SageTv, Girder, USBUirt and remote problem

[rcleav]

I'm sure the answer to this is out there but I've been unable to find it.
I have SageTv, Girder and USBUirt all talking to each other thanks to salsbst girder gml.
There is a problem though. When using my remote to change channels from the guide, channelup/down or entering channel numbers directly the digital cable box gets confused and only gets partial or no data.
All other remote functions controlling SageTv work great.
My infrared keyboard using its own receiver as well as programmed channel changes work flawlessly in all respects, changing channels every time. I figure that the remote is interfering with the USBUirt signal confusing the cable box.
The answer probably lies in Girder but being a week old novice at it I have been unable to find it.

Thanks all

[dkardatzke]

What happens if you change the delay options for channel changing under Setup > Detailed Setup > IR Hardware? It may help with your interference problems.

[salsbst]

Ron, if you are using Girder and the ExeTunerPluginDll rather then the inbuilt IR stuff...you can control the delay by editing this script (located in "Application Control / SageTV / SageSetExternalChannel / SetChannel:

l = strlen(pld1);
for i = 1,l-1 do
s = strsub(pld1,i,i)
TriggerEvent("cable-motorola-"..s,18);
TriggerEvent("Global-Scripts-Pause",18,500);
end
s = strsub(pld1,l,l)
TriggerEvent("cable-motorola-"..s,18);
TriggerEvent("Global-Scripts-Pause",18,200);
TriggerEvent("cable-motorola-enter",18);
TriggerEvent("Global-Scripts-Pause",18,300);
TriggerEvent("cable-motorola-exit",18);

The 500s, 200s and 300s are pauses in milliseconds. Try increasing those values until it works.

I use an external emitter (which came with my Phillips MCE Remote) plugged into the USB-UIRT. The emitter has a sticky side and is stuck right on to the Motorola box' receiver area. Over that, I have afixed a large swatch of black electrician's tape. Without taking measures like these, you will probably have to increase the inter-button delay significantly in order to avoid issues.

HTH,
Stuart

[Ralphjb]

Salbst,
I appreciate your posts on this.

I have had difficulty getting SageTV to play nice with my DirecTV receiver and did one of my frequent searches looking for advice. I found your post here. This was illuminating. I started experimenting with the setchannel script and added the "pause" line. I think maybe it was helping (I'll know better when I get home tonight if a scheduled recording actually was recorded). I am curious what your settings are? I also am curious what your setting for the SageTV IR transmission delay are? And what if any delay you have in Girder (with the "wait milliseconds" before transmission option).

Thanks!

[salsbst]

Since I'm using the EXETunerPlugin, I don't think that the SageTV IR Transmission Delay setting applies to me. I didn't mess with the "wait milliseconds" settings in Girder, so I have the defaults (and from memory I don't know what those are). I think the only delays imposed are those in my script.

Since I'm at work right now I can't be 100% certain of much of anything (except that I can't wait for 5pm). I'll check tonight, and if I don't reply, just remind me here or on PM.

[Ralphjb]

Thanks.
That all I can ask.

[salsbst]

I have 0 for wait ms in Girder's USBUIRT settings.

I have no settings in SageTV for IR, since SageTV has no idea what kind of IR I use... it just knows that it should use the EXETunerPlugin.

[Ralphjb]

Thanks. And what the delay times in your script?

Thanks!

[salsbst]

I double-checked and the script posted above is what I currently use.

500 milliseconds between channel number buttons
200 milliseconds before the Enter key
300 milliseconds before hitting Exit to dismiss the stupid Info OSD that Comcast shows

Keep in mind

a) I have an emitter taped to the cable box and that it is covered with black tape...
b) I don't browse live TV and thus waiting half of a second between "button presses" doesn't concern me in the slightest, so I err on the side of accuracy over speed.

That said, it never misses for me.

[Ralphjb]

Thanks for that. I will give our settings a try and go from there
I must admit it has proved frustrating but hopefully this is the key.

Have you ever had issues with the program coming out of Sleep? This seems to be the present most serious hangup.
Thanks!

[salsbst]

Sage coming out of Sleep? No, not really. I don't use any hibernation though.

Regarding the pause thing....Make triple sure that the Girder function that I named, "Global-Scripts-Pause" is actually being called. If that function doesn't get called properly, then the channel change script won't pause (and you won't get any error messages either).

[Ralphjb]

Regarding the pause thing....Make triple sure that the Girder function that I named, "Global-Scripts-Pause" is actually being called. If that function doesn't get called properly, then the channel change script won't pause (and you won't get any error messages either).

Hmm. You're testing the limits of my ignorance - which are broad. How would a I test to this.

[salsbst]

It's probably sufficient to set all of the pause values to 999 (which is almost 1 second) and make sure that there is a pause of about 1 second between each signal (by watching the red display on your cable box).

[Ralphjb]

Originally posted by salsbst
It's probably sufficient to set all of the pause values to 999 (which is almost 1 second) and make sure that there is a pause of about 1 second between each signal (by watching the red display on your cable box).

Ok. Well I have had a chance to play around with this. It does not appear that the pause in the script is working. What do I do to get it to work?
Thanks

[salsbst]

Post your GML and I'll take a look at it.

[Ralphjb]

Originally posted by salsbst
Post your GML and I'll take a look at it.

Sure thing. Thanks

[Ralphjb]

I posted as txt, because the browser did not accept as GML. Maybe Ill try zipping too.

[Ralphjb]

Here is that file zipped

[salsbst]

I couldn't find the "Global-Scripts-Pause" command/event in your GML. Your GML is "way" different than mine, so I'm a bit disoriented in it, but as far as I can tell the pause command wasn't in there. I've imported my pause command into your GML and attached it. Make sure you have downloaded and activated the WinLUAEx plugin from the Girder site...it won't work without it IIRC.

[Ralphjb]

Thanks for that
Ok, you've created a "pause" under a global-scripts tree. That is something I did not have. Again, I freely admit my ignorance in these matters. What I had done was add the

"TriggerEvent("Global-Scripts-Pause",18,500);

to "setChannel script" but perhaps I also needed this additional gobal-scripts tree. Is that correct?

Thanks.