changing my setup from Serial to IR

[traker1001]

Hey folks,
I am dumping my Directv to conserve some mulah. Up until now my setup was all controlled via serial, So I have no experience with IR.

I plan on controlling 3 digital receivers. From what I read the USB-UIRT acting as a IR blaster can do this. If I purchase a USB-UIRT, Will I need to purchase anything else to do this? How difficult is it to setup the different zones for this?

[traker1001]

Anyone? Is the USB-UIRT the only purchase I will need to make to control 3 boxes? Or are there surpirse costs?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by traker1001

Anyone? Is the USB-UIRT the only purchase I will need to make to control 3 boxes? Or are there surpirse costs?

You will need the USB-UIRT which can act as one blaster and can control one device. Then you will need to purchase two IR emitters connected to one mini-stereo plug to plug into the USB-UIRT to control the other 2 devices.

Gerry

[traker1001]

So I need two IR emitters and a mini-stereo plug also. Where Do I purchase these from?

[Fuzzy]

Radio shack will have the components you need (I hacked up a headphone extension cable and soldered the IR LED's to it). Also, it will take some creative blocking to make sure each box is receiving it's own emitter, and ONLY it's own emitter. (Black electrical tape does a pretty good job of this).

As for making sage work with the zoning, the process is:

1. Learn the commands in Sage from your remote. Save this as a configuration for that box.
2. Find the .ir file in Program Files\SageTV\Common\RemoteCodes or something like that (can't verify the path right now, not at home).
3. Copy it to something like cablebox_zone-1.ir, and edit it with notepad.
4. Add Z1 to the beginning of each IR string in the file.
5. Do this for each subsequent zone (Z2 and Z3, respectively).
6. Add the tuners to sage, choosing the appropriate IR configuration when asked.

Some info:
Sending an IR command to the USB-UIRT without the Zx prefix will transmit the signal on all emitters (built-in, plus the two externals). Z1 will transmit to the built-in. Z2 and Z3 to each of the two externals.

There is more info on pinouts of the port and such on the usbuirt.com forums. I'm sure there is someone out there selling the breakout cable as well if you are solder challenged.

[traker1001]

Your awesome fuzzy. Thank you.

Anyone know if these old IR emitters from my replaytv days will work?

[davephan]

You can use the utility within SageTV to learn the codes for each digit.

However, if you have trouble setting up your USB-UIRT, download the free stand alone program called IRHelper. Hold the set top box remote control about two inches from the USB-UIRT and press a digit, such as "1". The IRHelper will then receive the code. You can then transmit the code to your set top box to make sure it works. You can then paste the line for each digit into an example IR file.

You could might be able to download or copy and paste another forum user's IR file if they are using the same set top box.

Here is a screen shot from IRHelper, showing the digit "1" and an example IR file.

MotorolaDCT6208--2005 37616 411 3 600 1000
RepeatCount 10
1 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0490 0158 0057 0013 0D26
2 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 04E6 0158 0057 0013 0D27
3 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0490 0158 0057 0013 0D26
4 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 053C 0158 0057 0013 0D27
5 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0490 0158 0057 0013 0D27
6 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 04E5 0158 0057 0013 0D25
7 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0490 0158 0057 0013 0D27
8 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0592 0158 0057 0013 0D26
9 0000 006C 0012 0002 0159 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0491 0158 0057 0013 0D29
0 0000 006C 0012 0002 0158 00AD 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 0057 0013 063E 0158 0057 0013 0D26



Dave