SageTV changing channels by itself?

[Swanson]

I've noticed in the past week that SageTV has been intermittently changing channels on its own. I will be watching a show and all of a sudden the OSD will come up, new channel numbers start to enter on-screen and the channel will change. This happens even if the remote is faced AWAY from the receiver.

Anyone ever notice this? I have no favorites set to record at the times that it happens and intelligent recording is off. I'm using the Hauppaugge 45 button remote and the Hauppaugge IR blaster to control a Motorola DCT2000 cable box. I'm running the the newest non-beta release of SaveTV 4 in non-service mode.

Any thoughts?

[potpiejimmy]

I'm having the same problem! I don't know what it is, it's very annoying. I'm actually having this problem for quite a while now (also had it with sage 3.x) Every once in a while the channel is changed by a channel-up or channel-down command.

I don't think Sage is the problem, because I noticed that the "channel-up" and "channel-down" commands (i.e. their respective keycodes) are also sent to any other application if it is in the foreground (for instance, powerdvd will switch to fast forward/slow-motion all by its own once in a while).

It is like some ghost pressing the channel+ or channel- on my Hauppauge remote - yes, I'm also using the Hauppauge remote (no IR blaster). Don't know what to do.... Thought about changing the key codes for the channel buttons of the hauppauge remote in irremote.ini to see if the hauppauge remote software itself produces the problem or if any other application magically produces a keypress that just happens to be the same as the channel change keycodes... don't know....

[mogrinz]

Are either of you using Plasma or LCD TV's? It's a known fact that the ballast in an Plas/LCD TV's backlight can send out all kinds of interference. When I first hooked up my new set, I was getting all kinds of random commands until the set warmed up for about 2 minutes. I thought someone was remoted into my PC w/o my permission!

There are "plasma-proof" IR sensors (http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/Hom.../Item/490-95/), but they're a little pricey. Currently, I just unplug my sensor for 2 min when I turn on the TV. I know, I know... very annoying, but at least I found out what the problem was!

[Swanson]

mogrinz: not me, I've just got a Sony 27inch Trinitron... nothing special. Was watching TV tonight and it never once changed the channel automatically on me , but last night it happened at least 5 different times. Wish I knew what was going on. Nothing changed in terms of my setup from last night to tonight. One thing to note though is that the IR receiver is in fact fairly close to the TV (within 5-10 inches).

potpiejimmy: you are correct when you mentioned that it appears to be a channel-up or channel-down command. Each time it occurs, it is definately only changing the channel up 1 or down 1.

[potpiejimmy]

Thanks for the tip there, mogrinz. I do have a 24" TFT, but I think I already had the problem before I bought the monitor. And it's definitely not "all kinds of random commands" for me, only channel-up or channel-down, 50:50. Weird.

[potpiejimmy]

Found out there's another user (WhollyMindless) with the same problem:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15329

And it's also channel up and down commands for him! He also mentions the "Hauppauge IR receiver" - so I guess "that's where the dog is buried" (as we say in German ;-) LOL)

[shawncochran]

I don't know if this helps, but I have noticed that at the change of a show in the EPG, Sage will "resend" the channel ID to my USB-UIRT. For instance, if I've been watching Discovery CH 278 on DirecTV via my PVR150, and the programming changes at the top of the hour, the combo of Sage + USB-UIRT will send "278" to my DTV receiver at the program time change, even though I didn't touch the remote.

[jagee23]

Originally Posted by shawncochran

I don't know if this helps, but I have noticed that at the change of a show in the EPG, Sage will "resend" the channel ID to my USB-UIRT. For instance, if I've been watching Discovery CH 278 on DirecTV via my PVR150, and the programming changes at the top of the hour, the combo of Sage + USB-UIRT will send "278" to my DTV receiver at the program time change, even though I didn't touch the remote.

Shawn,
I had the same problem when I first setup Sage using an IRblaster with DTV. I believe setting the "Autotune Channel" in the Detailed Setup to "No" solved that problem.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by jagee23

I believe setting the "Autotune Channel" in the Detailed Setup to "No" solved that problem.

That would be the "Always tune channel' option in the Customize section. Autotune isn't listed there, but there is a different property for that term.

Edit: And, yes, I know this isn't the issue discussed in the rest of this thread.

- Andy

[Swanson]

Originally Posted by shawncochran

I don't know if this helps, but I have noticed that at the change of a show in the EPG, Sage will "resend" the channel ID to my USB-UIRT. For instance, if I've been watching Discovery CH 278 on DirecTV via my PVR150, and the programming changes at the top of the hour, the combo of Sage + USB-UIRT will send "278" to my DTV receiver at the program time change, even though I didn't touch the remote.

I know exactly what you are talking about, however my issue happens in the middle of a show. The command given is also definately a channel up or down command, and not a sequence of numbers.

[potpiejimmy]

The problem is absolutely not related to the "Always tune channel" setting. It's always channel-up or channel-down and it happens randomly at any time, not only on a program-change, and, as I said, it also effects other applications in the foreground.

Another thing to try would be to exit Sage & the Sage service, run an application in the foreground that reacts (in some way) to the corresponding key-codes (such as powerdvd) for some days and see if it still happens without any sage software running.... wait a minute... without sage... no sage... that's JUST CRAZY... noone could do that !!

[Swanson]

Need to bring this thread back from the dead as I am still experiencing the issue with no sight of a solution.

To re-iterate the original problem: Sage will intermittently change channels by itself. Something somewhere sends a channel-up or channel-down command and the channel changes with no user intervention. I have the Hauppauge PVR-150 and I'm using the Hauppauge IR Blaster to control my Motorola digital cable terminal.

I've spent the day today watching TV using WinTV2000 instead of Sage just so that I can say that I have used a different app. All I can say is that this issue never came up... not even once. After switching back to Sage, the issue came up within about 20 minutes.

Does anyone have any idea what could be the issue? As of now, I feel that I have proven that this appears to be a Sage issue (at least for me).

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

[jkoutrouba]

Originally Posted by Swanson

Need to bring this thread back from the dead as I am still experiencing the issue with no sight of a solution.

To re-iterate the original problem: Sage will intermittently change channels by itself. Something somewhere sends a channel-up or channel-down command and the channel changes with no user intervention. I have the Hauppauge PVR-150 and I'm using the Hauppauge IR Blaster to control my Motorola digital cable terminal.

To make things more complicated, I have a similar problem, except I'm not using the Hauppauge remote. I am using an X10 RF remote that sends -event commands to Sage. It will not only execute channel up/down, but also navigation (left, right, up, down) commands. This is a problem because it can result in things like the setup wizard being kicked off when the TV is off. I turn the receiver off when not in use to prevent it.