SageTV and USBUIRT

[jglev]

Originally posted by salsbst
If you execute, from a DOS prompt, the command that you have assigned in the registry for the EXETunerPlugin, does it work?

Thanks for your help.

I am not sure. What is the command line to execute at DOS?

Thanks,

[salsbst]

Check out this thread: http://www.freytechnologies.com/foru...&threadid=1182

[jglev]

Thanks salsbst.

What I have done was to I follow the steps outlined by rcleav within this thread and had changed the reg file to read: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sage\EXETunerPlugin]
"command"="C:\\Program Files\\Girder32\\event.exe SageSetExternalChannel 18 %CHANNEL% -silent" and then merged it into my registry. It doesn't seem to work. I am not sure what I am doing wrong except I noticed that in your command you are using only one backslash (\) and not two (\\) as did rcleav. Do you think that is the problem?

I haven't tried to execute the command at the DOS prompt because today my video card died and I am waiting for Dell to send me another one (the computer is still under warranty).

Thanks again,

[salsbst]

I am using one backslash and I'm using quote around the path to event.exe. By the time the command appears in regedit you should have single backslashes. rcleav's syntax is appropraite for .reg files which require backslashes to be escaped with backslashes, hence the double backslashes.

Do try something like this at a DOS prompt to narrow down the problem:

"c:\program files\girder32\event.exe" SageSetExternalChannel 18 27 -silent

If that changes the channel (to 27) then you at least know that the Girder side is working properly.

[jglev]

I will go a head and try that (when I get a video card that works). Should the UIRT blink red when Sage tells the cable box to change the channel? If it should blink (which I assume it should), I haven't seen it do that.

Thanks again,

[salsbst]

Yes, it should blink. Post back your results once you get a vid card.

[jglev]

OK, so now I got a new video card and dumped the DVCR for the PVR-250.

Anyway, I tried issuing the command from the command prompt and nothing happened. My cable box didn't change to channel 27 and the UIRT didn't blink. So something is wrong with transmitting since I know receive works. Any ideas?

Thanks,

[salsbst]

Can you post your GML file and the command that you're using? Also, you're sure that you haven't enabled the SageTV USBUIRT support, right? Doing so locks the USBUIRT away from Girder.

[jglev]

Hi Salsbst,

Thanks for taking the time to help me.

I re-checked and the UIRT is not enabled in Sage.

The command I used was the one you suggested: "c:\program files\girder32\event.exe" SageSetExternalChannel 18 27 -silent

I attached a zip file with the gml file in it.

Thanks for taking a look at it.

[salsbst]

I tested your GML and it is at least able to receive the event from the command. I'm really pressed for time tonight and don't have the time to delve deeper, but one thing did occur to me.... please see the thread linked below and find the post where I specified some GIrder Plugins that are needed for my GML file. Not all of them are required for the channel changing, but you will probably need:

Lua-Socket Library
USB-UIRT
WinLUAEx

If they aren't installed and activated, then it probably won't work.

http://www.freytechnologies.com/foru...er+and+plugins

Hope that helps. Let me know.

Thanks,

[jglev]

Thanks again Salsbst.

I didn't have all those plug-ins enabled, so I went a head and enabled them. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to change anything.

[jglev]

I finally had some free time to play and tried re-installing the event.exe command key into the registry. It said it updated the registry, but it didn't seem to change anything.

I must say though that the quality of the PVR-250 compared to the DVCR is fantastic. I am so glad I switched. Now if I can only get Sage to change my cable box, I would be in Hog Heaven.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

[jglev]

I am just about to give up and wait for Sage 2 with its built-in support for USB-UIRT receive and transmit functions. I figured I would keep this thread alive and give it one last shot.

Stuart, did you ever get a chance to look at the gml file I posted last week? I know you checked the receive function (which I have working fine), but you didn't have time to check the transmit function when I posted the file.

As always, I really appreciate all your help.

Thanks again,

[salsbst]

I'm sorry this fell off my radar.

I'm attaching a copy of your GML with one change: now the Variable Manipulation Script which is supposed the drive the channel changing on the motorola has a new first step which is to trigger an event to show the text "attempt to change channel" on your screen when it is called.

Try invoking the channel change again with this new GML file. If you see the text on the screen but don't get a channel change, then it would seem there's a problem with the USB-UIRT transmitting. However, if you don't see this text on the screen then the problem is that the channel change event is not getting through. Hopefully this will help us narrow it down.

[jglev]

Thanks Stuart. Please, no need to apologize. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

I used your modified gml and did indeed get a message on the screen saying "Attempting to change channel" but the UIRT did not blink and the channel did not change. I hope this doesn't mean there is something wrong with my UIRT.

Please let me know what you suggest I do next.

Thanks again for you help,

[salsbst]

Dig in the Girder file to Remote Control / Transmitting / Cable Motorola DCT 2000 and select the channel-up command so that it is highlighted in blue. Now press the F5 key on your keyboard to test the command.

Does it cause the USB-UIRT to blink? Does the channel change?

If not, then my guess is that either Girder isn't configured properly for the USB-UIRT or the USB-UIRT is broken.

If it does blink/change the channel, then I'm sort of at a loss for why the process isn't working altogether.

[jglev]

Well I guess the good news is that there is nothing wrong with my USB-UIRT since I followed your instructions and the UIRT blinked and the channel moved up. I guess the bad news is you aren't sure why it is not working. I went back through the Sage set-up to make sure that the External plug-in was selected (it was, but I re-selected it anyway). I also re-downloaded and re-installed the External tuner plug-in from the Sage web site, but nothing worked.

Does anything come to mind?

Thanks again for all your help,

[andrewswright]

Just to let you know, there is now serial control for the DCT2000 Motorola settop box. That way you can use the USB-UIRT for controlling sage and a serial connection to change channels on the digital cable box. This is exactly the setup that I am currently using (Although I use the USB-UIRT through Girder rather than the native Sage support, as I also use it to control myHTPC.)

Check out http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...&threadid=1606

Andrew

[salsbst]

Ok, let's retrace our steps. I still think the problem is not to do with SageTV's setup. As of now, I think you should see the on-screen test message when you try to change channels via SageTV.... give that a shot.

[salsbst]

Boy, I wish I had a serial-enabled box! But this is a good point, jglev.... if you can get the serial control working then that is a better solution than this IR nonsense!