Failures with USB-UIRT and Set-Top Box control

[jchiso]

Seems that everything I attempt with these products introduces another set of problems. After not being able to get a resolution to controlling my Hughes HD-DirecTV set-top box via serial cable I ordered a USB-UIRT device. Well, I am no closer to solving my problems. First off the STB (Hughes HTL-HD) does not show up as an option, so I selected ‘Add Device’ and entered the device name. I then got an error message saying the transceiver could not learn the remote code (despite the fact that there was never any mention of an attempt to learn any code).

I went into the detailed setup menu and selected USB under the IR Hardware tab and then went to the ‘Commands’ menu. I tried to program the number buttons of the remote but none were properly learned. I would get the ‘Would you like to replace…’ dialog and confirm, but it would not retain any of the IR codes.

I checked forums on the Sage and USB-UIRT websites and saw where others had installed ver 1.4, learned the remote codes and re-installed the v2 beta and successfully added this functionality, but I was not so fortunate.

With v1.4 installed I went into the Setup Wizard menu and attempted to add the USB-UIRT as a transceiver but it did not appear as an option; the ACTiSYS IR-200L was the only option. Device manager in WindowsXP shows the UIRT as working properly, and while in the ‘Commands’ menu of ‘Detailed Setup’ the software did successfully communicate with the IR receiver.

Is there a trick to getting the transceiver to successfully learn and emit the remote codes? Is there a way to manually create a file for a previously unsupported set-top-box? Does anyone have a custom-built remote profile file that I could use to accomplish STB control? The SageTV website states that “setup for the USB-UIRT is integrated directly within SageTV”.

I’m getting really tired of banging my head on this. This has become a really expensive and frustrating experiment ($500 STB, $60 SageTV, $25 SageTV Client, $50 USB-UIRT) and I still have not approached the functionality of a first-generation ReplayTV box.

Anyone successfully tame this or similar?

[glbrown]

http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...hlight=glbrown

Toward the bottom of this post is the detailed process I used. 2.13 should eliminate the 1.4 requirement but I haven't tested it. Try this and let us know.

[jchiso]

I've installed 2.13 and it will link remote signals to Sage commands. However, it will not send those commands to the set-top box. I plugged in a "visible indicator" emitter and it does not light at all.

Also during the Setup Wizard I stll get an error screen saying the remote code could not be learned properly after selecting 'Add Device'. There is no mention of this screen or procedure in the manual, as that which was supplied was for version 1.4.

I'm confused, frustrated and exhausted.

[glbrown]

Your problem lies in the setup wizard. Does the uirt blink when you are learning from the stb remote? What device file are you using?

Hang in there, we'll get you fixed.

[salsbst]

(it's a beta)

[glbrown]

Yea, but I'm doing this with no problems in .13 and jchiso should be able to also. I'd personally like to know what is going on.

[salsbst]

Yeah, and I'm all for getting him up and running.

I'm just pointing out that issues like "it's not in the manual" are sort of self-evident since there is no v2 manual.

Anyway, now that I've been rude, let me offer one idea:

With v1.4 installed I went into the Setup Wizard menu and attempted to add the USB-UIRT as a transceiver but it did not appear as an option;

I believe that you must install a plugin under 1.4 to get USB-UIRT support.

[glbrown]

Try this. Make sure you have the right uuirtdrv.dll in windows\system32. Mine is version 2.6.6.0

See http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ht=uirt+plugin

[jchiso]

glbrown:

I checked the uuirtdrv.dll. It's the same version as yours.

Yes, the device blinks while learning, if you are referring to learning in the 'Commands' menu. I am not offered a chance to learn any codeds in the 'Setup Wizard'. The files I am using are those included in the zip package 1.2 on the USBUIRT website.

If I send a channel change command (for the input in question) from the keyboard, Sage interprets it and changes the info panel, but the device does not blink and the set-top box does not change channels.

Originally posted by salsbst

Anyway, now that I've been rude, let me offer one idea:

salsbst:

Let me offer an idea: Why not just not be rude in the first place? No one is going to hold civility against you. You could have totally ignored my original post. If someone on the street asks you for directions do you say "buy a map"?

For the record, the term "beta software" existed long before the proliferation of internet file exchanges to the masses, and does not implicitly imply goods bereft of documentation.

[glbrown]

Let's concentrate on getting channel changes to the stb. Do you have uu_irsage.dll in the sage common folder? This is the plugin from sage referred to in the above thread. What device are you using for your infrared remote in the setup wizard?

He is right you know, this is beta.

[jchiso]

The uu_irsage.dll file is in the 'Common' folder. I selected 'Add New Device' in the Setup Wizard, entered 'HughesHD-HTL' as the device name and then got an error screen saying the remote codes were not learned properly immediately after entering the devicec name.

Okay, I'll give this one last shot and if it fails I will shut up and wait for the shipping version.

[glbrown]

You seem to be missing a bunch of steps in the wizard. I just deleted and re-added one of my tuners and these are the steps that I went through.

1- Add new device (Capture Device)
2- Select Input (s-video)
3- Use external Cable or Sat Receiver to tune channels (select)
4- Please select a Tuning Control Plugin (USB-UIRT Transceiver)
5- Select your cable box/sat receiver (u2irt - my ir device file)
6- Configure this source with programming guide data (select)
7- Configure this source for cable or sat provider
8- Enter your zip code
9- Please select your cable or sat provider (Dish Reno)
10- Choose the level of service... (extended)
Done

Do you see step 4?

[jchiso]

I've done all of the steps listed above (probably seven times now). The problems occur at "Step 5". The list that appears contains various set-top boxes, of which the Hughes HD-HTL is not one. The choice you list "u2irt - my ir device file" does not appear at all.

It's there that I select 'Add New Device', etc. as I described in the previous post. I am away from the system right now, so I can't directly quote the error screen or warning messages and glitches I get in trying to get the remote codes recognized. The end result is this: the 'Add New Device' fails prematurely to the point that I have to return to the 'Setup' menu and "complete" the Setup Wizard.

[SHS]

Well I wish I live a little close to Columbus jchiso but I'm 150 miles from you.

[glbrown]

Here is what I did to create an ir device file for an unlisted receiver.

1- Start with a template. I searched around for a starting place and found a post that describes using codes from remotecentral.com. Never got any of that to work but it got me started down the right road. I have attached an .ir file that works for a Dish 301 receiver on remote address 1. I think all Dish boxes use the same remote codes. You can use this for a template. I also have a working address 2 file if you want it.

2- Learn a consistant, reliable method for teaching codes. Forget about adding a new device, start with the template device. Complete the setup and then go back and edit the ir device. Using the mouse and keyboard, get to the re-program menu. The remote needs to be a couple inches away from the usbuirt. Scroll to the first digit and hit enter. The 'press the key on the remote' message pops up at the top of the screen. Wait 2 seconds, then press the remote digit and hold it for about 2 seconds and release it. The instant you release it, you should get the success message. If you don't, press again for 2 seconds. If it still doesn't work, press, tap, stand on your head until the unsuccessful message appears, about 15 seconds, click ok and start again.

I found that tap tap hold, hold tap tap, pressing the remote key before clicking the digit in sage, and other variations didn't work reliably for me. It seemed that the magic key is to wait a couple of seconds before pressing the remote digit. Patience is a requirement.

3- I then discovered that when I tested a code in sage, I needed to click the digit twice before the receiver would see it. I found the following in the properties file:
irtune_repeat_factor=2
Change the value to 4

You can use the attached device file for a template after renaming to *.ir

[jchiso]

glbrown:

I used this template and made deliberate attempts at learning and it seems to have worked to a degree. First things first; you are correct about there being an almost mystical character to programming this thing. I found your advice of waiting prior to sending the remote codes to be of critical importance. A few times during the learning process I sent commands after only a second or so and each time it failed. You are also correct in mentioning that the remote needs to be really close to the transceiver to successfully learn, which I found to be odd, but it is clearly the case.

All of that is good and I thank you for your help, but the set-top box does not repond to the signals. I continued to use the visible emitter and I can see that the device is sending a signal, it just does not appear to be valid to the STB.

There are a couple of possible culprits here. The first being that the Hughes box does not appear to use a "standard" DirecTV code set, as evidenced by the fact that the DirecTV Serial Control Utility (up to v1.6) fails to operate the unit. The second may be an invalid code within the template file. I've read somewhere that you could ascertain a setup string from a Pronto file, but there are none on Remote Central for this STB. I will try to create one and post it on that website before the end of the weekend. Before I do that I will try to see if I can make sense of the Pronto data and adapt it to the template.

Oh well. Hopefully I can climb back onto this horse sometime tommorow. Thanks alot.