3 tuners, 3 cable boxes: USB-UIRT 3 Zone Control

[weeeg]

I'd like to put together a system that has three identical tuner cards and three identical cableboxes. Can Sage TV 2.0 handle this kind of setup, or are there going to be I/R issues with having three cableboxes hooked to one computer? Is it even possible to hook up three I/R blasters to the same computer and control them independantly?

[sleonard]

Get a USB-UIRT. It has an IR reciever and 3 zoned IR outputs. Output 1 is the LED which blasts thru the air and outputs 2 and 3 are the left and right channels of the emitter jack. (use a stereo >mono adapter) You will also need to edit the IR files in Sage to append zone codes to the IR codes. There's more info in the UIRT forums on this.

I haven't done this yet but am going to start building a sage server with 3 250's and 3 SA cable boxes this weekend. I'll post my progress and results as I go.

[sleight42]

sleonard, any luck? I've been thinking of building a Sage server as well.

I'm concerned regarding whether Sage can address three different Actisys/USB-UIRT devices attached to the same phsyical Sage server.

Let us know, please!

[sleonard]

I have had this setup working flawlessly for over a month now. It was very easy to setup - just edited the IR files for the 3 boxes by appending the zone code in front of each IR code. I'll post more details when I get home and have access to the server.

[Grey_Goose]

So you only use 1 USB-UIRT for 3 boxes?

[sleight42]

Yes, please! More details!

[jblust]

I'm considering this option, but since the timing of the IR signals can be so touchy (missing a digit, or the delay between digits is too long), I'd be afraid it wouldn't be reliable. If three shows are starting at 8pm for example, and Sage has to tell the USB UIRT to send signals to all three zones at the same time, would they all come out OK?

[sleonard]

Originally posted by jblust
I'm considering this option, but since the timing of the IR signals can be so touchy (missing a digit, or the delay between digits is too long), I'd be afraid it wouldn't be reliable. If three shows are starting at 8pm for example, and Sage has to tell the USB UIRT to send signals to all three zones at the same time, would they all come out OK?

I have not had any reliability issues at all. I have tried recording 3 shows starting at the same time and the cable boxes tune one at a time just a matter of seconds apart.

[sleonard]

Ok, I have been a bit busy and just got thru writing my guide to zone control in SageTV. Here it is:

All USB-UIRT's sold since Feb. '04 have the ability to control 3 seperate IR devices independantly. To do this in SageTV is quite easy but does require some manual configuration. Two things are required, connecting wired emitters between the UIRT and the cable/sat boxes and editing the SageTV IR files.


1) Connecting the USB-UIRT

The USB-UIRT has 3 outputs. Everyone that owns a UIRT already knows about the LED blaster that transmits thru the air. The other two outputs are via the 3.5mm jack on the back of the UIRT. The jack is a stereo mini-jack and each channel (Left/Right) carries an IR signal.

The first item you need is a stereo splitter adapter. I found one at RatShack for a few dollars. This plugs into the mini-jack and provides seperate jacks for each of the two stereo channels. The next thing is to plug two wired emitters into the stereo splitter and run those to cable/sat boxes.

Important Note 1 - You will have to make little IR "forts" on the two boxes with wired emitters so that they will respond only to the emitters and not any IR signals from the LED blaster. I used black electrical tape.

Important Note 2 - You need to keep track of which PVR250 is connected to which cable box to which USB-UIRT output for the SW configuration. This can be difficult since SageTV chooses the capture card # itself and doesn't let you know which PCI slot it is in. For this reason I ended up installing the PVR-250/cable box combo's one at a time, running the Setup Wizard each time. The UIRT left channel is zone 1 and goes to cable box 1 which goes to capture card 1. The UIRT right channel is zone 2 and goes to cable box 2, etc. The LED blaster is zone 3.


2) Configuring SageTV to use zone control on the USB-UIRT

In its default state the USB-UIRT transmits one IR signal to all three ouputs. To utilize the 3-zone control feature you must edit the IR text files that SageTV generates for each of you cable boxes but first we'll go thru getting sage to generate the IR files.

During installation SageTV will take you thru the setup wizard to configure your capture cards and cable/sat box control. You can also start the wizard by clicking the setup button on SageTV's Main Menu. Choose "Add New Source" and then capture card #1 (SageTV lists mine as Hauppage WinTV PVR PCI II Capture, ...Capture #2, and ...Capture #3).

Then choose the video input (composite or s-vid) and then "Use external Cable or Satellite receiver to tune channel". Next choose the USB-UIRT for the tuning plugin and you are presented with a list of cable boxes for which there are existing IR files. SageTV comes with the MotorolaDCT2000. If you do not have a listed box click "Add New Device" and you will be prompted to name your box. I have 3 SA 3250's so I named the first SA-1. The Wizard will then walk you thru entering the IR codes for the numbers 0-9 from the box's remote and finish. Repeat for Sources 2 and 3.

Exit SageTV and navigate to C:\Program Files\Frey Technologies\Common\RemoteCodes\USB-UIRT Transceiver. You will find 3 files named (in my case) SA-1.ir, SA-2.ir and SA-3.ir (Note that the names of the IR files is the same as you chose in the setup wizard for the cable/sat box). Open SA-1.ir in NotePad. It will look something like this:

SA-1 0 0 0 600 800
0 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C1 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0031 0030 0092 0030 0882

1 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087D

2 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087D

3 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087C

4 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087D

5 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C1 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0881

6 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0880

7 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 087F

8 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087E

9 0000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087E

The first line describes the box itself. Each line after starts with a digit followed by that digits IR code. Edit it to prepend Z1 to the beginning of each IR code sequence like this:

SA-1 0 0 0 600 800
0 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C1 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0031 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0031 0030 0092 0030 0882

1 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087D

2 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087D

3 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087C

4 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087D

5 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C1 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0881

6 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0880

7 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 0030 0030 0092 0030 087F

8 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087E

9 Z10000 0048 0000 0018 00C0 00C0 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0091 0030 0030 0030 0030 0030 0091 0030 087E

Now edit SA-2 and SA-3 prepending Z2 and Z3 respectively.

That's it. Assuming you followed Important Note 2 carefully you now have SageTV controlling 3 seperate cable boxes independantly but you may have to play around with the connections to get the correct UIRT output to the correct cable/sat box and capture card.

Note: Edited by Opus4 to reflect jrhees' instructions (below) to use NO SPACE after Z1.

Edited to add link to my recent post on controlling more than 3 set top boxes with a single USB-UIRT.

S

[sleight42]

This sounds great! And with the Roslyn fixes that have gone out, I'll have to try my Roslyn to see if I can avoid shipping it back! I already have the two cable boxes. I'll just have to wait for the in-laws to leave Sunday before taking the plunge.

[jphhughes]

sleonard, or anyone who might know, can you tell me what version of the USB-UIRT you are using. DO I need to install the API drivers for this to work with Sage, thanks.

[kcbronc]

Thank you sleonard! This is exactly what I have been looking for. I read about people controling different boxes by defining zones, but I never understood how to do it.

I have one question about the IR forts that you make. Is it as simple as taping the transmitter to the cable box with the black electrical tape? If that is the case thwn why is it called a fort? Am I missing something?

Thanks for the great step by step instructions.

[sleight42]

Probably because you're trapping the IR signal for reception by a single cable box.

[sleonard]

I am on vacation visiting my brand new neice (and my brother and his wife) in Oregon which is why I haven't replied in so long.

jphhughes - I installed only the latest drivers from the USB-UIRT website.

kcbronc - It probably depends on the individual cable box and where it's IR reciever is but yes, I just taped the emitters to the boxes with black electrical tape. I did have to use a lot though to plug all the leaks

[chrysek]

Originally posted by sleonard
All USB-UIRT's sold since Feb. '04 have the ability to control 3 seperate IR devices independantly. To do this in SageTV is quite easy but does require some manual configuration. Two things are required, connecting wired emitters between the UIRT and the cable/sat boxes and editing the SageTV IR files.


1) Connecting the USB-UIRT

The USB-UIRT has 3 outputs. Everyone that owns a UIRT already knows about the LED blaster that transmits thru the air. The other two outputs are via the 3.5mm jack on the back of the UIRT. The jack is a stereo mini-jack and each channel (Left/Right) carries an IR signal.

The first item you need is a stereo splitter adapter. I found one at RatShack for a few dollars. This plugs into the mini-jack and provides seperate jacks for each of the two stereo channels. The next thing is to plug two wired emitters into the stereo splitter and run those to cable/sat boxes.

Question, do you know the part number by any chance for this splitter? I did purchase some IR transmitters and they all have mono mini connector, I was unable to find them with stereo connector, you did mention Radio Shack but was wondering if you know the part number or what to ask. I know its a stupid question to ask when you did all the work but here where I go to a store (radio shack) those idiots are stupid and would be easier to ask for particular part number..

As far as IR transmitters are concerned, is there any specifics what to purchase? or all of them are the same kind of devices? does it matter which one would work for which device? like cable box vs. satellite? Just wondering.

Chris

[jphhughes]

I think this is the one you want

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=274%2D375

[chrysek]

Originally posted by jphhughes
I think this is the one you want

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=274%2D375

Great, thank you so much, I did go to audiogear.com and I did order from them
http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/sho...&preadd=action
this I think is slightly beter than radioshack one

I greatly appreciate your help

Chris

[SoonerToucan]

This is a great thread! I have one question regarding this setup. From my understanding you have 3 encoder cards running on the server and three cable boxes in the same room as the server as well as the USB-UIRT. With this setup how is it possible to change channels for the different clients that reside in different rooms? I would assum you would have to use RF? Does this setup only allow you to use a remote in the same room?

2.) Is having multiple cards residing in the same machine prefreable to having 3 decoder cards in each of the clients?

-ST

[Opus4]

SageTVClient changes channels via its connection to SageTV, so SageTV controls everything... the client just makes a request for data to be sent to it from the server.

Having all the encoder cards on the server keeps everything in one place -- you don't have to have all the client machines running in order for recording to take place.

But, w/o a tuner card with a remote receiver attached to it on the client, you would need some other remote receiver to be able to control SageTVClient on that machine.

- Andy

[newmedia42]

If you don't feel like making your own emitter, there are also several places that sell them:

http://www.smarthome.com/8170.html
http://www.hometech.com/infrared/emitters.html

Hometech has some pretty cool looking ones (the IR Prism), but I've never used them...