Utility: STBKeepAlive - scheduled commands for USB-UIRT

[sebastia]

Originally Posted by bialio

OK - I haven't had any luck getting this working on x64 windows. HOWEVER.

I have found a way to get things working more or less.

There is a command line utility for USB-UIRT that will send commands called 'uutx.exe'. I downloaded it here.

So with that, I created a couple of batch files that fire off the commands I had STBKeepAlive running :

uutx.exe "0034 0022 0953 ...."

That's not the real code, but the same code you would use in the STBKeepAlive config file works with uutx.exe.

Then, the good old Task Scheduler in Windows has a few tasks defined that fire off at the required times. Note that since I run Sage in Service mode, to get it to work I had to specify in the task to run the batch file as "NT Authority\SYSTEM" user. While testing I took Sage out of service mode, and it worked fine as my normal login user.

So now I'm back in business!

btl.

uutx.exe doesn't work for me with my Windows 7 64-bit. Got this:

ERROR: Unable to load uuirtdrv,dll!

My uutx version is 0.3. Seems to be the latest already. What have I missed?

[wayner]

This thread has been quiet for a while! Can I use STBKeepAlive, or some other program to just do a power toggle on an as-needed basis? Once every few months my cable co does an upgrade or something that causes the box - a SA/Cisco 3200 to shut off. I then need to toggle the power but I may occasionally be away from home for a while. I would love to be able to log in remotely and just quickly run a command or a batch file to send a power toggle to this box.

My cable box is a SA3200 and it is controlled by a USB-UIRT.

Thanks for your help.

[bialio]

The main thing you need to do is figure out the commands that you need to send. Once you have that the uutx.exe program (link a couple of posts back) can send it, at which point you can create a batch file or a task or something along those lines.

This tool (STBKeepAlive) is geared more towards an automated cyclical command delivery - every X hours send this command, etc.

btl.

[wayner]

Thanks bialio - just sending a command every X hours would be dangerous in my instance. The SA3200 does not appear to be able to turn itself on with any channel change request (unlike the SA3250 or SA4250). It also does not appear to have a discrete Power ON, only a Power Toggle.

Does anyone else know the IR code for Power Toggle for an SA/Cisco box. I am pretty sure that it is the same for all SA/Cisco boxes.

[bialio]

You can record it from your USB-UIRT. You need the utility that is part of the download for STBKeepAlive. There's info over at the download site : http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/down...do=file&id=246

[wayner]

In case anyone ever needs it here is the command, using uutx, to send a power toggle to a SA/Cisco box from a USB-UIRT using all zones:

uutx "0000 0048 0000 0018 00BF 00C0 002F 0091 002F 0091 002F 0030 002F 0091 002F 0091 002F 0091 002F 0091 002F 0091 002F 0030 002F 0030 0030 0030 002F 0030 002F 0030 002F 0091 0030 0030 002F 0030 0030 0030 002F 0031 002F 0030 002F 0091 002F 0091 002F 0091 0030 085C"

[Muaddib]

Any chance that a WHS 2011 driver will be created? It is a 64bit platform and from reading the posts in this thread the utility is not compatible with 64 bit OSs.

[nettech_gt]

The ir learn utility crashes when I try to run it. So I used irnhelper. Captured the ir command I needed and pasted in the config file. But stbkeepalive is also crashing. Help...

I'm using Win 7 and USBUIRT driver version 2.02.16.

EVENT #8545 EVENT LOGApplication EVENT TYPEError OPCODEInfo SOURCESTBKeepAlive.exe EVENT ID0 COMPUTERNAME SAGETV-SERVER DATE / TIME 3/2/2012 3:55:05 AM MESSAGE2012-03-02 03:55:04,984 [12] ERROR STBKeepAlive.Service - [STBKeepAlive.Transmit] TRANSMISSION TO USBUIRT FAILED.
[STBKeepAlive.Transmit] ERROR: 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.Transmit.Program.Main(String[] args)

Unhandled Exception: 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.Finalize()

[wayner]

Are you running 32 bit or 64 bit Win7? 64 bit might be a problem.

[nettech_gt]

64 bit. Is there a fix for 64 bit? Or is there similar program that works with 64 bit Win 7?

[wayner]

Try contacting the guy that sells the USB-UIRT as he may have 64 bit versions. The reason that I have so far stuck with 32 bit for Sage is channel changing - there are no FireWire drivers for 64 bit that allow channel changing.

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by nettech_gt

64 bit. Is there a fix for 64 bit? Or is there similar program that works with 64 bit Win 7?

I have updated the software attempting to support Windows 7 - x64.

First, you must have the correct Windows 7 USB-UIRT driver installed. You can download the driver from this page: http://www.usbuirt.com/getstart.htm

Next, you have to install a new version of STBKeepAlive. Make sure to backup any changes to your existing configuration file, then uninstall the existing version. Next download and install version STBKeepAlive version 1.0.7 and start testing.

Please be aware that I have only performed very limited testing with this version as my SageTV system is not running on Windows 7 x64.

Please post back with any success or failure updates so that the community can know if this is working properly.

Thanks, SB

[nettech_gt]

First, THANX! for continuing to support this program. I have followed all steps above, unfortunately I get the same results as in post 168.

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by nettech_gt

First, THANX! for continuing to support this program. I have followed all steps above, unfortunately I get the same results as in post 168.

Did you first uninstall any previous version of STBKeepAlive?
Can you try to just run the IR Learn program and see if it works or errors out. Lets try to get that working first, and then move on to the NT service.

I was able to run it here on Win7 x64 and capture an IR code and then re-transmit the IR code using the IR Learn program.

Thanks, SB

[nettech_gt]

Originally Posted by shadeblue.com

Did you first uninstall any previous version of STBKeepAlive?
Can you try to just run the IR Learn program and see if it works or errors out. Lets try to get that working first, and then move on to the NT service.

I was able to run it here on Win7 x64 and capture an IR code and then re-transmit the IR code using the IR Learn program.

Thanks, SB

Yes I uninstalled the old version (1.0.5) and rebooted. Then manually deleted all left over traces in the registry. I then installed the new version. (1.0.7)

I have attached the error message I get when I open the IR learn program. (which is the same error I got when using 1.0.5.)

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by nettech_gt

I have attached the error message I get when I open the IR learn program. (which is the same error I got when using 1.0.5.)

Post #168 describes an error message of

The type initializer for 'UsbUirt.Controller' threw an exception. ---> System.ApplicationException: Unable to read UsbUirt driver version

The new screenshot is a different error message:

Unable to connect to USB-UIRT device! Please ensure device is connected to the computer

This error is saying that the program can't find the USB device. If you are running SageTV or any other program that may be accessing the USB-UIRT device, then exit those applications prior to running the IR Learn utility.

Also, when you install STBKeepAlive, it tries to auto-start the NT service, so use the STOP service link in the program files to make sure the STBKeepAlive NT service is not running.

Now try running the IR Learn program again and lets see what happens. We are just trying to see if maybe there is contention over the USB-UIRT device between multiple programs. Bialio documented his findings back on post #158 where the USB-UIRT would encounter access problems depending on the service modes running for SageTV and STBKeepAlive.

The USB-UIRT driver version screenshot looks identical to the version that I have installed here. So that looks good.

Thanks, SB

[nettech_gt]

Originally Posted by shadeblue.com

Post #168 describes an error message of

The type initializer for 'UsbUirt.Controller' threw an exception. ---> System.ApplicationException: Unable to read UsbUirt driver version

The new screenshot is a different error message:

Unable to connect to USB-UIRT device! Please ensure device is connected to the computer

This error is saying that the program can't find the USB device. If you are running SageTV or any other program that may be accessing the USB-UIRT device, then exit those applications prior to running the IR Learn utility.

Also, when you install STBKeepAlive, it tries to auto-start the NT service, so use the STOP service link in the program files to make sure the STBKeepAlive NT service is not running.

The USB-UIRT driver version screenshot looks identical to the version that I have installed here. So that looks good.

Thanks, SB

Sorry for the confusion with the errors messages. The error message from post 168 was from the event viewer (Windows) when STBKeepAlive failed on its scheduled time. However even though I failed to mention it I did receive the same error message as in the screen shot I recently posted. When I tried opening the IR learn utility not realizing the SageTV service has to be stopped first.

So now I have stopped the SageTV service. Stopped the STBKeepAlive service. I now can successfully open the IR learn utility. I have been able "learn" a command using the remote from the STB I'm trying to control. When I click "transmit" I see the USB-UIRT flash but it dose not actually "wake" the STB. However when I use the remote, it wakes the STB.

[shadeblue.com]

Originally Posted by nettech_gt

So now I have stopped the SageTV service. Stopped the STBKeepAlive service. I now can successfully open the IR learn utility. I have been able "learn" a command using the remote from the STB I'm trying to control. When I click "transmit" I see the USB-UIRT flash but it dose not actually "wake" the STB. However when I use the remote, it wakes the STB.

This could be any number of problems. Are you using external IR transmitters plugged into the USB-UIRT or are you using it without external IR "bugs"? If using without are you pointing the front of the USB-UIRT at the STB? The internal IR transmitters are behind the plastic translucent panel on the front of the USB-UIRT.

To try and narrow down the variables, can you also try another device and remote? Maybe a DVD player or Blue-Ray or TV?

Does the USB-UIRT work with your STB when using SageTV?

I tried here on Win7x64 and both learn and transmit seem to be working OK for me.

Thanks, SB

[nettech_gt]

Originally Posted by shadeblue.com

This could be any number of problems. Are you using external IR transmitters plugged into the USB-UIRT or are you using it without external IR "bugs"? If using without are you pointing the front of the USB-UIRT at the STB? The internal IR transmitters are behind the plastic translucent panel on the front of the USB-UIRT.

To try and narrow down the variables, can you also try another device and remote? Maybe a DVD player or Blue-Ray or TV?

Does the USB-UIRT work with your STB when using SageTV?

I tried here on Win7x64 and both learn and transmit seem to be working OK for me.

Thanks, SB

Yes my USB-UIRT works with SageTV for all my STBs. I am using IR emitters for each of my three Dish Network STBs. Each STB is configured to a different remote channel. I have tested two different model STBs (VIP 211 and VIP 222) both give me the same results. When I transmit, the USB-UIRT flashes and all the IR emitters flash but nothing happens with the STB I'm testing.

[nettech_gt]

I also hooked up a emitter to a IR remote controlled fan and tested with my USB-UIRT and I still get the same results.