HD PVR and IR tuning?

[waynedunham]

I have put Andy's registry mod in to try and get the Hauppauge IR blaster to work while I also have 2 PVR-500's in the machine in addition to the HD-PVR.
I tried installing the HD PVR software about a bazillion times and it kept telling me it couldn't find the board and wanted to install the drivers. Finally I came here and saw that I had to disable my PVR-500's to install. After that it went relatively smoothly.
I did have trouble getting the IR blaster to be recognized by the Blaster config program, but eventually got that working as well once it recognized the IR blaster was there and I located the IR port on my Motorola 6200.

However no channel changes in SageTV. I haven't tried it since making the reg mod (it's currently recording). After the recording is done I'll do a reboot and see if I can get it working.

I wonder if part of the problem is I never installed the Hauppauge IR support when I installed SageTV because when I choose the Haupauge IR options in the setup video sources there are no devices, device codes, etc.

IF I can't get channel changing via the Hauppauge IR then I'll have to attempt getting firewire channel changing to work or find another IR option.

If I need to find another IR option to control one or more Hd-PVR's and cable boxes what's my best bet?

[waynedunham]

UPDATE:

After the HD PVR finished recording I shut down Sage and rebooted the computer. And VIOLA the registry settings Andy posted worked! Now the HD PVR changes channels just fine. I'm using the USB2 reg setting Andy gave so I don't know what would happen if you have one of the older USB2 SD tuners installed and recording OTA, or say straight cable and weren't using the Ir blaster on it. Sage might try to use that other USB2 SD tuner instead of the HD PVR.

Of course I did have to massage the delays a bit. The defaults in Sage were WAY too long and the box was tuning before all the digits got sent. Setting the delay between codes to 150ms seems to give me reliable channel changes on my Motorola DCT 6200. At least in the dozen or so channel changes I did after arriving at that setting as I slowly decreased the delay. 200ms worked "most" of the time, but 150 worked a dozen or so times in a row so I'll leave it there for now.

I can say one thing. Hauppauge needs to SERIOUSLY look at the double sided tape they're using for this thing. It fell off in about 10 seconds. I have a huge honking piece of scotch tape over the IR blaster and going over the top and bottom of the box to hold it on.

[markhsa]

I am on windows XP SP3.
I have been unable to get the IR blaster working with a Motorola DCT 6200.

I can see the light flashing, but it will not control the box. Learn will not work either.

* merged *

[appelm]

When I first got my HD-PVR I hooked it up to a cable box that was being controlled by a USB-UIRT and sacrificed one of my older tuners. Now I just got a 3rd cable box, switched my HD-PVR to the new box and am controlling it with the HD-PVR's blaster and using the USB-UIRT for the older tuners.

Well I noticed a big difference in the quality and smoothness of channel changes. With USB-UIRT, the video would barely jump. I could see the cable box channel bar appear, the numbers type in, the channel change, etc. But with the HD-PVR's ir blaster, the picture locks up for several seconds, then jumps to the new channel (I usually don't see the channel bar - not that I care that much about that but...), and then there's some pixelation and jumpy picture for a few seconds before it finally catches up and then plays fine.

Its as if the IR blaster via HD-PVR is somehow affecting the data transmission of the HD signal. The performance is a bit jarring and I'm thinking of ordering another USB-UIRT or switching to firewire. Anyone else notice this too?

[sic0048]

Originally Posted by Opus4

This would be a standard issue -- if you have other Hauppauge tuners, then the IR software may decide to use a different tuner, even one w/o an IR blaster or an IR port at all.

There are some registry settings to tell it what tuner type to prefer. I don't know if the HD PVR can use a different setting, but there is one to say to prefer a USB2 tuner.

These are the registry settings from a while back -- check "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\hauppauge\ir" for a DWORD "I2CType" entry. So far, I know of these decimal values:

1. 19: prefer 250/350
2. 18: prefer 150
3. 23: prefer PVR-USB2

No guarantees... the 18 & 19 values don't really distinguish between 150/250/350/500, but 23 did work to prefer my PVR-USB2. Might be something to try.

- Andy

Does anyone know the decimal values so the system prefers the HD-PVR?

I'm at my wits end why I cannot get the Hauppauge IR blaster working within Sage. I have use the Hauppauge IRcfn application to configure my remote. I actually used the software to learn all the commands from the remote which is did just fine. I then saved it using the save as defaults button.

I then installed the HD-PVR within Sage, got to the screen where you select the IR blater and choose Hauppauge IR Balster. It goes to the next screen which is the EPG selection just fine. I finish installing the device, go back into the set up screen and cannot change the IR within Sage device. If is currently set for the "Stub File" and when I select the change IR device, the pop up screen doesn't have any other files listed. However there is a file under the Hauppauge IR Blaster folder listed as "DishNetworkVIP211" which is the device I have. I've even tried copying the file so that it appears in the folder above which is where the Stub file is located. Nothing allows me to change the file.

I'm wondering if Sage doesn't think there is some other Hauppauge hardware hooked up (which there is not) and giving preference to that device. When I installed Sage, I did leave the check box marked to install IR for Hauppauge 250/500/USB2 or whatever that option is. So it might have changed the registry files at that time.

Honestly I am just grasping for straws, but I am getting really frustrated that something as simple as setting up the IR Blaster is appear to be impossible to do.

[JDJinTX]

I am having trouble with Sage, HDPVR, and the IR Blaster as well... I configured IRB and tested it with BlastCfg without any problems. It still works just fine through that application. It originally worked with Sage, and then abruptly stopped. I have since updated Sage to V6.4.6.180, removed the HD-PVR source, added it again, and had no luck. I also changed the registry (I2CType= dec 23), but that has not helped. When I go to the Sage menu to configure sources, it shows tuner control for the HDPVR as IR Blaster, but it does not list any commands when I choose the test option.

For what it's worth, there is a Hauppauge dual tuner (PVR500?) installed, but there is no tuner control associated with either of the tuners on this card.

Help!

jdj

[gplasky]

But the fact you have the PVR500 in your machine will interfere with the IR on the HD-PVR. You'll probably need to yank that card and possibly have to run hwclear to get rid of the drivers and reinstall the HD-PVR drivers.

Gerry

[JDJinTX]

Thanks for the response, Gerry. I can do everything you described, but I don't understand if I'm temporarily pulling the PVR500 to correct the HDPVR setup, or if I need to permanently remove the card to prevent future problems...

jdj

[gplasky]

Pull the PVR500 to confirm if it is interfering. Sounds like you've already tried the registry settings so my guess with both of them in there the IR isn't going to work. I am using a USB-UIRT myself and that costs $50. Your other choice is to ditch the PVR500 for a different card if you want analog recordings. (I'm using nVida Dual TV boards)

[Tomahawk51]

Andy - I just got my 2nd cable box from Comcast thinking that would fix my tuning issues.

It turns out that your registry update, and a restart, have completely gained back my sanity...and removed my wife's annoyance with SageTV (until I goof something else up).

Thanks A TON for the recommendation!

[MarkV]

Ignorant question - does SageTV control the HDPVR over USB?

I have an HR20, an HD-PVR, an RFX9600, and an unused USBUIRT. I currently tune the HR20 via RF remote (for the wife) or RS232 via the RFX9600. What are my options?

Does the HD-PVR need to be controlled with IR with Sage or is it done over USB? Does sage control the HD-PVR or the HR20 or both ?

For example, I think my options are to have the HD-PVR have a IR nub on my HR20 or I could have the USBUIRT (never used before, but I have one) tune the HR20 or the HD-PVR(?!). Or I could go RS-232 (already using it from my RFX9600) to the HR20, but it's unclear if I need to drive the HD-PVR via IR.

[TorontoSage]

I just installed a new WHS Server with SageTV on it and an HD PVR. When running the Blaster Config program (the latest one from their website) I get No IR Blaster HWFound.

I've tried reinstalling the HD PVR software a number of times, turned the unit off and on, etc to no avail.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[Peter_h]

Check the Hauppage website for updates.

They have updated the blaster program many times. I'm willing to bet the version you have on your CD is not the latest version.

Edit. Saw that you have the latest config from their website. Did you restart between each uninstall and reinstall of the software?

[TorontoSage]

I tried both the program on the CD and the one from the website multiple times. Neither works.

Since I have 2 HD PVR's (but was just trying to see if I could get one to work first) should I just get a USB-UIRT? I am just on the usbuirt.com website right now trying to figure out how that works, but don't really understand how the signal gets from the SageTV to the usbuirt to the digital cable box.

[Peter_h]

Originally Posted by TorontoSage

I tried both the program on the CD and the one from the website multiple times. Neither works.

Since I have 2 HD PVR's (but was just trying to see if I could get one to work first) should I just get a USB-UIRT? I am just on the usbuirt.com website right now trying to figure out how that works, but don't really understand how the signal gets from the SageTV to the usbuirt to the digital cable box.

Up to you on the USB-UIRT. I have no experience b/c I use firewire for channel changing.

You are going to have to find an alternative solution for the IR blaster regardless. The Hauppage blaster will only work with one device. So once you add the second HD-PVR, you will need to get a USB-UIRT or switch to firewire for channel changing.

The USB-UIRT is a USB device. You plug it in via usb. You then configure sage to use the usb-uirt to tune channels for your HD-pvr. You then attach each blaster from the USB-UIRT to the cable boxes. Sage will then send the signal to the USB-UIRT to change channels.

[TorontoSage]

Actually I think firewire is the answer. I have both a SA 8300HD PVR box (won't use the PVR portion anymore) and a SA 4250HD box and that would avoid me buying the USBUIRT. Do I just need a couple of firewire cables and just plug them in and configure the SageTV software somewhere?

[Peter_h]

Originally Posted by TorontoSage

Actually I think firewire is the answer. I have both a SA 8300HD PVR box (won't use the PVR portion anymore) and a SA 4250HD box and that would avoid me buying the USBUIRT. Do I just need a couple of firewire cables and just plug them in and configure the SageTV software somewhere?

Pretty much. Check the Mega Firewire thread. It is super long but everything you need is in the first post.

This is what I followed to pretty much get me going.

Andy's Firewire instructions.

[TorontoSage]

Thanks, I appreciate that info. But, it seems that those instructions don't include WHS or does the Win XP installation work for WHS?

[Belgrath]

Originally Posted by Peter_h

Check the Hauppage website for updates.

They have updated the blaster program many times. I'm willing to bet the version you have on your CD is not the latest version.

Edit. Saw that you have the latest config from their website. Did you restart between each uninstall and reinstall of the software?

I'm having issues with my IR as well. I noticed on the install CD for the Hauppage that there are several software packages under the IR folder. which do we need to install from there? I've tried many combos and I was finally able to get at least the up and down working, however when I switch channels in Sage, the IR isn't controlling my HD channels.

Remember each time you install/uninstall the IR software, you need to reinstall Sage.... At least that's what I read somewhere...

[mikel]

My blaster stopped working and was killing myself to figure it out until I read a comment above about non-ir-blaster Hauppagge devices.

I recently installed a 950q but didn't realize blaster was broke until a day or so later. Turns out, even though my 950 doesn't have IR capability irblaster switched to that device.

I unpluged my 950 and irblastercfg said NO HW FOUND. !! @#$%@#

So I simply clicked 'uninstall drivers' from the properties page of my HD-PVR and rebooted. Windows auto-reinstalled the drivers and irBlaster now found my HD-PVR.. everything worked, didn't have to do anything else.

Plugged back in my 850 and 950q, but irBlaster was stuck to my HD-PVR just like I want it. Looks like irBlaster ALWAYS uses the MOST RECENT installed device.

Sage is happy and working fine.

Thanks guys! This thread helped a lot.

P.S. I first tried the registry tweak posted about preferred device, but it didn't help.