Sony SAT-A2 serial control?

[Jesse]

Hello,

After quite a bit of research I am going to go with Sagetv. I am currently getting Directv via a Sony UTV and an ancient Sony SAT-A2. The UTV has no serial port but the SAT-A2 does. I spent quite a while searching these forums, but was unable to confirm that sage will control the SAT-A2 via the serial port. Anyone out there using a SAT-A2 and having sage control it via serial?

Thanks in advance. I'm sure this is just the first of many questions.....

Jesse

[kny3twalker]

I have a Sony SAT B3 and it works great
never and I mean never misses a change
it can be stubborn sometimes in the setup
try resetting the cable by plugging it from the wall if necessary

[mindcue]

I'm a new SageTV convert, and can verify that my ancient Sony A2 works under SageTV serial control. I believe it requires an straight-through "extension" cable, NOT a null-modem cable (if memory serves me). I haven't tried my Sony B2, but would expect it to work. Probably won't be using either in the near future since I need the newer multi-satellite receivers to pickup local channels.

I was also able to wire up and successfully use a cable for the DirecTV D10-100 (D10, mfg code 100) box. Didn't have ready access to the narrow data port connector (it's the same pins as regular phone cables, but much narrower fit), and was able to cut away at a standard phone jack connector and have it work. Others had reported possible problems with other mfg codes 200, 300, 400.

Now if I could just figure out how to avoid the occasional stuttering during playback...

-Tim

[ben_gb]

Hi,

I have a Sony A55 satbox, and serial control used to work reliably way back in Sage 1.4 days, but something happened in one of the versions since then, and I found it started behaving oddly. Symptoms were things like odd numbered (or it may have been even-numbered) channel changes failed, or some changes below channel 100 failed. After much to-ing and fro-ing with Sage, we weren't able to get to the bottom of the problem (I think 'bad command' responses were being logged by Sage) and so in the end I gave up and switched to using the Actisys IR blaster, which has been working fine since then (but I needed to use HERemote too as Sage seemed to have problems controlling it with it's own Exetunerplugin.dll).

So, in answer to your question...it might work or it might not! However, if serial control doesn't work, then at least you should be able to fall back to using an Actisys.

Regards,
Ben

[Jesse]

Hi,

Thanks to everyone for the quick responses.

Mindcue, I appreciate confirmation that the A2 will work and the tip about the cable.

Time to dive in.

Thanks again,

Jesse