D11 serial control with patersontech.com usb serial adapter

[jredwine2857]

Just to help any newbs out with directv service. Do yourself a favor and don't mess with getting a used d10-100 receiver. (A scammer is on ebay selling bunk d10-100's currently - ie. "lots of 10") Just get the d11-500 (only $49) from any best buy etc. and use the adapters from patersontech.com. You will need to either have a serial port for each reciever or purchase a usb to serial converter. This does work very well though.

On the D11 you can even set the OSD display time to 2 seconds. The directv OSD is gone usually before the Sage one is, so it doesn't pose much of an issue.

By the time you buy a d10-100, you still have to buy a new access card from dtv for $20. For $49 it's cheaper anyway.

Just trying to post as much of my learning experiences as possible.

[toricred]

Which serial to USB adapters work if you're out of serial ports?

[jredwine2857]

I used the SYBA adapters, which came with my order from dtvcontrol.com. I hear any adapters will work as long as they show up com ports in device mgr. I guess there are some that show up as HID's instead, but I think 99% will work.

[hemicuda]

I've had good results w/ Belkin's usb/serial dongles. Haven't used them on a 24/7 basis, but they worked on the moto box nightly at the apt. I wouldn't use them for anything that continuously transfers data. Other hardware that we use them on at work has BSoD'd XP on the laptop during data logging.

[95TBird]

I'm currently using 4 Rosewill RCW-601s (they were only $8.99 each at Newegg ) to control my comcast boxes & they work perfectly.

[bcjenkins]

Is anyone using these through hubs?

[arttwood]

Originally Posted by jredwine2857

By the time you buy a d10-100, you still have to buy a new access card from dtv for $20. For $49 it's cheaper anyway.

Wouldn't you still need to buy an access card from DTV anyway? I'm not sure how this process prevents that. . ..

Thanks,

Art

[AtomicPenguin]

Originally Posted by jredwine2857

Just to help any newbs out with directv service. Do yourself a favor and don't mess with getting a used d10-100 receiver. (A scammer is on ebay selling bunk d10-100's currently - ie. "lots of 10") Just get the d11-500 (only $49) from any best buy etc. and use the adapters from patersontech.com. You will need to either have a serial port for each reciever or purchase a usb to serial converter. This does work very well though.

On the D11 you can even set the OSD display time to 2 seconds. The directv OSD is gone usually before the Sage one is, so it doesn't pose much of an issue.

By the time you buy a d10-100, you still have to buy a new access card from dtv for $20. For $49 it's cheaper anyway.

Just trying to post as much of my learning experiences as possible.

I've been using the USB TV Translator for several months now. Works great.

[stevech]

Originally Posted by jredwine2857

I used the SYBA adapters, which came with my order from dtvcontrol.com. I hear any adapters will work as long as they show up com ports in device mgr. I guess there are some that show up as HID's instead, but I think 99% will work.

For one serial port - choose an adapter that has the small FTDI logo on it. They are they only ones I've found that can do windows drivers correctly.

For several ports - the EdgePort 4 and 8 port USB adapters have been flawless. They're often on eBay.

[bcjenkins]

I just ordered 4 adapters today from Paterson. On their website they recommend 3 different units which will use the same drivers as their usb converter. I ordered 4 of the Bafo BF-810 from pcwebshopper.com for 19/ea.

I have spent zero time looking at the config of this, I am hoping it will be plug and play since I will be doing the install 2000 miles away with the mrs. on the phone.

(I will have RDP access on the server)

Any tips appreciated.

B

[IncredibleHat]

The DirecTV installer just finished today and left, now its time for me to play with the goods.

The two boxes he left on two different TVs (I didnt wanna confuse him by saying to hook them both to ONE tv lol), are D11-100s. They have a "USB" port on the back, but its not a hardware usb port, but a device input port. Since no USB cables are made with two ends the same like this, how is it that you control the D11 with the PC?

My HTPC has _NO_ serial ports on it. NONE. It has about 16 BEELEEEON USB ports though! LOL.

I guess I need a link to a graphic flow chart, or something showing me how these D11's get connected to a PC.

[naln]

Hi,

Just considering a switch to DirectTV.

Just checking how well these Serial to USB communication cables work within the Sage framework....are they reliable?

Thanks,
naln.

[IncredibleHat]

Apparently this is a commonly used device:

http://www.patersontech.com/images/UsbTvt.JPG

But the price on it is astronomical! Not to mention needing to get TWO for two STBs:

http://www.patersontech.com/Translator/Order.aspx

Hrm... not to mention that it plugs into a serial port, which I have none of. Finding a USB to serial port adapter is also mighty expensive. Crikey, it would be spending near $100 a box to get them linked via serial/usb. Hrm!

Then again... its either that, or doing the IR blaster method (ugh).

Edit:
Edited out stupid information I totally goofed on to save my hide from looking like a complete moron

[naln]

yeah!- the price does seem pretty high- but then again- I have'nt had much luck with the USB-UIRT back when I had the Motorola cable boxes either...just way too slow and unreliable channel switches. And I am not a big fan of the IR-isolating stuff that will be required for using two boxes with the same HTPC.

Oh and BTW- were you able to specifically request a certain model of STB from DirectTV? - or did you just happen to get the D11-300s?

Maybe off the topic- but is it possible to get the HD signals from the DirecTV boxes via firewire/USB etc? Thinking of signing up for the HD package....the OTA HD is too flaky to allow sustained unsupervised recordings....

Thanks for the inputs!

naln.

[AngelofDeth]

The only way to currently capture dtv/dish is with the R5000-HD modification. You can see this thread for more info... :

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16615

Dtv is supposedly also coming out with a PC tuner, but there is very little information about it so far.

[naln]

Thanks for the info-
I have been trying to get Direct TV CSRs to check if they can get me a specific STB model...like the D10 - 100 or even the D11 models compatible with the Serial port communications......no luck yet...been transferred from DTV to local installers and no one seems to be able to do anything concrete....

Any of you Direct TV users have any luck with requesting a specific model of the STB/receiver? Does this work like Comcast etc- where you can go to a physical B&M store and swap receivers if required?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
naln.

[IncredibleHat]

I had luck of the draw. Honestly didn't know which kind of unit would be good anyhow, as people have conflicting reports. Which is mostly due to reading half-year to full year old threads that are stickied as 'useful information'. Pretty much, what I got, I would do whichever was needed. I have an MCE remote and station that has two blasters, mixed with HIP, EXEMultiTuner, and some other magical waving of the arms, I could go that route if thats the machines I got. However since it has usb, and people HAVE gotten these to work great, then I am a bit pleased about that.

I am not in a rush to go HD (even though I have HD TVs)... too much overhead, hardware, flaky reception, etc etc. I'm waiting till basically its all you 'can' get.

BTW, on the topic of controlling the D11 with a serial usb adapter etc etc... does anyone know if this type of cable would even work?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16800996012

[unkyjoe]

IncredibleHat:

I recently purchased "leased" a receiver from DirecTV about a month ago, I have been a customer of thiers for 10 years "Yes very Happy!" so I am on the preffered customer list and got it for no money out of pocket.

The model they are sending out now is the D11-500 for STV and the H20 for HDTV. I can confirm that the PattersonTech adapter works great with the D11-500 as long as you slow the USB adapter down to 9600 baud. See my other post concerning STB channel changing for more information.

I have been very happy with my current setup. I have 2 receivers a D10-300 that I control via serial with a home-made cable, and the D11-500 that I also control via serial.

PattersonTech was very helpful when DTV sent down thier last firmware update that slowed down the USB ports on the D11-500, took him about a week but in the end we got it working again.

Hope this information was helpful

P.S I have an old d11-100 receiver that works if anyone is interested they can have it if they will pay for shipping!

[IncredibleHat]

My 'new' receivers are the D11-100. At least, thats what it says on the box the installer left. Tiny little devices compared to everything else in the house.

Did you just say you made a serial cable that controls two units? Does that just plug into one serial port? Or you made two cables... needing two ports?

[naln]

Originally Posted by unkyjoe

The model they are sending out now is the D11-500 for STV and the H20 for HDTV. I can confirm that the PattersonTech adapter works great with the D11-500 as long as you slow the USB adapter down to 9600 baud. See my other post concerning STB channel changing for more information.

I have been very happy with my current setup. I have 2 receivers a D10-300 that I control via serial with a home-made cable, and the D11-500 that I also control via serial.

P.S I have an old d11-100 receiver that works if anyone is interested they can have it if they will pay for shipping!

Thanks for the info. Just sent you a PM regarding the receiver.
There were some posts about the DirectTV receivers/ Sage freezing up after about a week or so and requiring a restart of sage/ reboot. Is this something you experience as well?