IR Blaster Options

[will]

It looks like I'm finally going to have to stop using FireWire for channel changing.

I'm a little confused with which IR blasters work with Sage. My setup is two cable boxes connected through two HD-PVR 1212s.

I know he USB-URIT works but it seems like they aren't for sale anymore. Can anyone recommend something else; preferably something available on Amazon?

[brianrent]

Seems it is still available here: http://www.usbuirt.com/

[will]

Originally Posted by brianrent

Seems it is still available here: http://www.usbuirt.com/

I thought it was sold out.

Still, are there any other USB IR blasters that work with Sage?

[KeithAbbott]

This one is IP-based, instead of USB: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64372

I like that it has three jacks built-in for IR emitters, instead of having to monkey with a RadioShack splitter...

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by will

It looks like I'm finally going to have to stop using FireWire for channel changing.

I'm a little confused with which IR blasters work with Sage. My setup is two cable boxes connected through two HD-PVR 1212s.

I know he USB-URIT works but it seems like they aren't for sale anymore. Can anyone recommend something else; preferably something available on Amazon?

Why do you say they aren't available anymore?
You can get them here: http://www.usbuirt.com

[wayner]

Why do you have to stop using FireWire? Moving to 64 bit Windows or STBs that don't have active FireWire?

[will]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Why do you say they aren't available anymore?
You can get them here: http://www.usbuirt.com

I must of made a mistake; I could have swore I saw them as not available at one point a few months ago.

Originally Posted by wayner

Why do you have to stop using FireWire? Moving to 64 bit Windows or STBs that don't have active FireWire?

I'm moving to a new city and the new cable boxes Time Warner/Spectrum will give me won't have FireWire drivers available. They use Samsung boxes now a days.

I also plan to move to Win 64-bit OS since my OS is old as dirt and since I can't use FireWire there isn't much holding me back (I'd go Linux 100% if my RAID arrays weren't NTFS formatted).

[wayner]

With Linux you can use FireWire but that is irrelevant in your case. There was another IR blaster called something like IR Commander, and this is what stuckless uses, but it isn't being made anymore. That may be why you thought that the USB-UIRT is no longer available. But the good thing is that you can use one USB-UIRT to control all three of your cable boxes.

[MacDaddy]

I've been using the iTach a few weeks now. It's been rock solid tuning Uverse STBs. I'm moving to HDHR Prime so Uverse will sunset.

I've used the USB-Uirt in my prior Windows environment. It's windows driver was great and Sage support was spot on. However when I discovered the docker approach, the lack of driver support for USB-Uirt (and multi zone) was a non starter. To me, the upside of the iTach was IP addressable, open API, and reputation. The downside is nonstandard IR code representation and having to define your IR command structure outside of Sage. Although if you look at the GENTUNER script you'll find it's not that difficult to set up.

[will]

Thanks for all the help; I just ordered a USB-URIT.

Since I'm planning on controlling two identical cable boxes I'll need to get IR emitters. I understand that the USB-URIT can control two external devices by the 1/8" jack and a third through the built in emitter, is that correct?

Assuming what I'm thinking is correct, will this cable work? https://www.amazon.com/Emitter-Exten.../dp/B01N4NS0WC

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by will

Thanks for all the help; I just ordered a USB-URIT.

Since I'm planning on controlling two identical cable boxes I'll need to get IR emitters. I understand that the USB-URIT can control two external devices by the 1/8" jack and a third through the built in emitter, is that correct?

Assuming what I'm thinking is correct, will this cable work? https://www.amazon.com/Emitter-Exten.../dp/B01N4NS0WC

No, that will not work. When I had multiple tuners to control I had two separate IR transmitters and a stereo to L/R mono adapter like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-YMM-261-...+adapter+3.5mm

[MacDaddy]

The "Y" cable is needed. You also need the version enabled for zone control (the first versions were single only). Plus if I recall correctly you need to precede the IR command with the zone.

Keep in mind this is for windows. In the Linux world the driver for the USB-Uirt supports only single zone.

[wayner]

Rather than using a Y adapter you can use the plug from an old pair of stereo headphones and splice it onto two IR blasters. Ground goes to ground on both IR emitters, tip goes to the + on one of the zones and ring goes to the + on the other zone.

[will]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy

The "Y" cable is needed. You also need the version enabled for zone control (the first versions were single only). Plus if I recall correctly you need to precede the IR command with the zone.

I purchased the version on the website so I hope that is the most recent version and will be dual zone. I believe I found the dual zone setup instructions at https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/sho...16&postcount=9.

Thanks for all the help everyone; this stuff is a little confusing.

[Malfunction]

Has anyone got the IR blaster on an Hauppauge WinTV2 working?

[SHS]

Originally Posted by Malfunction

Has anyone got the IR blaster on an Hauppauge WinTV2 working?

I never heard of a Hauppauge WinTV2

[Malfunction]

Originally Posted by SHS

I never heard of a Hauppauge WinTV2

HD PVR 2

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ...ta_hdpvr2.html

[JeffHaas]

I have the Colossus 2, the IR blaster works fine. I got a piece of plexiglass and taped the cable box to it, and taped the IR blaster in front of the right spot on the cable box. There is a slight delay while the channel is tuned and the Colossus catches up, so I set up recordings to start 2 minutes early.