How Many USB-UIRT For Channel Changing

[mike1961]

Do I need to get three USB-UIRTs if I have three set top boxes? They are all Verizon QIP2500 and the serial is no longer working in the back. I'm suspecting that it is due to upgraded firmware.

It sounds like a pain to shield all three boxes but is this what others are doing? What's the best way to change the channel when running Sage Service and do you use USB-UIRT for changing the channel on the SageClients as well? It seems like an expensive solution to have to buy so many.

Any ideas?

[mike1961]

I'm now really in a jam here because my STB seems to no longer support the serial cable to change the channel. My capture card does not have an IR so I think I have to get another. I have an SD card but I'm wondering if I should get an HD. Not sure what to do. I need a few capture cards that also allow me to use IR or can I get my NVidia Dual TV to control the STB with IR?

I don't know if I can use the USB-UIRT because I have 3 STBs with two NVidia Dual TV cards. What can I do to fix this problem so that I can use IR because I'm forced into using it now.

Thanks,
Mike

[davephan]

Originally Posted by mike1961

I'm now really in a jam here because my STB seems to no longer support the serial cable to change the channel. My capture card does not have an IR so I think I have to get another. I have an SD card but I'm wondering if I should get an HD. Not sure what to do. I need a few capture cards that also allow me to use IR or can I get my NVidia Dual TV to control the STB with IR?

I don't know if I can use the USB-UIRT because I have 3 STBs with two NVidia Dual TV cards. What can I do to fix this problem so that I can use IR because I'm forced into using it now.

Thanks,
Mike

Yes, you can control 3 set top boxes with one USB-UIRT. You control one box with the IR on the main box and two additional boxes with the IRs that plug into the box. You can the zone numbers to your IR file for the IRs plugged into the connector on the USB-UIRT box.

If the IR channel can be changed on the set top box, then you can control 3 times the number of possible IR channels. So, if each set top box had 4 possible IR channels, then one USB-UIRT could control up to 12 boxes.

The USB-UIRT will work with cable or satellite set top boxes, so if you switch service providers in the future, you will only need to re-configure the USB-UIRT to work with the new set top boxes. The USB-UIRT will also work with the HD-PVR, if you get them in the future. Some people find using the built-in HD-PVR IR device causes the HD-PVR to be unstable.

If you are going to HD, then you will probably need to get HD-PVR boxes, one for each channel you want to record at the same time. In addition, you will need one HD set top box for each channel you want to record at the same time. If you can receive OTA signals, then you could go HD with those with a HDHomerun, HVR-2250, or some other tuner for OTA digital signals. I have separate four tuners for OTA digital signals. The other 3 tuners are for cable TV set top boxes, only one is an HD cable box.

Dave

[Fuzzy]

A single USB-UIRT has 3 separate IR Zones on it (Zone 3 is the built in emitter, zone's 1 and two require external emitters plugged into the mini-headphone jack on the back of the unit). You will need to shield the individual boxes from each other, but it really isn't that hard with some electrical tape and/or cardboard.

[PiX64]

Here's a link for ya. The 8th post or so down has very detailed instructions on how to accomplish this. I actually just set this up myself, and found this below post to be priceless...

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5291

[mike1961]

It seems to work in Sage when I do a Test Infrered code at the video sources but the guide does not activate the USB-UIRT when trying to change channels. What could be wrong?

Another problem I'm having is I'm using the default motorola dct2000 IR file which seems to work with my box but I can't seem to get SAGE to learn a new command specifically for my box. It always "times out" when I point the remote to the USB-UIRT but the remote changes the channels just fine on by STB.

One more thing - I don't understand what the blaster repeat factor does. It seems to me if that were set to a higher number then it would put a double entry in the STB and no one would ever want that. It seems that if I adjust it then it might work in the guide but it skips a number. So if I enter 405 then something like 46 comes up instead of 405. I don't understand this.

Thanks,
Mike

[doc]

when you're trying to learn a new command, you have to put the remote right in front of the USBUIRT - as in an inch away - and hold the button down until it says its done. Have you been doing it this way?

[davephan]

You could also download a free program called Lrnhelper.exe for troubleshooting. The LrnHelper.exe is a small stand alone program, which is run independently of SageTV. You can then isolate problems easier. An example how you could use LrnHelper.exe: Use LrnHelper to learn the remote code "1", then use LrnHelper to transmit the code "1" three times to your set top box. You set top box then changes to channel "111". This is all done independently of SageTV. You can cut and paste the code for each digit or command into an IR file too, independent of SageTV. Sometimes the "Repeatcount" parameter within the IR file may need some tweaking for achieving the best reliability.

Dave

[mike1961]

What does the repeat count do and why would I want to transmit the code three times for 111? If I get the code for 1 then wouldn't sage just repeat the code three times? I'm confused.

One more thing - when I select Reprogram Infrared Code in Sage the number 2 is now missing. I'll check out the LM helper program but right now things are pretty bad.

When I run LrnHelper it maxes out my CPU resources to 99% (is this normal) and also the Test Transmit IR code button is disabled. What should the default settings be (they are all unchecked). When I try and learn a code there is hex in the Received UIR event code but the IR Code Pronto is blank. But, it does seem to work in Sage when I point it close to the USBUIRT. I'm still trying. This is very frustrating.

Thanks,
Mike

[Fuzzy]

The Remote always sends the code over and over again as long as you hold the button. The repeatcount property is what determines how long the usb-uirt 'holds down the button'. The requirement will change depending on your box. It will also depend on the code being learned properly, without stray IR, so that it can detect what part should repeat. This is also why you are supposed to just hold down the button until sage tells you it's done.

[mike1961]

What do the first few numbers do in the IR file?

For example:

MotorolaDCT2000 37616 411 4 600 1000 | Exit
RepeatCount 10

I see the 600 and 1000 represent the milleseconds to wait for between button presses and after changing channels. But, what are the other buttons and is an EXIT needed for all IR files? What is the Exit command do as I can't find it if there is one on the remote?

I'm wondering what the 37616 and 411 and 4 numbers do.

Thanks,
Mike

[mike1961]

It now seems to work in Sage in the Test Infrared Code but when the guide changes channels sometimes I get duplicate channel numbers like 550 instead of 50. I have the blast repeat factor set to 1 so I'm just not sure what to do as I have tried setting it to zero also. I just want it to do the exact same thing it does in the Test Infrared Code when changing with the guide.

Please help,

Thanks,
Mike

[mike1961]

I'm not positive but it seems that if I set the DELAY BETWEEN CODES to a smaller number like 200ms then it does not cause the repeating of the digits (I think). I would have thought the repeat factor affects this and not the delay between codes. I'm still not sure about all this but if I could just get Sage to do the same thing when changing channels as the Test Infrared Code then I think it will be very reliable. I'm not sure how the Remote Control Options affect this but I just want it to do the same.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Mike

[davephan]

You might try re-learning the digits with SageTV. Make sure the remote is about 1 - 3 inches from the USB-UIRT when you are programming the digits. A repeat count of 1 is pretty low. What happens when you increase the repeatcount? I checked my current and old IR files. Most of them use a repeatcount of 10, one of them uses 7, and one of them uses a repeatcount of 2. When you look at the data in each line of your IR file, are the lines all about same length for each digit?

I couldn't ever get the USB-UIRT to work with the remote that came with my HD cable box. I had two other identical remotes that were paired with two other HD cable boxes, those didn't work either with the USB-UIRT. I tried another cable box remote that was paired with a different model cable box, and it also worked with the HD cable box. I programmed the USB-UIRT with the remote control that wasn't paired with the HD cable box, and the USB-UIRT controls the HD cable box without problems.

Dave

[mike1961]

The lines are the same in the IR file and the Test Infrared now works in Sage. It only messes up sometimes when I change the channel and I'm not sure why. It messes up at the guide but not at the TEST mode in Sage.

Mike

[mike1961]

I'm going crazy here. I keep getting duplicate numbers on my box even when I do the Test Infrared Codes now.

What do you use for Delay between codes in milliseconds and the IR Blaster Repeat Factor. I
Another day lost...

I keep getting wrong channels and duplicate channel entries like if I tune to channel 4 I get 44.

Mike

[davephan]

You might consider testing another remote control with your USB-UIRT, even if you don't have another type of a set top box. For example, you could program the LrnHelper with a remote control that is used to control the channels on a TV set. Transmit IR codes with the USB-UIRT and find out if the USB-UIRT can control the TV set. If you had another type of a set top box, you could try that set top box remote control with SageTV. If you modify the IR file with the TV remote IR codes, then you can determine if the USB-UIRT that is controlled by SageTV actually changes the channels on the TV. The TV would not be setup with SageTV like this, but it is done only to determine if the USB-UIRT can control some device that uses an IR remote control.

You need to determine if there is a problem with your USB-UIRT itself, or maybe the remote control for the set top box is not compatible with the USB-UIRT.

Dave

[Fuzzy]

It really does sound like the numbers are poorly learnt, and you should start over from scratch with a new file.

[mike1961]

I tried using the motorola dct2000 file and they do change the stb but I'm getting double input for some reason even when testing so if I test 6 I sometimes get 66.

I don't know what to do.

[mike1961]

Is there a way to get the proper IR codes to put in the ir file for my STB the QIP2500? I can't believe I've been at this all day.

Another problem is the zones do not seem to work when I put Z1 before the 0000 in the codes and I have no spaces.

Thanks,
Mike