Sage & satellite tv

[Grey_Goose]

Finally got my 4-card Sage server up & running.
The main point of building it was to make a football-recording beast.
I was planning on getting DirecTV w/ NFL ticket.
I am totally new to satellite tv, so I have a few questions.


Will I need to set up all 4 sat boxes connected to teh Sage? From what I understand you can't split a sat signal.

What will I need to change the sat boxes? I've read about a com port changer & an IR changer... which is better?

Will I need a changing device for each? i.e. if i go w/ the comm port changer will I need 4 comm ports?

Will all 4 sat boxes need to be seperated to keep the channel changing signals seperate?

Are there certain sat boxes I should get that work/work better with sage?

[Ralphjb]

Originally posted by Grey_Goose
Finally got my 4-card Sage server up & running.
The main point of building it was to make a football-recording beast.
I was planning on getting DirecTV w/ NFL ticket.
I am totally new to satellite tv, so I have a few questions.


Will I need to set up all 4 sat boxes connected to teh Sage? From what I understand you can't split a sat signal.

You will need 4 sat boxes if you wish to record 4 games at once.


What will I need to change the sat boxes? I've read about a com port changer & an IR changer... which is better?

The USB-UIRT is an excellent device and is a transceiver, so you can use it to both control components and to control the computer (including SageTV).


Will I need a changing device for each? i.e. if i go w/ the comm port changer will I need 4 comm ports?

You won't necessarily need 4 seperate devices, one might do it. But if you have the same brand satellite receiver for each, that will provide a challenge that perhaps some one else can help you with.


Will all 4 sat boxes need to be seperated to keep the channel changing signals seperate?

Same as my last answer.

Are there certain sat boxes I should get that work/work better with sage?

Any of them can work. Some can be controlled by direct serial port control. Any can be controlled with and IR emitter device like the USB-UIRT.

You want to record 4 games at once? Man that's a lot of football to watch. Tell me, is this fantasy football related?

[Grey_Goose]

No, lol, just have a few teams I like to watch...

I'm a Michael Vick fan, so I watch the Falcons...
I'm a Houstonian, so I watch the Texans...
I'm a Houstonian that loved the Oilers, so I watch the Titans...
My brother is a GB fan, so we'll watch the Packers...

Unfortunately, that's 3 diff divisions & this year there's not a lot of convergence.

So I guess that's recording 3 & watching one but I'm sure there might be something else on or another team I might want to catch...

Reading your reply, should I go w/ the comm solution if my boxes support it, and the USB-UIRT if they don't? ...and if they are the same brand, then might I need 4 USB-UIRTs?

[Ralphjb]

Frankly you are out of my league on this one.

If your Sat receivers are of different makes, then certainly you can use just one transmitter (e.g., bounce signal off opposite wall). I believe that the newest version of the USB-UIRT has the ability to control a couple of emitter ports. This would allow you to direct signals to a specific emitter diode mounted over the IR receiver of single DirecTV receiver - thus allowing you to have two (maybe more) receivers of the same brand. There has been some discussion of this function on this forum as well as at the USB-UIRT site. I have an older version of this device and mine does not have that control, so I can not speak to it with expertise. Perhaps someone else here can.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by Grey_Goose
Reading your reply, should I go w/ the comm solution if my boxes support it, and the USB-UIRT if they don't? ...and if they are the same brand, then might I need 4 USB-UIRTs?

I'd say yes, everything I've read says Serial control is faster and more reliable.

But if you can't go serial, you'd need at most 2 USB-UIRTs, since the new ones support 3 zones (I'm not entirely sure if it's 3 total or 3 in addition to the included blaster). And as for separation, you can just build little IR "tents" around the blasters/recivers to keep signals from mixing.

[kny3twalker]

it is three including the blaster
but you could do serial connection for the fourth rather than buying two usb UIRT
you should only need one
but the serial port only works with a couple cable boxes and DirecTV but sounds like you are in the clear there

one usb uirt controls three and the serial connection gets the fourth

[Crashless]

You guys keep talking about how the USB-UIRT supports 3 devices, which is true, but I don't think sage supports the different zones, does it? I have an older model uirt, so I can't be sure, but I think the 3 zones is only available to the Girder Driver.

Also, to use the zones, you have to have a stereo->mono splitter and two regular emitters to take advantage if it is supported.

That being said, I would highly recommend using serial if you can. At least for two of the 4, it will save you headaches for sure.