How does Sage work with a Global Cache unit in combination with an automation package

[MavRic]

So Comcast is changing to all digital in my area which means my analog tuner card (PVR 500) is going to be somewhat useless.

They've sent me 2 Digital Transport Adapters (DTA's) of which i can connect one to my PVR 500 and one to my HVR 2250.

I also use a Comcast Digital STB.

Current the STB is the only unit that needs IR control and i used USB-UIRT for that which has been working great. Now i will need to control these 2 DTA's as well. I understand i can get the USB-UIRT to have 3 outputs so that is good.

However I may want to add another tuner/STB at some point, so i'll need more IR control.

Since i cannot have more than 1 USB-UIRT connect to the same computer this would be an issue.

I would like to consider a Global Cache unit but it seems somewhat overkill. However I'm also looking to use some IR for automation (CQC) so if the Global Cache unit can support both that would make the cost more bearable.

Can somebody tell me how a Global Cache unit is handled in Windows? If it has 8 IR outs do all 8 appear as individual IR units to Windows so SageTV can use a few and another app (e.g. CQC) can use some others?

The info is important because somebody on the web makes cables that allow a USB-UIRT's IR-out to be directly connected to an IR-IN on the Comcast DTA's eliminating the need for the 'glue on the IR emiter' process. The same guy makes cables to do the same with a Global Cache unit, but they're not the same cables ( i guess USB-UIRT and Global Cache use different voltage on their IR-Out). So i need to decide my route before i get these cables (which are not so cheap).

Any info would be much appreciated. Although i like the USB-UIRT it would be nice to get thing consolidated.

[stanger89]

You can do 3 tuners with 1 USB UIRT. I wasn't aware of a 1 USB UIRT limitation (haven't looked that closely), but on cable you can potentially use Firewire or RS232 for tuning. Or worst case you can setup a network "encoding server".

[paulbeers]

I get that they are going all digital, but are you locals going to be available unencrypted? If this is the case, you could get away with using a cheap ClearQAM tuner (or dual tuner) for all your locals and then only use DTA's for all your non-locals. I find that 70%+ of our recordings are locals so we only use our STB's for any of the "cable" channels. This means you really don't need as many STB's as you thought you would...

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by MavRic

The info is important because somebody on the web makes cables that allow a USB-UIRT's IR-out to be directly connected to an IR-IN on the Comcast DTA's eliminating the need for the 'glue on the IR emiter' process.

Sounds interesting, could you post the link to this?

[MavRic]

http://grayeng.net/TiVotoComcast.htm

This shows Tivo to DTA, but he makes USB-UIRT to DTA and Global Cache to DTA as well.

Appreciate the input from all. I don't know if the local are going to stay digital clear QAM or not. I cannot do a OTA due to my location.

[Spectrum]

The USB-UIRT dev has drivers available that allow using more than 1 unit on the same system. Others here have 2 working at once for sure so that would give you 6 seperate devices. I think you have to also flash the secondary UIRT with a new name or some such. I haven't actually done any of this, just seen where others have