HD PVR Multiple USB UIRT

[Diego Garcia]

Like others, I've just found out that Comcast in my area has graciously decided to encrypt almost all of their non-over-the-air channels. So I'm no looking to add STBs and an HDPVR to my current HDHomeRun setup.

One thing that worries me from reading other posts here is getting the IR blaster function that changes the channels of the STB dedicated to the HDPVR to work properly. I know that the HDPVR contains a built-in blaster, but it seems like it's cranky and hard/impossible to get to work if you have more than one HDPVR in the system. As an alternative, I have been very satisfied with the USBUIRT that interfaces with Sage.

1) Would I be better off just buying more USBUIRTs to control the STBs dedicated to one or more HDPVRs?

2) Are there special challenges associated with having multiple USBUIRTs running on one system?

3) Can one USBUIRT control more than one "dedicated" STB?

[Fluffdaddy]

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...=USB+UIRT+zone

[davephan]

Originally Posted by Fluffdaddy

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...=USB+UIRT+zone

Check out posts 105 and 106 of the above link for easy to read diagrams how to setup three zones. You can re-use the extra IR devices that come with the HD-PVRs with the USB-UIRT. There's a long list of things you might need to do with the HD-PVR to increase it's stability.

If the set top boxes have multiple codes, such as 4 codes sets, you could run 12 set top boxes with one USB-UIRT.

Dave

[ericscottf]

Originally Posted by davephan

Check out posts 105 and 106 of the above link for easy to read diagrams how to setup three zones. You can re-use the extra IR devices that come with the HD-PVRs with the USB-UIRT. There's a long list of things you might need to do with the HD-PVR to increase it's stability.

If the set top boxes have multiple codes, such as 4 codes sets, you could run 12 set top boxes with one USB-UIRT.

Dave

The IR devices that came with my HD-PVRs were smaller than the standard headphone jacks that the UIRT uses. YMMV.
I used the old IR blasters from my replays instead.
Smarthome has IR blasters for ~$6 shipped.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by ericscottf

The IR devices that came with my HD-PVRs were smaller than the standard headphone jacks that the UIRT uses. YMMV.
I used the old IR blasters from my replays instead.
Smarthome has IR blasters for ~$6 shipped.

I got a metal jacket stereo connector from Radio Shack. Cut off the smaller connectors, and soldered the IR devices onto the stereo connector I bought from Radio Shack.

Dave

[wayner]

One word - firewire.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by wayner

One word - firewire.

That's true, it's one word!

However, firewire, as I understand it does not work with all set top boxes and all operating system variations. If firewire does not work on a variety of service providers set to boxes, then you may be 'locked-in' with a provider that jacks up the rates or lowers the quality of service.

A USB-UIRT works with a number of set top boxes, and gives you the flexibility to occasionally switch between different providers, thus different set top boxes.

Dave

[wayner]

I use a USB-UIRT to control my SD cable box (which does not have a fw port) but I think you are always better off with firewire as long as your cable boxes have live fw ports. The other advantage to fw is that you can daisy chain boxes so there is no real limitation on how many boxes you can control.

@Diego - What kind of STBs do you have or are you getting? Is firewire an option?

[Diego Garcia]

Sorry about being missing in action, folks. I very much appreciate all the feedback, particularly that comprehensive post on how to set up the HDPVR with the IR blaster.

As to Firewire and what kind of STB I'm getting, I won't know until the tech shows up tomorrow with the boxen. I'll post back when I find out.