Utility: STBKeepAlive - scheduled commands for USB-UIRT

[jscole99]

Anyone have this working in Vista x64? I am getting the following dump:

2009-04-27 20:17:38,289 [4] FATAL STBKeepAlive.Service [(null)] - STBKeepAlive encountered a fatal exception in 'STBKeepAlive::Program::Main()'
System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'UsbUirt.Controller' threw an exception. ---> System.ApplicationException: Unable to read UsbUirt driver version ---> System.BadImageFormatException: An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007000B)
at UsbUirt.Controller.UUIRTGetDrvInfo(UInt32& drvVersion)
at UsbUirt.Controller..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at UsbUirt.Controller..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at UsbUirt.Controller..ctor()
at STBKeepAlive.Service.StartService()

Looks like there is an issue reading the USB UIRT driver version

[crobs808]

How do I get this keep-alive fix for U-Verse to work on my setup?...

I have a Hauppauge HD-PVR hooked up to my computer, using Component to my VIP1200 for U-Verse for HD recording. I am using the included IR Blaster that came with my HD-PVR for STB tuning purposes. How can I send the keep-alive signal thru the IR Blaster?

Thanks!!

[crobs808]

*bump*

there has to be someone else that used the included IR Blaster (which works) instead of paying extra for the USB-UIRT device. Anyone?

I am using SageTV on Vista with the Hauppauge HD-PVR

Thanks

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by crobs808

*bump*

there has to be someone else that used the included IR Blaster (which works) instead of paying extra for the USB-UIRT device. Anyone?

I am using SageTV on Vista with the Hauppauge HD-PVR

Thanks

Sorry for the delayed reply, I wasn't getting notification from this thread?

This utility was designed specifically to communicate with the USB-UIRT driver and works for other HTPC systems outside of the SageTV community.

Off the top of my head, I'm not sure of another clean method to achieve this goal. I understand your position on not wanting to purchase more dedicated hardware when you already have it working with the included IR blaster. Maybe some other forum members have an alternate idea or method. You may try posing in the Hardware Support section of the forum.

We should really "beg" SageTV to include this as a feature request ... "SageTV, please add a method to send a "wake" command sequence, followed by a configurable delay to the STB prior to a channel change. There are several current and a growing number of STB's that go into sleep mode and can only be accessed by pressing a dedicated button or sequence of buttons to wake the STB back up. Content providers are not providing access in the STB configuration to disable this sleep behavior. One real world example is AT&T Uverse."

If we can get enough people to submit this to SageTV, then maybe they will add this to a future build.

Cheers, SB

[lpott6]

SB,

Do you have a timetable for releasing v1.0.3, or is the one in this thread okay to install and use?

Thanks,

[shadeblue.com]

NEW RELEASE 1.0.3

- Release 1.0.3 (2009-05-03 - RELEASE)

• fix. modified program to not reference USB-UIRT driver directly, but rather shell out to a secondary EXE to send IR instructions. This change appears to significantly improve long term stability and potential USB-UIRT deadlocks.

More Information is located on the DOWNLOADS page

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by lpott6

SB,

Do you have a timetable for releasing v1.0.3, or is the one in this thread okay to install and use?

Thanks,

Done :-)

If you already installed the 1.0.3 beta that was in this thread, then there is no need to re-install the latest "release" copy. There is no difference between the two.

[lpott6]

Originally Posted by shadeblue.com

Done :-)

If you already installed the 1.0.3 beta that was in this thread, then there is no need to re-install the latest "release" copy. There is no difference between the two.

Thanks SB,

This is one of the most important plugins I use. It keeps my Dish STB working and my WAF high.

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by jscole99

Anyone have this working in Vista x64? I am getting the following dump:

2009-04-27 20:17:38,289 [4] FATAL STBKeepAlive.Service [(null)] - STBKeepAlive encountered a fatal exception in 'STBKeepAlive::Program::Main()'
System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'UsbUirt.Controller' threw an exception. ---> System.ApplicationException: Unable to read UsbUirt driver version ---> System.BadImageFormatException: An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007000B)
at UsbUirt.Controller.UUIRTGetDrvInfo(UInt32& drvVersion)
at UsbUirt.Controller..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at UsbUirt.Controller..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at UsbUirt.Controller..ctor()
at STBKeepAlive.Service.StartService()

Looks like there is an issue reading the USB UIRT driver version

I'm pretty sure this is a driver problem, I have never got it working properly on Vista x64 :-(

[turak]

Originally Posted by shadeblue.com

I'm pretty sure this is a driver problem, I have never got it working properly on Vista x64 :-(

It looks like Windows 7 x64 has the same problem. I'm using the Vista driver which works for SageTV, but not STB KeepAlive. I guess I need to figure out some other way to keep my Uverse STB's from sleeping.

I wonder if studio provides a hook to have SageTV send scheduled IR commands. I may try prefixing channel changes with the 'OK' command.

[Fluffdaddy]

Thank you.......This utility saved me a lot of headaches

[turak]

Originally Posted by turak

It looks like Windows 7 x64 has the same problem. I'm using the Vista driver which works for SageTV, but not STB KeepAlive. I guess I need to figure out some other way to keep my Uverse STB's from sleeping.

I wonder if studio provides a hook to have SageTV send scheduled IR commands. I may try prefixing channel changes with the 'OK' command.

I setup SageTV to prefix channel changes with the 'OK' command. So far I haven't had any issues with my STB's not being awake for recordings.

[timg11]

I need this functionality, but I don't have a USB-UIRT. I use the Hauppauge HD-PVR's IR blaster. With version 1.03's new ability to shell out to an EXE is there any way to drive the HD-PVR IR blaster via an EXE?

[LLPenn]

I tried to use this STBKeepAlive with BeyondTV using uirt and it disable Firefly RF remote. I had to re-install BTV to fix the problems. Do you know if something could be changed to make it compatible. My system has been working fine for many years now until I switched to att U-verse and Cisco boxes. I have been told att is phasing out Motorola boxes and going with Cisco. This will be a great system when I get it to work completely.

Has/is anyone added channel 1 and channel 9999 to there guide? I have been told with those channel added you can record from the movie library on channel 1 or record from the DVR on channel 9999.

So Shadeblue.com would you please look into providing an answer to the STBKeepAlive working with BTV.

Thanks,

Larry

[mtenboer]

Turak - how did you configure Sage to precede channel changes for the DISH box with "OK" ?

[jerryt]

My Dish VIP211K started entering "Sleep" because it took a software update, so I tried STBKeepAlive with the following config file edit;

<Jobs>

<!-- ******************************************** -->
<!-- This default job will send a 'select' button -->
<!-- signal to Dish VIP211K STBs -->
<!-- at the scheduled times every day. -->
<!-- ******************************************** -->
<Job Name="VIP211K Wakeup" >
<Triggers>
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 03:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="03:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 09:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="09:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 03:58 PM" Type="Daily" Time="15:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 09:58 PM" Type="Daily" Time="21:58" />
</Triggers>
<Commands>
<Command Name="Button - Select"
IR="0000 0048 0000 0011 0017 0163 0017 00A2 0017 0061 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A0"
RepeatCount="4" />
</Commands>
</Job>

Appears to be working well. Thanks

Question, can I delete all the other commands in the config file?

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by jerryt

My Dish VIP211K started entering "Sleep" because it took a software update, so I tried STBKeepAlive with the following config file edit;

<Jobs>

<!-- ******************************************** -->
<!-- This default job will send a 'select' button -->
<!-- signal to Dish VIP211K STBs -->
<!-- at the scheduled times every day. -->
<!-- ******************************************** -->
<Job Name="VIP211K Wakeup" >
<Triggers>
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 03:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="03:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 09:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="09:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 03:58 PM" Type="Daily" Time="15:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 09:58 PM" Type="Daily" Time="21:58" />
</Triggers>
<Commands>
<Command Name="Button - Select"
IR="0000 0048 0000 0011 0017 0163 0017 00A2 0017 0061 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A0"
RepeatCount="4" />
</Commands>
</Job>

Appears to be working well. Thanks

Question, can I delete all the other commands in the config file?

Sure delete the other commands should not be a problem at all. I think they are commented out already, but feel free to delete them from your config file.

-SB

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by shadeblue.com

Sure delete the other commands should not be a problem at all. I think they are commented out already, but feel free to delete them from your config file.

-SB

Ran into a problem with the 1.0.3 version. It stopped finding the USB-UIRT device and the error log says to check that the device and drivers are installed. I tried to run under the same user account as sage, but in services it won't allow me to use that user because that account does not have a password.

My work arround was to run the STBKeepAlive command prompt window at boot by adding it to the Windows startup folder. This is working great.

The next work arround would have been to run sage as a service, but this is running on a server and having the command prompt window open is not a problem and I was not sure what problems might develop from changing sage to a service.

Thanks for this great program!

[steingra]

Im sorry if I missed it in this thread, but can anyone post their code for "select button" on the DISH ViP211 unit.

Im looking for solution to get rid of the stupid screensaver.

I did what I could in the DISH receiver settings, but as others have pointed out...that only takes you part of the way to a working solution.

Thanks

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by steingra

Im sorry if I missed it in this thread, but can anyone post their code for "select button" on the DISH ViP211 unit.

Im looking for solution to get rid of the stupid screensaver.

I did what I could in the DISH receiver settings, but as others have pointed out...that only takes you part of the way to a working solution.

Thanks

<Job Name="VIP211K Wakeup" >
<Triggers>
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 03:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="03:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 06:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="06:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 09:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="09:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 12:58 pM" Type="Daily" Time="12:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 03:58 PM" Type="Daily" Time="15:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 06:58 pM" Type="Daily" Time="18:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 09:58 PM" Type="Daily" Time="21:58" />
<Trigger Name="Daily @ 12:58 AM" Type="Daily" Time="00:58" />
</Triggers>
<Commands>
<Command Name="Button - Select"
IR="0000 0048 0000 0011 0017 0163 0017 00A2 0017 0062 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A2 0017 00A0"
RepeatCount="4" />
</Commands>