D11 linkup hardware and cabling options - calling all D11 owners

[IncredibleHat]

I wanted to start a new thread discussing directly what hardware (cabling and devices) are USABLE with the D11-100 (and 500) DirecTV satellite receiver boxes and SageTV enabled HTPCs.

These D11 boxes have a USB port. Female type A, like what you have on your computer. NOT the square female type B port you usually find on printers or accessories. This posses a problem. How do you hook this type of USB port to the USB port on your computer?


TV Translator?

Some people have mentioned a TV Translator. This plugs into a serial port on the PC, and the other end is the proper male usb type A plug which goes into the D11 port. This device is not cheap though, and one is required for each D11 you may want to hook up!

Big question: Do you REALLY need this device??? Or its hypeware?

Website of the TV Translator device:
http://www.patersontech.com/

Another thread talking about that device:
http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=21595


No serial port, or lacking more than one?

Many new motherboards have no ancient serial ports, or only ONE. So, that means you have to get a USB port to Female Serial plug adapter.

These little USB to Serial adapters cost from $9 to $20, and range over an excessive amount of brands and types. They also require more drivers to be installed, and which ones work is a mystery at the moment.

It would be nice to compile a list of known working USB/Serial adapter cables. A list on Newegg shows many, but no real answers on which ones are compatible for this particular need.

For the D11, you do not want (or cannot) plug a serial cable into it. Obviously because it only has a USB port. It may confuse some people to hear "I have a serial connection to my D11". Its not really a serial CABLE/PLUG type connection, but rather a COM connection, using a myraid of miscellaneous plugs, adapters and cables to get there.

Which leads me to the next big question.


Via USB to USB? The undiscussed territory.

There are cables that go from USB female type A to female type A port. This is one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16800996012

Problem is, do these cables work? They would look like the perfect solution, plugging device to device directly without a pile of extra adapters, cables, devices and whatnot in between. If it were this easy though, I would have thought to find discussion about it by now. I mean, who really WANTS to use a serial port over a USB port?

My motherboard has like 16 USB ports on it... and one serial (apparently it has one). However I need to connect TWO D11s.


Final Questions:

If I "MUST" use the TV Translator, can one be plugged into the serial port, and another plugged into a USB/serial adapter, and both of them work independantly?

Does SageTV 6 finally have built-in support for the D11 serial protocols?

If no, does it work with EXEMultiTunerPlugin?

What are KNOWN working USB/serial adapters (brand and model #s please)?


Thank you for any feedback you can supply. I am trying to consolidate a good list of materials and hardware for getting D11's working with SageTV. I have none of the things needed, as I have no idea what to buy and don't want to buy things that are obviously not going to work, or not even needed. This thread can also help others in the same boat, as many older threads are just too old, and talk about older D10 devices, or things unrelated. Hopefully when I get these D11s working, I can write a good guide about what to get/how to do it, as such a guide is non-existent.

[bcjenkins]

Using Paterson Tech TVTranslator 3 (4 of them)
Using BAFO BF-810. (4 of them) This uses the same driver as TVTranslator.

[IncredibleHat]

Thanks, good info. Thats a hefty chunk of change you had to spend for four devices huh? Luckily I only have two

I'm still trying to figure out if the TV Translator is a required device, or there are other drivers that work by just using various cheaper cables.

All the TV Translator is, is a serial to usb adapter, with a bunch of added extras in a chip. I wonder why they have not gone and made a USB (connect to pc) version of that? Then they would insure all the drivers are one package.

Too bad that BAFO one is a dongle with a 6foot cable. I was eyeing those nice and tidy 3" usb/serial adapters. What I don't need is another couple bundles of 6foot cable smashed behind my HTPC with all the others LOL!

Thanks for the info.

[naln]

Originally Posted by IncredibleHat

All the TV Translator is, is a serial to usb adapter, with a bunch of added extras in a chip. I wonder why they have not gone and made a USB (connect to pc) version of that? Then they would insure all the drivers are one package.

Are RS232 communications protocols more stable and easier - has it something to with 'Plug n Play' stuff that happens with USB devices? No idea on how any of these things work- just PURE SPECULATION !!

But I have been wondering about the same thing since 'IncredibleHat' brought this up on another DirecTV thread!! Would love to know if a cheaper solution exists than the Patersontech cables. $$ add up pretty fast if you are trying to use a multiple tuner system with these boxes---- specially if you need the USB to serial adapters too.....

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by IncredibleHat

Thanks, good info. Thats a hefty chunk of change you had to spend for four devices huh?

Shh.. Don't tell the wife!

Originally Posted by IncredibleHat

Too bad that BAFO one is a dongle with a 6foot cable. I was eyeing those nice and tidy 3" usb/serial adapters. What I don't need is another couple bundles of 6foot cable smashed behind my HTPC with all the others LOL!

Thanks for the info.

Yeah, I thought about that too. It was the cheapest of the three though. I can always buy shorter usb cables though if it bugs me too much.

I did email Paterson before I purchased to see if they had a USB to USB in the works. They did not.

[IncredibleHat]

Originally Posted by naln

Are RS232 communications protocols more stable and easier - has it something to with 'Plug n Play' stuff that happens with USB devices? No idea on how any of these things work- just PURE SPECULATION !!

Well yeah, something like that. USB doesnt show up as a "COM" device normally. Which are crude basic communications type connections. So this may be why you cant just use a "Bridge" USB cable... the device would show up like HID or something crazy. Someone would have to create some drivers to make it all work I am sure, and apparently no one has?

The other thing is those USB to serial adapters, have chips in them which work with the USB aspect to tell the computer "hey, this is what I am, load up drivers because I am now plugged in". Serial cables and ports dont do that. They are basically a designated chunk of hardware that a piece of software uses itself to do stuff.

Maybe this is why the TV Translator has a bunch of extra components, as it has to take the "USB" aspect from the DTV device, and turn it into a serial port for the PC to use for communications.

Its all crazy confusing. Except for those guys who know how to make this stuff in their garage and laugh at us all for fumbling around

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

Yeah, I thought about that too. It was the cheapest of the three though. I can always buy shorter usb cables though if it bugs me too much.

True. I could simply also cut the cable down to 3 inches and splice the wires together and shrink tube it all back together.

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

I did email Paterson before I purchased to see if they had a USB to USB in the works. They did not.

Bummer. If I knew more than I do now, I would make them and sell them myself! Woot! But alas, my brain is already too crammed with other data. Low on ram, and all that

[rmbu]

I also want to go with direct TV. Right now I have cable and a Moto dct 2000 stb. I control it with IR and it is not the way to go but I have lived with it.

Before I jump in head first with direct TV can someone explain to me what I will need, to be able to use Sage TV and control the direct TV box by the serial port on my PC?

I have read thru the forums I am not sure what I need. If someone could put together a how to guide that would be great.

Many thanks to all.

[naln]

Hi,

I am going through the process right now and here is what I can list based on my experience-

First- with the Direct TV you may most likely get a later version of the receiver that is not RJ6 port controllable (low speed communication / Home control port). These come with a USB access port. For this setup you will most likely want to use the serial to USB communications cable sold by patersontech. Be warned that this is $40 investment.

Second- you might be able to procure a D10-100 series of receivers 'used'. You will then have to pay Direct TV about $20 for a new access card. Note again that by my understanding there is some info on the satellite box that is tagged and may thus prove to be a hassle.You can either build your own serial control cable or buy it commercially for around $15.

Third- you could care less about the boxes you receive and hook up USB-UIRT or some similar form of IR transmitters to change channels. There is some work involved in tagging the remote codes such that they are sent only to a specific IR transmitter and so each box has individual control of channels. Also, people like to isolate the IR sensors/ transmitters to avoid stray activations. Some on the forum have found this setup very sturdy and many have not- so its your call!!

Hope this helps