Confused about USB-UIRT

[Biggen]

I'm adding a Hauppauge HD PVR to my system (currently have one 2250) so I can receive my digital channels (and HD) through my cable company.

I have been trying to read up on USB-UIRTs but I'm a little confused on how they work. I currently have a Sage TV server (tucked away in a server closet) which is feeding three HD300's.

Is it the UIRTs job to change the channels on the STB? And, does the UIRT plug into the server in the closet via the USB cable? If so, then do I just point the front of the UIRT at the front of the STB which will also be in the server rack?

Also, how does the UIRT get "setup" for Sage? I can't seem to find any installation instructions. I know I need to download the driver and install it in windows, but what about specific SageTV instructions?? How does SageTV know that when I hit a command on my remotes using an HD 300 that it will make it all the way to the UIRT, and then the STB??



I feel like this information should be around somewhere but I can't seem to find it...

[Biggen]

Well I just found the sticky at the top of the page...

Yeah...



Edit: Well it still isn't crystal clear...

[frontlinegeek]

If you are switching to HD-PVRs, they have their own IR blasters on them to each control the STB that each one is connected to...

so....

You don't need the USB-UIRT...

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

[Brent94Z]

Originally Posted by Biggen

I'm adding a Hauppauge HD PVR to my system (currently have one 2250) so I can receive my digital channels (and HD) through my cable company.

I have been trying to read up on USB-UIRTs but I'm a little confused on how they work. I currently have a Sage TV server (tucked away in a server closet) which is feeding three HD300's.

You aren't the only one... I'm using one and just "dove in" because it wasn't clear to me either. I'm no expert here and since you haven't yet got a response, I'll try my best and hopefully somebody will correct me if I'm wrong

Originally Posted by Biggen

Is it the UIRTs job to change the channels on the STB?

Yes.

Originally Posted by Biggen

And, does the UIRT plug into the server in the closet via the USB cable?

Yes.

Originally Posted by Biggen

If so, then do I just point the front of the UIRT at the front of the STB which will also be in the server rack?

Yes, this will work but I find it "awkward" in my setup so I plug into the headphone jack on the USB-UIRT a little blaster that I had laying around from something else. This just makes it so I can have my USB-UIRT nicely situated in my entertainment system. For you though with your setup in the closet, it may not matter to you to put the USB-UIRT in front of your cable box.

Originally Posted by Biggen

Also, how does the UIRT get "setup" for Sage? I can't seem to find any installation instructions. I know I need to download the driver and install it in windows, but what about specific SageTV instructions?? How does SageTV know that when I hit a command on my remotes using an HD 300 that it will make it all the way to the UIRT, and then the STB??

I think this is where you are probably having the most confusion. Since you don't use your server to actually VIEW Sage on your TV, your USB-UIRT will only be acting as a blaster for you STB. Your HD300s will still be setup to use the remotes that you are using with them now.

On your server though, you'd select the USB-UIRT under Detail Setup\Commands. Since it sounds like you don't use a remote with your server, you won't need to link any remote commands to the USB-UIRT. However, when you setup your HD-PVR as a video source, you'll get to a part of the setup that will ask you to point your STB remote directly at the USB-UIRT. You do this for numbers 0-9. It saves this info from your remote and uses it to change the channel on your STB. That's really all there is to it

I'm sure others will be able to provide a little more details or info for you but I think that this might get you started

EDIT: Just saw the reply and that is definitely true. I just was reading when I set mine up how the HD PVRs built in blaster was not as reliable/good as the USB-UIRT so I stuck a piece of tape over the HD PVRs IR receiver and unplugged its blaster. My USB-UIRT has been working pretty good to change the HD PVR channels.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by que3jxp

If you are switching to HD-PVRs, they have their own IR blasters on them to each control the STB that each one is connected to...

so....

You don't need the USB-UIRT...

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

Unless you want to use more than one HD-PVR, at which point you'll need the USB-UIRT...

[frontlinegeek]

You need one HDPVR for EACH STB and each HDPVR has its own IR blaster...


EDIT: As noted above, if the HDPVR does have sucky IR blasters, then by all means, install a USBUIRT on your server and use it to change the channels of the STB(s) that you set up.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by que3jxp

You need one HDPVR for EACH STB and each HDPVR has its own IR blaster...


EDIT: As noted above, if the HDPVR does have sucky IR blasters, then by all means, install a USBUIRT on your server and use it to change the channels of the STB(s) that you set up.

While it is true that each HDPVR comes with it's own IR blaster, it's been pretty extensively documented in this forum that you can't use two Happuage IR blasters on the same system. Check out this thread, for instance: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...highlight=uirt

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Brent94Z

On your server though, you'd select the USB-UIRT under Detail Setup\Commands. Since it sounds like you don't use a remote with your server, you won't need to link any remote commands to the USB-UIRT. However, when you setup your HD-PVR as a video source, you'll get to a part of the setup that will ask you to point your STB remote directly at the USB-UIRT. You do this for numbers 0-9. It saves this info from your remote and uses it to change the channel on your STB. That's really all there is to it

If you are just using the USB-UIRT as an IR Blaster (for controlling the STB) there is no need to go into the Detailed Setup -> Commands menu at all. That menu is strictly for controlling sagetv. The USB-UIRT will only need to be set up in the Video Sources setup, when you add the HD-PVR, as you walk through, it will get to where it asks what you are using to control the STB. Tell it you are using the USB-UIRT, and it will then go through the learning process. You have to teach Sage the commands for your 0-9 number keys (of your cable bax remote). For this process, you will want the USB-UIRT readily accessible, as the learning requires the remote to be held about 1-2 inches in front of the USB-UIRT. There's not much documented on it, as the instructions are pretty clear on-screen as you go through. When you are learning, just make sure you hold the remote right in front of the USB-UIRT, and that you press and hold the button until sage tells you to let go.

there is no direct correlation between your HD-300 remote button presses, adn what the USB-UIRT sends to the STB. Your HD300 will tell sage what it wants to watch, then the server will figure out what it needs to do to start recording that program (in your case, it will start recording with the HD-PVR, and use the USB-UIRT to change channels on the STB). Like most things in sage, it's all simpler than it seems it would be. :-)

[Brent94Z]

Thanks for the correction, Fuzzy. I wasn't aware that Sage would ask you about the USB-UIRT if you didn't tell Sage you were using one in the Details Setup section.

[Biggen]

@Brent94Z
Wow! Thanks for some clarification! I thought I was on the "right track" but wasn't sure. I am glad I'm not the only one that had some confusion about it.

I like the idea of being able to use another blaster (via the jack) if I want to clean things up in the closet. I might actually want to do that as it will be a bit awkward to have both the USB-UIRT and STB pointing at each other.

@Fuzzy
Ok, so I will only be using the "blaster" part of the UIRT which makes sense now that I think about it. So I will need to install the USB-UIRT drivers BEFORE I install the HD PVR (either in Windows or SageTV) so it will be ready to "learn" from my STB remote, correct?

The link between the HD300 and the USB-UIRT had me confused the most. I am glad you clarified that the extender has NO CONTROL over the UIRT. The SageTV server handles all the translation.

It sounds pretty simple the way you make it out. I hope so! I hope to get my UIRT in by the end of the week. If I have any issues I'll be sure to report back.

Thanks for your help guys!