USB-UIRT stopped working

[freewheeling]

It suddenly stopped changing the channel on my STB. The STB still works, and I can change the channels using my remote, but it's like the UIRT isn't communicating. I tried uninstalling SageTV and reinstalling it, but still doesn't work. I also tried testing the codes but it didn't effect anything. I don't really know how to test the USB-UIRT independent of SageTV to see if that's working at all.

I've tested all of the USB connections, and even unplugged the UIRT and then plugged it in to a different port, and it installed successfully according to the messages. I'm using SageTV 7.1.7 Beta which has been working fine up until now. The operating system is Windows 7 (64-bit).

[davephan]

Have you tried recovery to an image taken a point in time when the USB-UIRT used to work? If the USB-UIRT works, then you know it was a software problem if it doesn't, you know it's a hardware problem. If you don't have an image, then check 'devices' to see if the USB-UIRT device looks OK and there aren't any 'yellow' items in devices. You should be periodically taking images so that you can recover quickly and isolate hardware/software problems.


Dave

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by davephan

Have you tried recovery to an image taken a point in time when the USB-UIRT used to work? If the USB-UIRT works, then you know it was a software problem if it doesn't, you know it's a hardware problem. If you don't have an image, then check 'devices' to see if the USB-UIRT device looks OK and there aren't any 'yellow' items in devices. You should be periodically taking images so that you can recover quickly and isolate hardware/software problems.

I have a recent Acronis image, but it looks like it's working again. When I was checking the setup I noticed that the setting for the number of maximum digits in the channel number was zero. So I reset it to 3. When I tried testing the codes 0 and 1 disappeared from the list. It still didn't work at that point. When I tried to reprogram the device I got an error. I uninstalled, then reinstalled the last non-beta version of the software but the extender wouldn't connect or even recognize that there was a server, and couldn't get the program itself to launch. So I uninstalled 7.0.23 and reinstalled 7.1.7 and went to bed. When I woke up this morning it was outputting the last two digits of the channel number so I cleaned everything off with a sanitary wipe and changed the orientation a little and now it seems to work. I've no idea what the problem was, and there are no error messages because SageTV never seemed to know that there was a problem.

Update/Clarification: BTW, I have no idea how the number of digits got set to 0. I didn't do it, and I assume it wouldn't have been working for the past year had it been that way, so something happened to change it. Something's squirrelly.

[freewheeling]

In general it doesn't change the channels correctly, although sometimes it does apparently. I need a way that I can test the USB UIRT independently of SageTV. There has to be a way. I suspect that the problem is with SageTV, though. The mere fact that it works intermittently says that the UIRT itself is probably OK. I suspect that one of the plugins is messing things up.

[davephan]

Yes, download a free, small, stand alone program called LrnHelper. You can then confirm your IR file has the correct codes. You might need to tweak your "repeatcount" parameter. The "repeatcount" might need to be longer. When you capture the code, put the remote control about 2 - 3 inches from the USB-UIRT.

Dave

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by davephan

Yes, download a free, small, stand alone program called LrnHelper. You can then confirm your IR file has the correct codes. You might need to tweak your "repeatcount" parameter. The "repeatcount" might need to be longer. When you capture the code, put the remote control about 2 - 3 inches from the USB-UIRT.

Dave

Not sure I understand. When I tried to test the code it only lists 2 thru 9 so something happened to 0 and 1. That explains why it's not outputting the channels correctly if the channel number involves either of those numbers, which it almost always does. I tried to reprogram the codes, but it only lists 2 thru 9 as options, so I don't know how to get 0 and 1 back into it's repertoire. And I don't know what happened to those originally. I also get an error if I try to "relearn". Something is messed up.

[freewheeling]

Tested the USB-UIRT using lrnhelper. It receives the codes, learns them, and transmits them OK. So it's something to do with the software. Somehow it can't recognize, or transmit, a 0 or a 1.

Update: Well that was interesting. I tried adding a new source but used the same HD-PVR. I then used the same STB as the channel tuner, and specified the USB-UIRT is the communication device. It took me to the page to learn the number codes and the first time through it crashed, so I rebooted and tried the same thing again. This time in went through the "learning" process for the numbers 0, 1, and 2 only and then went back to the "finish installing source" page with only the same HD-PVR set up, but it now changes the channels on the STB successfully. At least, it looks that way so far. Weird.

[davephan]

This is a very strange that the 0 and 1 codes are somehow removed from your IR file. It sounds like the 0 and 1 are back in your IR file now. Once the USB-UIRT is configured, the *.IR file should stay the same.

You might make a backup of the whole SageTV directory structure, and store it on another drive.

Dave

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by davephan

This is a very strange that the 0 and 1 codes are somehow removed from your IR file. It sounds like the 0 and 1 are back in your IR file now. Once the USB-UIRT is configured, the *.IR file should stay the same.

You might make a backup of the whole SageTV directory structure, and store it on another drive.

The other thing that may be effecting things is a bright overhead light. I didn't change it, so I'm not sure why it would suddenly be a factor, but I got a sombrero for the STB just in case. Seems to be working so far.