to test it out would be to use another program that has built-in USB-UIRT support and see if Girder has the same problem.

[jrhees]

MixTracks,

Thanks for the comments. Here's some responses:

1. Can you check your Girder ver. when you get a chance? It might be 3.2.9, which I also have and can try.

2. Clean vs. modified install -- notmuch we can do about that -- unless you want to send me your PC for a few days

3. My only comment on you previously using Girder to do the controlling is PLEASE try running Girder 'clean' (i.e., create a new .GML with more or less nothing in it and perhaps disable all other plugins you've added besides the USB-UIRT). This will eliminate a whole bunch of unknowns from this equation.

4&5. I'm using the same files (plugins & drivers) as you -- this was part of the point of doing a clean test.

I *did* try sending something in Girder (I just created a command, learned a button, and transmitted a few times) but it didn't have any effect.

I've also tried running *several* programs which use USB-UIRT all at the same time (this was how I debugged the sharing driver in the first place).

Oh well, I was hoping for this to be easier....

Oh, btw -- also can you look at what version of SageTV you're running.

Thanks!

-Jon

[MixTracks]

Jon,

1. Yes, I am using Girder version 3.2.9

2. Used clean GML file, and disabled all other plugins, still same thing

3. Using SageTV 1.4.10

When I was testing I had SageTV sleeping. When I would exit sage, Girder would react normally in all tests.

If I pressed up on the remote the first time, or after about 10 seconds of inactivity, Girder would respond normally. But if I pressed down (for example) after I pressed up, Girder would not light up until 5 seconds have passed. If I pressed up twice quickly, Girder would respond once with the command.

Hope this helps.

[jrhees]

MixTracks,

What OS are you using?

-Jon

[jrhees]

MixTracks,

Woohoo!, I managed to somewhat duplicate the behavior you're seeing!

Please give the attached beta API driver a try. Copy the uuirtdrv.dll into your Windows\System32 folder (you may want to rename your old file as a backup).

Please let me know!

-Jon