How do I Control Dish Network Receiver?

[qhplar]

Hi,

Sorry if this sound s dumb but here goes. I'm currently using a Avermedia Tuner card for my Digital QAM channels. I now want to hook up my Dish network receiver to the composite input on the TV card. Do I need USB-UIRT to control the dish network receiver from SageTV?

Thanks

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by qhplar

Hi,

Sorry if this sound s dumb but here goes. I'm currently using a Avermedia Tuner card for my Digital QAM channels. I now want to hook up my Dish network receiver to the composite input on the TV card. Do I need USB-UIRT to control the dish network receiver from SageTV?

Thanks

Yes the USB-UIRT is probably the easiest way since it is natively supported by Sage. You can use devices such as hauppauge IR blasters and the Microsoft IR blaster that comes with many MCE remotes; however, they are not natively supported. I use one USB-UIRT with 3 different Dish Network receivers.

[qhplar]

Great! And you answerd by other question "how many USB-UIRT's do I need"? I plan on using 3 receives eventually. I guess if I set the receiver ID differently on each receiver I can use one USB-UIRT for many receivers correct??

Thanks

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by qhplar

Great! And you answerd by other question "how many USB-UIRT's do I need"? I plan on using 3 receives eventually. I guess if I set the receiver ID differently on each receiver I can use one USB-UIRT for many receivers correct??

Thanks

Yep. If you set each of your dish network receivers to receive seperate IR codes, then you can just use 1 USB UIRT for all of them. The max amount I am not sure of, but with 3 you are definately fine (since many of us use 3 or more).

[sic0048]

It would be easier to change the IR code that the Dish box responds to, but.......

The USB-UIRT also supports up to three zones of blasting (at least those USB-UIRTs built since 02/04 - they have a z at the end of the model number). I'm not sure if Sage supports this option or not.

This allows you to send a specific IR signal out to 1 of three different zones. So if you have equipment that shares the same IR code, you can put them on three different zones. So even though the "Play" code is the same, if you send it to Z1, only that box will respond to it. Z2 and Z3 won't send out an IR code specified for Z1 and vice versa.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by sic0048

It would be easier to change the IR code that the Dish box responds to, but.......

The USB-UIRT also supports up to three zones of blasting (at least those USB-UIRTs built since 02/04 - they have a z at the end of the model number). I'm not sure if Sage supports this option or not.

This allows you to send a specific IR signal out to 1 of three different zones. So if you have equipment that shares the same IR code, you can put them on three different zones. So even though the "Play" code is the same, if you send it to Z1, only that box will respond to it. Z2 and Z3 won't send out an IR code specified for Z1 and vice versa.

You have to edit the .ir file with notepad or another text editor but yes this works with Sage as that is how I control my cable STB's on which I cannot change the codes.