Remote Control Confusion - help!

[Phydeaux]

I'm confused on how remote controls work and/or are passed through and I'm hoping someone can set me straight. I'm in the midst of getting my satellite receiver set up with an HD-PVR and am not sure which I should be using for TV viewing via SageTV.

I've got a headless HTPC running SageTV in the basement, where I'm installing a satellite receiver and an Hauppauge HD-PVR. At the viewing end I have my TV and a Sage HD-200. Four remotes: TV, HD-200, Satellite, and the one that came with the HD-PVR.

I use the TV only to power on/off the TV and for volume (I ignore the volume buttons on the HD-200 since the maximum output of the HD-200 is so low in comparison to other components I end up reaching for the TV remote anyway).

I use the HD-200 remote to control the SageTV server backend, to view my archived videos etc.

I assume I won't be using the satellite receiver remote, since the HD-PVR will control it using the IR blaster.

Do I use the HD-PVR remote for anything or do the channel up/down and direct entry channel numbers on the HD-200's remote get directed through the HD-200, SageTV, HD-PVR and the IR Blaster into the STB? Or do I use the HD-PVR remote and the IR codes are passed through via the HD-200 and Sage?

I'm really confused about how this all works - and as a result I'm not sure what remote I should be telling SageTV to use in the setup for the Hauppauge video source...

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

RLW

[vexhold]

I have a similar setup so I may be able to help.

First... Put your satelite and HD-PVR remotes in a drawer somewhere.

Now, the way it works is, your HD200 remote tells the HD200 what to do, which then communicates back to the server and tells it what it wants to do. The server then tells either the HD-PVR or the satelite STB what channel it wants.

I personally have never got the HD-PVR's IR blaster to work properly. Either a USB-UIRT or a serial connection work much better. Others have experienced this as well.

As far as the remotes you currently have, you have 2 options

1st option

Use your TV remote to control the power (and possibly volume)

Use your HD200 to control everything else.


2nd option

Get a Harmony remote and control it all.

2

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by vexhold

I personally have never got the HD-PVR's IR blaster to work properly. Either a USB-UIRT or a serial connection work much better. Others have experienced this as well.

I couldn't get the HD-PVR IR blaster working at all. I do have a USB-IRB but I set it up for Fire-wire instead. If your STB has firewire you may also go that route.

[Phydeaux]

Perfect, that's exactly the direct kind of response I was hoping for. Nice to have two pieces removed from the puzzle.

Thanks for the heads-up on the the IR blaster, and in fact I'm having some challenges with it.

Thank you

RLW