Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-500MCE - Which Remote for SageTV?

[DRM2PVR]

I am currently running the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 but its falling shy of my needs (cant record from cable box via s-video while timeshifting another channel through the PVR's Tuner). I'm tempted to just go buy a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150MCE LP which would add an additional TV/S-video and FM Tuner. This is probably the route I'll end up taking, but just the same...

I'm willing to move to the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-500MCE with dual mpeg encoders/2 Tuners/ FM Tuner but it lacks the remote which I've grown to like. If I go this route, what would be my best choice for purchasing a stand alone remote to best support SageTV? I'm also considering getting an IR Blaster to control my other not so compatible home theater components. In this case, my current WinTV-PVR-250 would get bundled into a friends request to have a SageTV based PVR built for him . Let me know your thoughts on this as well as any other aproach to recording multiple sources simultaniously.

[mayamaniac]

Be careful about mixing regular PVR-150/250/350 with the MCE ones on the same system, the hauppauge remote will cease to work. Read this thread I posted a while back after I mixed the 350 with the 150MCE: http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ead.php?t=8672

But if you are using the PVR-500 by itself with a different brand remote, then that should be ok.

[DRM2PVR]

I am so thankfull you posted that, I was just ordering the 150MCE when I diverted back here for some info. Disater delayed for now.

What I gathered from that thread is that the driver for the 150\250\350\500 is the same (MCE or not) and will in fact still cause a remote issue when running any combination of them together. I thought there were others here running dual 250's or 250/350's in conjunction with one another while still leveraging the Hauppauge remote. Thats dissapointing since I was hoping to keep the remote as it is.

I guess the question comes back to - whats the best remote to run against a single pvr-500 and SageTV as it looks like thats what I'm going to do now.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by DRM2PVR

What I gathered from that thread is that the driver for the 150\250\350\500 is the same (MCE or not) and will in fact still cause a remote issue when running any combination of them together. I thought there were others here running dual 250's or 250/350's in conjunction with one another while still leveraging the Hauppauge remote.

The problem arises when one of the cards has no IR port (mce versions have no IR) -- if they all have the IR port, the receiver + remote can still be used.

If some only have a receiver & no blaster (only the 150 has the blaster), then the blaster may not function.

If there is a PVR-USB2 on the system, there is no problem using the remote, since the USB2's IR receiver can be used for the remote. (But there is still no blaster.)

I guess the question comes back to - whats the best remote to run against a single pvr-500 and SageTV as it looks like thats what I'm going to do now.

The most flexible would be just about any remote used with the USB-UIRT. You can use the USB-UIRT directly with SageTV or, if you want to control additional apps too, via Girder. Plus, you can use the USB-UIRT as a blaster, if needed.

- Andy

[DRM2PVR]

Ahh, ok. Since I'm after the FM tuner, looks like the PVR-350 would be my viable option to pair up with my pvr-250. At the same price as the dual tuner 500 which also has an fm tuner... guess thats a no brainer.

The USB-UIRT IR Blaster sounds perfect - I was previously unaware that it had learning capability through Girder (so many names- so little time). I assume the 56KHz option would be a good idea to support any new equipment I might buy. I think I'll order one right now... it would solve my serial connection problem to my digital cable box too. Thanks for all the feedback!