USB-UIRT and Dish Network...Help

[jastromberg]

I just purchased the USB-UIRT to control my dish network DVR-625 (TV1) with SageTV.
I was able to get the USB-UIRT to learn the remote code by using the helper utility from USB-UIRT. I tested the transmission of the codes via the utility program and it changed the channels of the stb correctly.

I believe I set everything up in Sage correctly, but Sage does not appear to transmit the signal to the set top box through the USB-UIRT.

I tested changing stations using a keyboard in the SageTV guide, using a hauppauge remote, and I attempted using the DishNetwork remote.
None work correctly.
The keyboard changes the stations in the program, but it never changes the STB.

Any ideas? I imagine its something simple, but I don't really know what I am doing.

js

[davephan]

When you program SageTV with the Dish Network remote control, you need to hold the remote very close to the USB-UIRT, about 2 - 4 inches.

You might need to tweak your IR file. Maybe someone on the forum has your same Dish Network model set top box, and you could get a known good IR file from them. I included an example of an IR file for a Dish Network JVC-301 set top box.

Dave

[Fuzzy]

You shouldnt' have to use the usb-uirt utility tolear the codes. This feature is built into Sage. Just add your source in sage, and it will let you set up the USB-UIRT from there. You'll have to learn each number. When it asks you to learn the number, hold your dish remote about 3 inches from the front of the USBUIRT and press and hold the desired number button until sage says it has learned it. Once you have all 10 numbers learned, point the usbuirt to the dish box, and all should start working. When trying to change channels, is the red LED on the USBUIRT lighting up? if not, you may not have the drivers properly installed for the UIRT, or sage is not set up to use it.

[davephan]

I agree, the USB-UIRT utility is just for helping to resolve setup problems. I found that when I tried to learn IR codes with SageTV with the remote control a foot away from the USB-UIRT, it did not work. It was a surprise to me that the remote control had to be only about 2 - 4 inches away from the USB-UIRT.

Sometimes the IR file needs tweaking to get it to work correctly. I did a search for the DVR-625, and there were no other postings. If it is a popular set top box, then someone already has an IR file that would reduce the tweaking time, if it does not work perfectly after SageTV is successfully programed in the setup section.

If all that does not work, maybe you would test the same process with another device that works with a remote control to isolate the problem between the SageTV program, the USB-UIRT, and the set top box.


Dave

[jastromberg]

Thanks for the information.
I went through the Sage setup, pointing the remote to the USB-UIRT several times.
The first few times I tried it, I always got a time out message from the the drivers. Something along the lines of "took to long to transmit IR..."
odd.
So, I ran the utility.
I may just try to run the utility again adding a new source.

Here is an odd thing. One time I played with it I was able to use the volume control on my dish remote to control the volume in Sage.

I'll post back if I continue to have problems.
Thanks
js

[jastromberg]

Update and questions:

I tried running through the setup in Sage again. Sage learned the codes through the USB-UIRT correctly. Still, when I attempted to change channels using the keyboard or mouse or program guide (no remote), nothing happened.
or, the STB stayed on the same channel while Sage moved to the next channel.

A red light is emitting from the USB-UIRT after I type in the channel on the keyboard. I have also found what appears to be the IR receiver in the stb.
Still no dice

So, questions:
1: I am using the trial version of Sage because I want to make sure this all works before I purchase it. Will this make a difference?

2: How far away should the USB-UIRT be away from the set top box?

As far as testing with other devices: I have not done that yet. However, using the helper utility for the USB-UIRT I was able to change channels on my stb.

Thanks again
js

[davephan]

I think the trial version should work the same with the USB-UIRT -- its been many years since I had the trial version.

I have my USB-UIRT about 1 - 2 inches from the IR device on my set top box.

Are you using the original remote control that came with the set top box to program SageTV?

If you can't get SageTV and the USB-UIRT to work with your set top box, is there another set top box, TV, or some other device you could test programming SageTV to work the other device?

Dave

[jastromberg]

I tweaked the IR file with RepeatCount 10.
That made it so Sage can change the channel, but I have to put the usb-uirt right on the ir sensor of the stb. Its not perfect either. I think I have to go back and teach my remote 0,1 and a couple other numbers, but it did work, and hey, progress is progress.

This essentially means that the usb-uirt will be useless as a IR receiver unless I attach a blaster.

Do the blasters have to have a stereo 1/8" plug or can it be mono?

I also have the cheesy Hauppauge 45 button remote and the little IR Receiver it has.
Will sage get too confused if I use the Hauppauge receiver as the IR receiver and letting the USB-UIRT trasmit.

Also, I am assuming that the RepeatCount business makes the light last longer.
Any benefits to playing with the RepeatCount number?

Thanks for the help

[briands]

I would go back and try re-learning your codes... I have a single USBUIRT blasting to 3 STBs stacked on top of each other. The uirt is at a very steep angle to the units and still works fine.

Try copying the codes I posted here. They work well for me and I've had a couple other people use them as well.
These worked for both 211 and 311 dish boxes, I assume they will work for others as well.

[davephan]

I also found that I had to adjust the "Repeatcount" parameter in the IR file for some of the set top boxes I have used. It sounds like you have to put the USB-UIRT much closer to the set top box than my setup.

I also physically block my USB-UIRT from the part of the room where the remote control is used, so that USB-UIRT cannot receive the remote control IR signals. I use MVP media extenders instead of the PVR-350 video card, that are connected to my TVs. The media extenders receive the IR signals from the remote controls, and pass it to SageTV though the network cable.

Before, I used SageTV without media extenders, but ran into similar problems trying to get the USB-UIRT to receive both the remote control IR signal and transmit the IR signals into the set top boxes. Although, the main reason for switching to the MVP media extender was to playback compressed video, such as AVI files - the PVR-350 only plays back MPEG2 though it's video output.

Have you also checked if sunlight from a window might also be a problem, interfering with the IR signal? I haven't had that type of problem, but it might be worth checking.

I think you will find that SageTV works much better if you use media extenders.


Dave

[jastromberg]

Thanks,
A question that might solve it all for me...
Do I need the 56khz USB-UIRT?
If so.. I don't have it.
and, I bought it direct from their website rather than sage.


I'll keep toying with things.

[davephan]

I think I might have bought my USB-UIRT directly from the website instead of SageTV.

I think the 56k might be controlled by the IR file. The DirecTV set top box can be controlled by a serial connection, which might be a better way to control the DirectV set top box, but I already had the USB-UIRT. The USB-UIRT has the advantage of being more universal between the different set top boxes. I might not stay with DirecTV more than a couple of years, especially if there is a much better deal by one of the other providers.

Here are the first two lines of my IR files for the Dish Network JVC-301 which should be a 56K remote control, the cable TV Motorola DCT2000 and DirecTV D12-300 IR files. The repeat count values listed on the second line of each IR file worked the best for that set top box.

Dish Network JVC-301:
jvc301 56000 411 2 200 200
RepeatCount 4

Cable TV Motorola DCT2000:
MotorolaDCT2000 37616 411 3 600 1000
RepeatCount 10

DirecTV D12-300:
DirecTV 0 0 3 600 800
RepeatCount 7

Dave

[jastromberg]

I think I have it working now.
It gave me fits though. (odd things like Sage losing the #9, etc)
I set the RepeatCount to 4 and it now changes the stations on the stb from on top of the stb pointed in a different direction.
Thanks to all for their help
Next question will be related to getting the best video quality for sd using a s-video cable (I already put in Nvidia purevideo drivers and bumped it up to max settings, but it still isn't as crisp as it was before running through the Hauppauge card.)
I'll post these questions though in a new thread later on.
thanks again.

js

[davephan]

You might check your default video recording quality level.

Setup, Detailed Setup, Multimedia, Recording Quality, Set Quality.


Dave

[jastromberg]

Yeah,
I have it set to max..
Its just a tad bit less quality than it was before I ran it through the PC.
I am happy with it as is.. I imagine there are more tweaks I can do, but this is good for now.
Thanks so much again.

[Fuzzy]

Max is probably overkill. My recomendation is to lower it down a setting at a time, until you get unsatisfactory results, then go up one. The max setting uses quite a bit more space, without much actual improvement in quality.

The color calibrations cant have a surprising effect on quality, so you may want to look at tweaking them a bit (particularily bright and cont).