Changing cable station

[nathanm]

How do I get SageTV to change the cable station? I have Qwest and we have one main cable box. With Qwest you can use it for 3 different TVs and watch 3 different stations with just 1 cable box. The each cable connection has a radio frequency device attached to it. And you have to set it to a certain channel, say, 13. Then somehow you should be able to change the channels. I am unsure how to get this working. When I got it setup in SageTV, I goto channel 13 and it shows the Qwest stuff. But I am unable to change the channels through the SageTV because it has to remain on channel 13. Does anybody know a way around this? Does anybody have Qwest that can give me some tips or somethang?

[ke6guj]

When you do the source setup, you should be able to tell Sage to "use external Cable or Satellite receiver to tune channel". Then you should have an option to what channel to tune to, in your case it would be channel 13. That way, Sage will keep the tuner set to 13 and then change the channel on the STB directly. Are there any other ways to hook up the output to the TV except for coax? Such as s-video or composite? Those would give better quality and eliminate having to set the tuner to 13.

Then you just need to figure out the channel changing for the STB, probably some sort of IR blaster like the USB-UIRT. it would probably work good as it has 3 zones to match the 3 TV boxes.

[nathanm]

I bought a FusionHDTV card and it came with a remote. Am I wrong in assuming that I do not need to buy a USB-UIRT? There is really no other way to hook it up except coax, because the main box is in another room and the coax cable is connected throughout the place. Does anybody know if the FusionHDTV remote control can be used in SageTV without having to purchase a USB-UIRT?

Thanks!

[nathanm]

Btw what is STB? SageTV Box ??

[ke6guj]

OK, STB is set top box, such as a cable or satellite box for the TV.

I am now confused with your setup. The main box has 3 outputs that go to 3 TV via coax runs. Is there a box at each TV or does the coax go directly to the TV? If it goes directly to the TV, how does the person at the TV change the channel at the main box?

I haven't used a fusion remote, but I think it is only a remote and receiver, no IR blasting features, so it couldn't send an IR signal to change the channel on the STB. You could use the fusion remote to send signals to the USB-UIRT if you wanted to, if it is a IR remote. Like I said, not familiar with teh fusion remote, but don't think its an RF remote.

[nathanm]

Ok, my setup is like so..

In the living room is the STB. It is connected via coax cable to the wall. In the room where the computer is there is another coax cable that comes out of the wall. In the computer room is a Qwest radio frequency device attached to the coax cable. For Qwest to work in the computer room, the TV has to be on channel 13. And then you use the Qwest remote to send signals to the radio frequency device in order to change channels.

I am not sure how this will work with SageTV or what I need to get it hooked up. It seems that Qwest's RF/IR device on the coax cable changes the channels. I tried setting SageTV up the way you mentioned but was unable to change the channels through SageTV. I had to use the remote control to change the channels. The problem with this is SageTV is unable to change channels and therefore record my favorite shows.

Any suggestions?
Thanks again.

[ke6guj]

OK, more questions. The Main STB has only 1 coax cable attached to it? Or 4, the input from the CC and 3 going to the other TVs? The coax to the TV's, does it attach to the RFD (radio frequency device) then a separate coax to the TV? no other outputs on the RFD?

The idea is to figure out how to tell Sage how to control the STB, and specifically, how to control all 3 outputs separately. Hopefully, the Quest Remote is an IR remote. Do you have to point it at the RFD on the coax to change the channel? If so, it sounds like its an IR remote and the RFD then sends that signal to the STB either via RF over the air or through the coax.

If we get this to work, the idea would be to run all 3 coaxs to the RFD's right next to the Sage box. then set up the USB-UIRT to controll all 3 RFD's. You could then use any remote to control Sage, and Sage would control the Qwest boxes.


edit: I found this link, http://www.qwestchoice.com/guide/pipconnect.html , and it gave me some info. It appears that the Qwest setup is IPTV coming in via ethernet of some sort. The coax from the STB to the wall is distribution to the other tv's combining the outputs of the the STB into one coax. I didn't see anything about any radio frequency devices needed at the TV's. What do these RFD's look like, do?

I also saw that it may be that the main TV1 uses an IR remote, but that the remotes for TV2 and TV3 are RF remotes. If so, I don't think you'll be able to record 3 channels in Sage, since I don't know of an RF blaster out there. YOu'd be able to control TV1's output via a IR blaster. If all 3 remotes are IR based, and the RFD's convert the IR signal into a RF signal, then we're still OK.

[nathanm]

I don't want to record 3 different channels at a time. I only want to be able to record one channel at a time and be only connected to one of the coax cables.

"Do you have to point it at the RFD on the coax to change the channel?"...

Yes. I do. But the TV has to be set to channel 13. Then I can use the Qwest remote, pointed at the RFD, to change the channel in their system and watch a different show.

" If so, it sounds like its an IR remote and the RFD then sends that signal to the STB either via RF over the air or through the coax."..

Yeah I believe this is the case. So how would I get SageTV to then be able to change the channel?

[ke6guj]

OK then. If we are using an IR remote to tell the RFD to change the channel, then we need to get Sage to be able to send an IR signal to the RFD. Do you have an IR blaster in your setup, or do you just have the Fusion HDTV remote. Looking at the fusion website, I didn't see any IR blasting capabilities.

In that case, you'll need to get some sort of IR blaster. The USB-UIRT would probably be the most recommended solution. With an IR blaster, you should have everything you need. The STB will send out the tuned channel on channel 13. You tell Sage to use your tuner to capture signal coming in on channel 13 but that you'll use the STB to change channels. You then tell Sage to use the USB-UIRT to change the channel on the STB. That should be it.

With the USB-UIRT, it has 3 zones, so you could add in the other outputs of the STB into Sage later on just by adding capture cards to Sage. There are other IR blasters that could word, but the USB-UIRT is the most popular.

[sainswor99]

I don't have Qwest, but it sounds like an interesting setup.

Here's some pics of the back of the unit (and other stuff)

http://arizonaroads.com/VDSL/

Here's a review from broadbandreports (great site, BTW):

http://www.dslreports.com/comment/872/15584

here's a quote that seems like it's the key to the problem:

"For the remotes to work in rooms away from the gateway, they use radio and not infrared signals. A small antenna is put on the coax behnd the TVs to pick up the signal from the remote, and the gateway gets it off the coax. The gateway box itself also has an IR pickup, so you can use a programmable remote or other system to operate it from the same room."

It sounds like the small antenna is your mystery device, and is merely a repeater for the RF remote. Although, why it would need to be attached to the coax is a mystery to me; perhaps power? Do you have to have the antenna device attached to the coax if your TV is in the same room as the VDSL device?

Stu

[nathanm]

@sainswor99:

"Do you have to have the antenna device attached to the coax if your TV is in the same room as the VDSL device?"

I am not sure, but there is one of the antenna devices attached to the coax that goes directly from the STB to the TV.

[sainswor99]

Just as an experiment, can you bypass it temporarily?

BTW, do you have three remotes? Or does the remote move from room to room? If so, how does it know what channels to change?

Stu

[nathanm]

@ke6guj

Thanks for helping me understand how it works. I originally thought that the only purpose for having a USB-UIRT was to only receive IR signals. I didn't know that it could also send the signals to the antenna device as well to change the channels.

[nathanm]

@sainswor99:

Bypass it how?

We have 3 remotes. Each remote has the number of the channel the TV is suppose to be on in order for the remote to work. So you can only change the channel when the TV is on the channel that the remote is suppose to work for.

I believe you can also change the channel that the TV is on and see what the other 2 TVs are watching.

[sainswor99]

Originally Posted by nathanm

@sainswor99:

Bypass it how?

We have 3 remotes. Each remote has the number of the channel the TV is suppose to be on in order for the remote to work. So you can only change the channel when the TV is on the channel that the remote is suppose to work for.

I believe you can also change the channel that the TV is on and see what the other 2 TVs are watching.

Bypass it by plugging the coax cable from the main box directly into the tv, rather than through the little antenna thing. What I suspect is that the antenna device responds to an RF signal from the remote, and amplifies it so that the main box can hear it. If the tv is hooked up to the main box (without an antenna), but the remote is in the same room as the main box, the signal should still change the channel.

I'm not 100% sure of this, but it's my theory. If it is RF from remote to antenna (and not IR), then I don't think the USB-UIRT will work. Not sure, but just trying to help.

[nathanm]

I tested it. It won't change the channel with out the "Remote Antenna Package" as that is what it is called. I'll post a picture of it in a bit. If the USB-UIRT won't work with it, what will?

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by sainswor99

Bypass it by plugging the coax cable from the main box directly into the tv, rather than through the little antenna thing. What I suspect is that the antenna device responds to an RF signal from the remote, and amplifies it so that the main box can hear it. If the tv is hooked up to the main box (without an antenna), but the remote is in the same room as the main box, the signal should still change the channel.

I'm not 100% sure of this, but it's my theory. If it is RF from remote to antenna (and not IR), then I don't think the USB-UIRT will work. Not sure, but just trying to help.

On a different forum I read that the TV2 and TV3 outputs were controlled by RF, but since the OP has to point the remote at the RFD, then it sounds like the remotes are IR, not RF. Otherwise, an RF remote should not need to be pointed at the RFD to work, just be within range. And as long as the remote is IR, then the USB-UIRT should be able to control it.

[sainswor99]

You're totally right; I missed the part where he answered about having to point at the box. the UIRT should work.

Sorry for the confusion.

[nathanm]

Actually it doesn't have to be directly pointed at the device to work. I am pretty it is an RF device. It doesn't look like it receives IR.

http://www.nathanm.com/images/UnknownDevice1.jpg
http://www.nathanm.com/images/UnknownDevice2.jpg

The camera sucks so the images are blurry sorry.

What do I use if it is not IR?

[ke6guj]

Wow, thats a trippy looking deal to have in a "high tech" cable delivery system.

IF it is not IR, then I think you are out of luck trying to run Sage of TV2 or TV3. There are no RF blasters that I know of. I think you could, however, still set up Sage to run off TV1's outputs, as that output should be IR controlled.

You mentioned that each remote was set to change a specific TV output? And that using a remote on a different TV wouldn't work? I would see if there is any way to figure out if TV1, 2, or 3 could accept an IR signal to change the channel.

edit: Does the RFD device hide behind the TV during normal usage? IF so, probably RF. Does it have an little IR window in it, or does the remote have an IR window in the front of it? If not, more reason to think that TV2 and TV3 will be RF remotes. Does the remote for the main TV, TV1, have an IR port on the remote?

edit2: Here is a link that mentions setting up a DVR to your box. IT uses IR and uses TV1's outputs. http://www.qwestchoice.com/tivo.html