Request for a plugin, please

[fbures]

I would like to ask a kind soul to create a plugin for SageTV7.

Problem:
By the end of 2015, Rogers Cable, the largest cable provider in Canada, pushed an update of their cable boxes that puts the boxes in sleep after approx. 4 hours of no activity. Therefore the boxes became useless for SageTV as there is rather high probability that the relevant cable box will be off when a channel change is blasted to it before starting SageTV recording. I contacted Rogers technical support and I was told that this is a permanent feature and that it cannot be disabled in settings.

Consequences:
The problem affects all SageTV users on Rogers Cable. Other Canadian cable providers are implementing or have already implemented similar time-outs in a misguided attempt to portrait themselves as "green". The difference in energy consumption between sleep mode and regular mode is 2W. It is quite possible that the same insanity will be sooner or later forced on US cable users as well.

Solution:
Create a plugin that would be able to send a recurring configurable command to the cable box in configurable intervals via USB/IR blaster to reset the internal shutdown timer. Ideally such command would not be sent if the particular input device is currently recording, but it is not an absolute necessity. I tested various commands with the CISCO boxes that Rogers uses and the most suitable seems to be Volume+ or Volume- as these commands have no effect on the video output. Other commands, like "OK", display various info on the screen and if issued during recording would interfere with the recorded program.

I am willing to serve as a tester of such a plugin.

Thanks a lot
Frank

[will]

After reading your post I thought of two possible non-plugin solutions.

1. enable intelligent recording and STV will always be recording content (you will never have an idle window with your cable boxes)
2. write a simple batch script to send a useless key, e.g., the "A" key, to the cable boxes via your IR repeater and setup Windows/Linux to run it every 3.5 hours.

These fixes could be implemented very quickly and, at the very least, could help you while you wait for a plugin.

[fbures]

Another idea: Would Girder be suitable for this purpose? I just found about it, otherwise I have no experience with it.

Thanks
Frank

[alfi33]

Leave it to the cable companies to"fix" problems for us that we didn't have.

I wonder if you could use Eventghost to send a signal periodically.

[KryptoNyte]

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/down...do=file&id=246

[fbures]

This looks VERY promising.

Thanks a bunch
Frank

[jt4242]

I just got Bell FibeTV and my box was turning off every 2 hours - I had had the same problem at night for my Videotron box so I had installed LMRemote Keymap and used to send an OK via script to the machine - I have them scheduled as a task scheduled to run every hour daily and so far (1 week) it's working great.

The StayAlive always looked good but I think there was not a version made for x64 machines...I didn't check so perhaps there is one now?

If you're interested in more info http://www.lmgestion.net/@en-us/4/22/60/78/article.asp will tell you more about the program - I use a USB-UIRT to send signals.

Sorry - it's been a few years so I'm a little hazy - but would try to answer any questions you have if you decide to try this - the support at LM Gestion was very helpful to me at the time..

julie

Originally Posted by fbures

This looks VERY promising.

Thanks a bunch
Frank

[dstanley]

My Rogers boxes all seem to be ok so far. I have them set to power on by keys and power button.

Go to SETTINGS - SYSTEM and set:
POWER ON KEYS: Power and Numeric

When SageTV requests a channel number then the box would power on. I have been using this for many years.

that said - there is a new 'update' coming to Rogers STB that might change everything - hopefully not though!

Dwight

[fbures]

Thanks a lot. That solves the problem. Another possible, probably better, setting is Power and Keys so pressing any key will wake up the box. I tested it with the remote and it works OK.
We'll see how it works with blasters this evening.

No need for any additional SW or plugin at least as long as Rogers does not screw up anything else.

Thanks again
Frank

[graywolf]

also. if you have SJQ, you could set up something to send keystrokes ??