Is USB-UIRT still the best option for tuning?

[wayner]

I am thinking about getting an additional USB-UIRT for my new SageTV server so that I have a backup. On my old server I primarily used Firewire for channel change but that is no longer an option with a 64 bit OS.

Is the USB-UIRT still the best option for IR for Sage to control multiple devices? Are they still even sold? The web page looks unch'ed from about a decade ago.

Or are there better options for channel changing? Ultimately my system will have three HD-PVRs with cable boxes.

[KryptoNyte]

Unless your STB has some form of http tuning that Sage can dial up, then yeah, it's solid little device.

And yeah, the website has looked like http://www.usbuirt.com/order.htm for a while. As he mentions on the order page, it's not a get rich quick scheme. I think I purchased my last one on Amazon.com, but I see that's really not an option anymore.

[wayner]

Thanks. It is just that $50 seems a bit much for something like an IR blaster - although I realize that this isn't really a way for the USB-UIRT guy to get rich. My cable boxes don't have any other connectivity other than Firewire.

[KryptoNyte]

Check the going price on Amazon.ca

[wayner]

I saw that - there are about ten sellers but for some reason they are all shipping from Japan.

But I think Jon Rhees still sells them directly on his web site.

[KryptoNyte]

Yep, I would go with the website, Wayne.

Keep in mind, that with a few extra cables, you can control up to three STB's with just one USB-UIRT.

[wayner]

I am aware of that - in my current server I had to replace a cable box recently so rather than go through the config changes required for firewire I just used the USB-UIRT that I used to use for an older cable box that didn't have firewire. It uses the Z2 prefix.