How do you control two Cable Boxes?

[sixdoubleo]

I am now seeing the need for multiple PVR cards and cable boxes. My question is....

If I have two identical cable boxes, how do I send IR commands to one without changing the channel of the other? Or is the solution to use different brand cable boxes?

Also....would I use multiple Actisys IR200L units? Or a single USB-UIRT unit???

Just wondering how I set this up.

Thanks

Dave

[sleonard]

I have been researching the multiple identical reciever issue myself since I'm in the same boat. At the current time I only know of one way to get past this and that is to distribute the recievers/PVRx50's in different rooms and use them as network encoders. But this means also having PC based clients for each one. It also means spending more money to also get Sage Recorder.

What is needed is an IR tranceiver that supports independantly addressable mini-blasters. I have communicated with J. Rhees from USB-UIRT and he has indicated that it would be possible to modify the USB-UIRT to add discrete mini-blaster support. I expect it would be cost-prohibitive for a one-time purchase.
Since Sage TV users are likely to encounter this situation, maybe we could get together and have Jon make a special version for Sage TV/Cable box owners.

[sixdoubleo]

That's pretty much what I thought....but it seems that mutliple tuner setups are the foundation that the SageTV Client/SageTV Server model is built... (who would build a whole-house solution with only one tuner????)

That being the case, what is the recommended setup for multiple tuners???? Differing brands?

[salsbst]

I think something like this...
http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_rt8.htm
...would do the trick, but at $168...
http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...tech+rt8+price
...it's pretty steep. There should be something cheaper out there.

[mikbro]

If you have not already checked this... see if your cable boxes can be setup with different "remote codes". This is typically used in satellite receivers to allow multiple receivers in the same room and prevent someone with the remote from changing channels on both units.

If your cable boxes don't have that capability check with your cable co to see if they offer other boxes that do.

If that does not pan out, there is no reason you could not use two actisys or USBIRT devices, one for each tuner/cable box. You would need to build an "ir fort" around each of your boxes and their respective emitters to prevent the co-mingling of IR signals. Not necesarily the prettiest solution, but it will work.