DirecTV serial tuning dash '-' help

[JBirdZee]

I've been searching these forums high and low - I apologize if this has been resolved elsewhere.... from what I could see there was some discussion and most of the solutions involved that Patterson device.

Several of my DirecTV HD channels are selected by sending '-1' at the end of the standard channel.

I am using serial tuning to control an H21 HD receiver. My PC has serial ports built in so my configuration is:

PC-->Null Modem-->Serial/USB cable-->H21.

Channel changing works great, I just can't tune any of the channels that have the dash '-'. Has anyone else gotten this to work in Sage with serial control... NOT using the Patterson device?

I don't think the rest of my system specs matter for this, but here goes: P4 1.8GHz Headless Server, (1) HDPVR, (1) DVICO Fusion 3, (1) PVR-150. DTV H21, DTV H11, both controlled via serial tuning. (1) HD Extender, (2) MediaMVP.

[SWKerr]

I am using a similar setup with HD-PVR and a DirecTV H20 but my local OTA channels don't show up in the DirecTV guide in SageTV. Only the normal locals are on the DirecTV guide. The only place I get the 5-1, 5-2 channels is through the HDHR OTA tuner. I can see those stations in the DirecTV guide on the receiver I just can tune them in Sage.

Those channels are just the OTA stations from you DirecTV tuner. You would really get a better picture for them from an OTA tuner card than and HD-PVR capture after they run through the DirecTV receiver.

[Beefcake550]

So, not sure if this is what you want, but here goes.

I have the HR-23 and I always want the HD channel to tune in rather than the SD channel. What I did was I have the HR-23 setup say "always tune HD channels instead of SD channel". It's in the setup menus somewhere. Then, when SageTV tunes to the channel, the HR23 always tunes in the HD channel.

So, I don't know how to add the "-1" but I can't imagine it's all that hard. If the above is nto a workable solution for you, let me know what the keystrokes are to "go to a HD channel" instead of theSD channel.

-Brian

[sdsean]

on HD-21s the setting is like Show/HID HD Duplicates. But this doesn't help me with
Stations that are listed as SD first then HD with a "-1".

There is another post here, that looks like it'd probably work, but you have to remap the channels which is a pain.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...l+control+dash

[Beefcake550]

My understanding is that there are two settings.

1) show/hide SD/HD duplicates (in guide)
2) tune in SD/HD by default

it's #2 that will help. if you tune to HD by default, you don't need the "-1". Say I want to record ESPN in HD, I just enter 206, not 206-1 like I would have to if I didn't tune to HD by default.

-Brian

[sdsean]

Hmmm. . . yeah your right if it is number 2, which i haven't seen before. I'll play around with my settings and find out. Perhaps its only for H23 STBs?

[Beefcake550]

If I have a chance, I'll take a look at my menus and let you know exactly where the setting is. It's pretty crappy weather here in Massachusetts right now and we have actually been without main power for the past 4 days. It jsut came back yesterday. As such, I've been busy with house chores

-B

[mr_lore]

As an outsider ( I have no DirecTV setup) sending the dash '-' as an ascii chracter over the serial connection comes to mind as a possible solution.

[sdsean]

I know its been a while, but I just now had a chance to revist this since i have the day off.

So has anyone found a solution to this without having to remap channels?

I did check and the only option on my H21 STB is "Hide SD Duplicates", and I can't find anything for "Tune HD first".

Remapping channels is not a good solution b/c the channel lineup in DirecTV often changes and you'd have to go back through and constantly update it yourself.

Does Sage support provide any options?

[Beefcake550]

Well, the "hide sd duplicates" should accomplish what you want. I have the H23 and my local CBS channel is on channel 4. If I have "Hide SD Duplicates" enabled, and I tune to "4", I get the HD version of the show. If I disable the "Hide SD Duplicates", and tune to "4", I'd get the SD version.

I thoought this solved your problem, no? If not, what excatly are you trying to do that you can't accomplish.

[sdsean]

I thought it would too, but when watching NFL sunday ticket this fall (moot now i know), I swear it was always tuning the SD version.

Either way though, I've moved on from that and just want to be able to tune a channel with a "-" without having to re-map channels and use the .exe plugin etc.

[gplasky]

The "-" is a command you can link to a button on your remote (or keyboard or any other IR device). Detailed Setup-Commands-Link infrared/keystroke to Sage TV command. When you click on that menu choice go up two pages and it's between Smooth Rew and Aspect Ratio Toggle.

Gerry

[71_Cuda]

Originally Posted by gplasky

The "-" is a command you can link to a button on your remote (or keyboard or any other IR device). Detailed Setup-Commands-Link infrared/keystroke to Sage TV command. When you click on that menu choice go up two pages and it's between Smooth Rew and Aspect Ratio Toggle.

Gerry

Howdy, neighbor!

How would this work with serial tuning, which I believe was the original question? I'm trying to get the same thing working right now. I've been struggling with the channel mapping and .exe plugin solution that sdsean refers to above, and still don't have it working. I'd be happy to have it working, even with the remapping. Is what you're suggesting able to be implemented with the native DirecTV Serial Tuning control in SageTV?

[gplasky]

Sorry-it appears not. It appears my post is only valid for IR tuning because:

Originally Posted by Narflex

SageTV can handle dashes in the channel numbers. It'll pass them through to the IR tuning plugin as a separate command. So if the channel is set to be "34-2" and you're using the USB-UIRT or Actisys then it'll send 3, 4, -, 2. For other tuning plugins that send the command in one shot (like the EXETunerPlugin or Hauppauge IR Blaster on Windows) those won't handle dashes correctly because it tries to convert it to an integer first before it sends it to the plugin.

Sage would have to make a change to the tuning API to fix this issue. Send an email to support to request it.

Gerry