Best Practices - DirecTV STB Channel Selection within SageTV

[ocomik]

For the last month I've been messing around with SageTV. From the research I've done I know it's possible to control channel selection from within the software to a DirecTV receiver.

Is there one particular method that is preferred over others to do this?

Thanks
ocomik

[boris]

I personaly use the direct link, I found it more reliable than using a blaster.

[mikejaner]

Me too, I have three tuners being controlled by sage via serial

[jchiso]

You did not mention what model receivers you want to control. Some models have low-speed serial ports that work fine in Sage while others (with serials ports) do not. Some receivers have no serial port at all, so you a pretty much forced to use a blaster of some sort, be it on a computer port or on thhe capture card.

[kny3twalker]

mines serial and works great
Sony SAT- B3
other tuner is for analogue cbale only

[dallasrat]

Hi All...First of all, this is a great forum! I've learned so much about this stuff. Sorry for the noob question (and bringing up a dead thread), but I am just about to put my 1st HTPC together (using SageTV, of course!) and was wondering about the control of multiple (Sony SAT-B3 and a Sony SAT-B55) Directv STB's. Seems the Serial control is the way to go, but not sure how to get both STB's to work. No luck searching other posts, but hope that it can be done easily. Should be, right? Thanks in advance!

[jchiso]

dallasrat:
It's pretty straightforward if you are using serial control. You simply designate which set-top box is attached to which serial port during the setup procedure.

[abbott_m]

I picked up a couple RCA DRD430RG's off ebay for basically just shipping and they work great with serial control.

[dallasrat]

Thanks for the quick replies. So, if I understand, I will need to have separate COM ports on my mobo to do this? Or is there some sort of way to share the one COM port? Again, sorry for the noob question!

[abbott_m]

You need 1 com port/receiver. I only had 1 port on the mobo so just used a usb to serial converter and it worked like a champ on the second receiver.

[dallasrat]

Great! Thanks for the info, abbott m. I had no idea those were out there... I don't yet have all of my components, but this will get me well on the way. Is there anything special that I will need to keep in mind when using this USB>Serial option?