Utility: SageChanger STBs firewire channel changer for Windows

[meisner]

I have a Motorola DCH-3200 STB and am running STV v7. I was using EXEMultiTunerPlugin, but was having a problem where whenever comskip was running, there was a llikely chance that tuning a 3-digit channel would miss the 2nd digit. So instead of tuning 806, I was get channel 86. When comskip was not running, it always worked perfectly.

I tried dropping the process priority of comskip, but that didn't make a difference.

This started me searching for another tuning solution and brought me here.

With my DCH-3200 and SageChanger, I must use -f 7 to get it to work. strangely, if I have the STB powered off and go to watch live TV, SageChanger tunes the channel but misses the 2nd digit...weird. So I just leaving the STB on.

I do have one question though... Is there any way to get rid of the DOS box that pops up when SageChanger runs?

Also, I never made the changes in sage.properties, but it is working. Is there any potential problem here?

[wayner]

In the next week or two I am going to finally put this program to use. It appears that one of my SA3250HDs is dying. A couple of years ago I tried using a SA4250HD with my system and it didn't work. I don't know if I needed the updated exdeus drivers or what the problem was.

For those of you using firewire with a 4250HD which drivers did you use? Did you use the original drivers or updated drivers.

[mikep]

Originally Posted by wayner

In the next week or two I am going to finally put this program to use. It appears that one of my SA3250HDs is dying. A couple of years ago I tried using a SA4250HD with my system and it didn't work. I don't know if I needed the updated exdeus drivers or what the problem was.

For those of you using firewire with a 4250HD which drivers did you use? Did you use the original drivers or updated drivers.

Hi,

I am using Timmmoore firestb.msi package, google is your friend
Mike

[aflat]

Using SageChanger v0.2 Beta on a Motoroloa QIP7100 (FIOS box)

-p doesn't work, it always thinks it's on, verified with a -q, even when power is off. I can work around this since I make sure to run a script to turn on the SB every morning at about 5am. Channel changing works with both -f 6 and -f 7, but 6 is preferred of course.

What I was hoping for was the ability to press enter when you use -f 6. Since channel.dll drops leading 0's, I would love to see something that can pass "channel 0570, then the 'enter'" command, in 1 command. I'm not sure if it's possible, but I was hoping.

[wayner]

A big thumbs up for this app. I rebuilt my Sage server and I found this app very useful - especially since I couldn't get the channel.exe program to successfully work on my SA4250HD but SageChange with the -f 4 option worked great.

FYI - I had to use the exdeus drivers as the original Tim M Moore ones don't seem to recognize the 4250HD boxes properly.

[mikep]

Originally Posted by wayner

A big thumbs up for this app. I rebuilt my Sage server and I found this app very useful - especially since I couldn't get the channel.exe program to successfully work on my SA4250HD but SageChange with the -f 4 option worked great.

FYI - I had to use the exdeus drivers as the original Tim M Moore ones don't seem to recognize the 4250HD boxes properly.

Great!

[behaviodoc]

Thanks for a great app! I now have SageChanger set up with 2 Motorola DCX3200s (attached to HD-PVRs) on Windows 7. The STBs shut themselves off after a few hours, so the -p switch is extremely handy. In case anyone else wants to do the same, I used ExDeus' STB Firewire Driver Package and forced installation of the DCH3200 driver. To tune, I'm using the following command:

SageChanger -n %DEVICE% -f 7 -c %CHANNEL% -p

It's only been a day so far, but channel changes (including power on) have been quick and reliable.

[mikep]

Great!, I use SageChanger since october with my SA 4200HD and it is rock solid since then!

Mike

[antpowers]

I keep getting BSODs on meistb.sys after restarting my machine. This only occurs when I have more than 1 cable box hooked up through firewire. The BSOD is not immediate; the machine starts fine then about 1 minute later; boom! I use firewire for channel change only. I've installed following ExDeus<http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/> and using DCH3200s on Comcast. Running on Windows 7. Anyone have experience with this? Is my only choice to go to IR for more than 1 box? Does the SageChanger do anything to the base timmoore/ExDeus meistb.sys that might address this issue?

[mikep]

Originally Posted by antpowers

I keep getting BSODs on meistb.sys after restarting my machine. This only occurs when I have more than 1 cable box hooked up through firewire. The BSOD is not immediate; the machine starts fine then about 1 minute later; boom! I use firewire for channel change only. I've installed following ExDeus<http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/> and using DCH3200s on Comcast. Running on Windows 7. Anyone have experience with this? Is my only choice to go to IR for more than 1 box? Does the SageChanger do anything to the base timmoore/ExDeus meistb.sys that might address this issue?

First usually, BSOD occurred when using an wrong ID, so It will send command to another device... Second, try using another command set with -f switch... If still BSOD that a driver issue. Sorry...

Mike

[antpowers]

Originally Posted by mikep

First usually, BSOD occurred when using an wrong ID, so It will send command to another device... Second, try using another command set with -f switch... If still BSOD that a driver issue. Sorry...

Mike

Many thanks for the response. Checked multiple times on the ID front so agreed, probably a driver issue. Hoping to widdle down the problem more and find the culprit.

[LouisM]

Hi Mike,

Just joined the forum and i am a very happy user of Sagechanger.
On one of your post you mention you could add a new switch to turn ON or OFF the STB.
I can now see a utility for it. From time to time my HDPVR stops working and needs a power off/on to be reset. if I plug my HDPVR at the back of my 4250HD inlet i could then reset the HDPVR.
This would make life easier. I could remotely turn on and off the 4250HD to reset the HDPVR.

Thanks

Louis

[thomaszoo]

Originally Posted by LouisM

Hi Mike,

Just joined the forum and i am a very happy user of Sagechanger.
On one of your post you mention you could add a new switch to turn ON or OFF the STB.
I can now see a utility for it. From time to time my HDPVR stops working and needs a power off/on to be reset. if I plug my HDPVR at the back of my 4250HD inlet i could then reset the HDPVR.
This would make life easier. I could remotely turn on and off the 4250HD to reset the HDPVR.

Thanks

Louis

That is a great idea! I wish I would have thought of it. So we just need a power off switch added to implement, correct?

Wayne

[nlkelly]

I'm trying to use Sagechanger on a windows 7 32 bit PC. i've installed the fire wire driver - obtained the unique id of the STB (4250) and i'm able to change channels directly running the sagechanger exe. The problem is the exemultituner will not call the command listed in the registery. I've edited and re edited the registey - adding debug calls to notepad ect and i just can't get the exemultitunner or exetuner to call any other program. Is there some kind of security setting in windows 7 that doesn't allow one program to call anouther? I looked for the %DEVICE% and %CHANNEL% environmental variables and they are not being created / set. I have the UAC disabled and everything is installed in c:\Sagetv. When i setup the tuners, i can select the exemultituner and exetuner so i know sage is seeing the dll. when i run the batch file with sagechanger with it's variables hardcoded it changes channels fine. if i create the enviromental variables %DEVICE% and %CHANNEL% and manually set them it works great, The problem seems to be with the exemultituner plugin itself. Any idea what i'm
doing wrong.

[nlkelly]

i think i'm making progress - i configured the service (logged in as administrator) to allow interaction with the desktop. Now I'm getting this error in the event viewer "The SageTV service is marked as an interactive service. However, the system is configured to not allow interactive services. This service may not function properly." and guess what it doesn't function properly. Now how do I "configure the system to allow interactive services" ? Thanks nlkelly

[Karyudo]

[Necrobump...]

MikeP, I thought you might like to know that SageChanger has a life outside of Sage: I'm using it to change channels on a pair of Shaw DCT-6200s here in Vancouver, using NextPVR as my TV server. Works great! Thanks!

Unfortunately, NextPVR has a few issues of its own, and I'm currently testing MediaPortal (with the IR Server Suite plugin) to see if that solves my problems. Long story short(er), MP solves my recording problems, but isn't able to handle SageChanger properly to give reliable channel changes.

I don't suppose you'd be willing to release the source code for SageChanger, would you?

With the source, it would be easier to have the MediaPortal / IRSS developers add support for FireWire channel changing, and a whole non-Sage community would have you to thank....

[tvmaster2]

any idea where to download the sagechanger.exe file? The only reference here is a beta.zip file, but it's actually a php file, and I have no idea what that means, sadly

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

any idea where to download the sagechanger.exe file? The only reference here is a beta.zip file, but it's actually a php file, and I have no idea what that means, sadly

The link in the first post worked for me. I downloaded a zip file when I clicked on the link and the .exe is inside when I look.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

The link in the first post worked for me. I downloaded a zip file when I clicked on the link and the .exe is inside when I look.

when I look the only thing inside is a php file
any thoughts?

UPDATE: thanks, with your post, I renamed the file from attachment.php to attachment.zip, and lo and behold, sagechanger was inside. Weird

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

The link in the first post worked for me. I downloaded a zip file when I clicked on the link and the .exe is inside when I look.

forgot to ask - I'm attempting to get a new, HD cable set top box working for channel change only. It's a Scientific Atlanta 4742 (Cisco).
Problem: the AV/C Panel shows up in device manager as "Other Devices", and I can't seem to find any drivers to make it become functional.
Any ideas?