Access iNDemand channels?

[WillTV]

hey everyone,

I've tried searching but I'm just totally missing something. I've recently ordered NHL Center Ice through Comcast digital and I am having difficulty accessing those channels. Now I'm guessing I have to buy something to hook up directly to the box...but i just have no clue. Please help and some recommendations for the product would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

[edit]my setup: Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-500MCE, SageTV 6.2.10, Windows XP.
[edit2]ok. been reading more up on it. i've gotten to "connect my tuner to the STB via S-Video or composite (it would have to be composite since i don't see a S-Video output on the back of the STB". but i'm still not sure if i'll need an IR blaster...is that so i can change the channels from the computer? and if it does change the channel, does it also force the STB to change accordingly, or can they act independently?

[ke6guj]

AFAIK, there is no way for Sage to properly access inDemand or PPV channels. Sage does not know how to "order" the inDemand/PPV channel by sending the proper remote codes.

What people have done is to set up Sage so that it will tune to a empty channel and then manually control the STB with the remote and order the inDemand/PPV broadcast.

[WillTV]

ah. so basically I can't do a setup where my computer and the STB can be used independently? (like split the output or something)

and thanks for your reply ke6guj

[mikesm]

The closest thing that I have seen anyone do is what mkanet talks about in this post: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...&postcount=162

You could probably followup on his posts in that thread if that's something that might work for you.

thanks
Mike

[vividweb]

Do you need to send any special commands to your STB in order to tune to the NHL CI channels or can you just tune to channel XXX? If you connect your STB to your PVR 500 via composite connections you can use a USB UIRT to send the remote commands to the STB to change the channel. You can then also record any other channels your STB can pickup. If you want you can use your STB remote to change the channels independantly of Sage, but that would probably screw up recordings eventually.

If you have to send any extra commands beyond just a straight channel change then the post above would be about the only solution that I know of.