How to fine tune IR blaster?

[dshields]

My USB-UIRT is not correctly changing the channels on my cable box. I'm trying to trouble shoot this.

I have found out that in order to make any changes to this setting I have to stop and disable the sage tv service. That's a pain.

I also believe this problem only started when I restored my prior wiz.bin after doing a full reinstall. Undoing that doesn't fix the problem, however.

So can anyone suggest ways I can fix or troubleshoot this?

How would I get USB-UIRT codes for a Motorola DCT2244? Thanks

[mike1961]

What cable / satellite service do you have? Have you considered a serial cable instead? It's way more reliable and easier to setup.

Mike

[dshields]

Originally Posted by mike1961

What cable / satellite service do you have? Have you considered a serial cable instead? It's way more reliable and easier to setup.

Mike

OK. I'm going to try that. In Video Setup > Tuner Control, I can't seem to change to any option other than ir blaster settings. How do I switch to a serial cable?

Let me guess... I have to exit sageTV, stop the SageTV service, disable the service, start sageTV, remove the existing video source that uses USB-UIRT, and then set it all up again, then exit, then start the sageTV service and test it (and it probably won't work, so I have to do it all again).

[dshields]

Originally Posted by dshields

Let me guess... I have to exit sageTV, stop the SageTV service, disable the service, start sageTV, remove the existing video source that uses USB-UIRT, and then set it all up again, then exit, then start the sageTV service and test it (and it probably won't work, so I have to do it all again).

That is exactly what happened! This is so frustrating!

[Opus4]

Since you are having problems using the service w/the USB-UIRT, why don't you just leave service mode off until you've got things configured?

- Andy

[dshields]

OK. I'll leave the service disabled. Does that have any effect on where the properties (settings) get stored? When I first did the new setup, I was forced to run the wizard twice and that gave me the impression that the service got its settings from a separate file, so I have been enabling the service after every change to make sure the settings changes were applied there. I guess that's just stupid.

[dshields]

Originally Posted by mike1961

What cable / satellite service do you have? Have you considered a serial cable instead? It's way more reliable and easier to setup.

Mike

Anyone have a good reference for the definitive "How To" guide for this?

I use Comcast with a Motorola DCT 2244.

So far I have now figured out that I need a plugin to make this work, but the posts I've seen make it look like a nightmare to get it all set up. I don't even know which plugin to start with, and apparently that's the easy part.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by dshields

I use Comcast with a Motorola DCT 2244.

I've never had to learn the IR codes for my Moto DCT 2244 and USB-UIRT. I don't have comcast so maybe that makes a difference - don't know. But I just used the MotorolaDCT2000.ir that Sage includes in the install and that has always worked great.

Now for the advanced options you may want: Since I wanted zone controls for multiple DCT2244's I copied the file and changed the name both inside the file and the file name to match (See graphics below). The only settings I've had to fine tune have been the delay between codes and the delay between channels - they were too long with the supplied settings. Just go to the source wizard summary and select your tuner that you are controlling the DCT with (graphic below). Select it then select the tuner control button (graphic below). In the popup select remote options (graphic below). Another popup menu lets you change the digits per channel, Channel change confirmation, Delay between codes and the delay between channel changes and this works with service mode runing and from a client as I had to change this last night and I did it from my MVP.

Hope this helps you.

BobP.

Edit: removed a misleading sentence.

[Sambo555]

Boy, I hate to see other people struggling with this the way I did.

I searched everywhere for how to setup the usbuirt with sagetv and multiple set top boxes. I use 2 Motorolas, a DCT2000 and a DCT2500. Trying to control multiple boxes means you have to setup USBUIRT to use zones. It has 3 zones. Zone 1 and 2 are via the mini plug on back of unit. Zone 3 is the main front-side emitter. If you don't specify zones in your .ir files then the front emitter will send signals to all 3 zones.

With the usbuirt controlling 1 device that zone stuff doesn't really matter.

This is more or less what worked for me....

1. Go to www.usbuirt.com/getstart.htm and download the latest drivers for the usbuirt. Think they're v1.4 for windows. You don't need any other plugins from here. SageTV will actually 'control' your usbuirt so you don't need girder plugins or anything (unless you want to use girder)

2. Go to the usbuirt forum and search for a remote code utility called irnhelper.

3. Install the v1.4 windows drivers for usbuirt on the sage computer.

4. Install irnhelper. Use this to learn your remote codes. It comes with instructions. It's a lot easier and more accurate (I found) than the sage method of getting your codes. Note: You have to hold your remote close (<6 inches) from the front of the usbuirt. Also, note that the remote you are learning the codes for here are the one you normally use to transmit to your digital box. The remote that you use to send signals to SageTV could be something entirely different. This one you learn normally through SageTV setup-Detailed Setup-Commands-Link Infrared/Keystroke to SageTV command.

5. You can use my attached .ir files for template. Copy and paste 1st 2 lines to your ir file. Use the 2500.ir first 2 lines as these are more generic.

6. Copy and paste your codes learned for the numbers 0-9 below the 2 lines.

7. Learn, Copy and paste any other buttons you have to send to your motorola box to change channels. For instance, I have mine setup so that I have to press the 'Enter' button after my channel entry before it will change.

8. Name your file something meaningful like DCT2244.ir. Copy this file to the same directory the Sage MotorolaDCT2000.ir file is in. I believe it is SageTv/Common/RemoteCodes/USB-UIRT Transceiver.

9. What I usually do at this point is stop SageTV service, close the SageTV GUI, restart the service then restart the GUI.

10. Go to Setup - Setup Video Sources - Add New Source (or select the one you want to change)

11. Follow the SageTV manual for installing your device, using an external device with tuning plugin usb-uirt transceiver. When it comes to the part about learing your remote.....don't. You already learned it above.

12. Learn your receiving remote codes in SageTV setup if you haven't done that already.

13. Test out your channel changes to your digital box.


Tips on .ir file...............
I set these up on recommendations from other postings and they seem to work well. Info on this is hard to come by. Look at the attached jpeg for my limited knowledge on it.

If anyone else has an explanation of the ir file line meanings it would be great to hear it!

I hope this will help you out.

[mike1961]

Okay - here's what you really need to do to set up the serial cable on your server to change the cable box and it will work PERFECTLY.

1. Just Remove your video source (in detailed setup) and Add it back. Then it takes you through everything step by step. It will ask you how you want to connect. I select DirecTV serial cable (as an example). Then you select a com port like com1.

Now, I have SageServer setup so I don't worry about the USB-UIRT since I don't have one on my server. But, I do use it with my SageClients.

Mike

[dshields]

Originally Posted by Sambo555

Boy, I hate to see other people struggling with this the way I did.

I hope this will help you out.

Those are awesome tips. I want to set up 3 STBs, but I have to wait until I have all my other problems resolved first. So I'm going to save this reference to your post. Thanks!

[dshields]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Okay - here's what you really need to do to set up the serial cable on your server to change the cable box and it will work PERFECTLY.

1. Just Remove your video source (in detailed setup) and Add it back. Then it takes you through everything step by step. It will ask you how you want to connect. I select DirecTV serial cable (as an example). Then you select a com port like com1.

Now, I have SageServer setup so I don't worry about the USB-UIRT since I don't have one on my server. But, I do use it with my SageClients.

Mike

I wonder why everything I try with SageTV is so hard? These steps are exactly what I tried at first, hoping it would be that easy. It didn't work, so I read some posts in this forum and that lead me to believe that I had to install a plugin to make this work. Maybe I'll try it again.

Right now, when my server is able to change channels, my clients (MediaMVP)work perfect. I would hate to have 2 different systems. What do you mean by your last 2 sentences? Thanks.

[Sambo555]

You're welcome.

I did try the MotorolaDCT2000.ir that came with SageTV with my DCT2000 and it worked sporatically. I spent time frustrating over that one. Once I learned the codes with irnhelper it was evident that my remote was sending out different codes than the stock Sage ir had. Maybe my firmware on STB was different or something. Anyways, all running good now and the HAF factor couldn't be better.