Making fast channel changes

[mostlyfodder]

Does anyone know of a way to make SageTV change its channel info (for the currently-viewed channel) WITHOUT sending an IR-transmision event?

I'd like to keep the normal functionality for changing channels while watching live TV, but add this so that I can externally change the channel via girder/ir blaster so I can get fast channel browsing with 'channel up' or 'down'.

Thanks,
-fodder

[mlbdude]

Originally Posted by mostlyfodder

Does anyone know of a way to make SageTV change its channel info (for the currently-viewed channel) WITHOUT sending an IR-transmision event?

I'd like to keep the normal functionality for changing channels while watching live TV, but add this so that I can externally change the channel via girder/ir blaster so I can get fast channel browsing with 'channel up' or 'down'.

Thanks,
-fodder

Have you looked at any of the custom STV's? I think most have a mini-guide in the OSD so you can browse channels without actually changing them until you hit select.

[mostlyfodder]

thanks for replying; i've not tried any of the custom STV's yet. my sage installation has been working so smoothly i've been afraid to alter it

i was hoping to just get sage to increase the current channel # by 1, including updating the program info. then i was going to use girder & usb-uirt to send a separate 'channel up' signal to my cable box. do you think this is possible?

i am assuming that the slow channel-changing in sagetv is not due to EPG database access time, but rather the time required to send a multidigit IR code for the next channel (i.e. 5-3-7).

thanks,
-fodder

[mlbdude]

i am assuming that the slow channel-changing in sagetv is not due to EPG database access time, but rather the time required to send a multidigit IR code for the next channel (i.e. 5-3-7).

Yes. If you use the internal tuner channel change is almost instant. I think you can speed up the IR sending by chaging some properties but your cable box does have a limit as to how fast it will take them.

[mostlyfodder]

i'm wondering if i can set up a fake tuner w/in sage that does NOT have IR-blasting support. then i might be able to get sage to do a 'channel-up' very quickly, and use girder to send a true, direct 'channel up' IR signal to my comcast cable box.

[Cayars]

If you try and setup a fake tuner then it will need to be "active" in order for the guide info to show up. So that would mean you would have at least 2 "live" tuners in your system. Sage will then try and use this "extra" tuner for tunings. Moral of the story is that it doesn't work.

Do as mlbdude suggested and try one of the STV files. You'll be glad you did. Remember, basically all an STV file does is create a "new" interface. If you have a problem or don't like it you can switch back to the Original without a problem. You really have nothing to loose by trying it.

Carlo

[mostlyfodder]

ok thanks for the suggestions; today i installed my first custom .STV: nielm's menu customization module. so far, it works great and wasn't that difficult to install thanks to nice installation instructions. i really never expected it to be this easy..
-fodder