Finally happened to me - Windows 7 update kills Firewire channel change

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

I'm still a bit confused about the implementation - the USB-UIRT module can't face two directions. When you send commands from a remote, how does the unit get those commands, and then send IR commands to the set top boxes? I have looked on Youtube and haven't found a decent, visual demonstration...

According to http://www.usbuirt.com/

... and transmit them using built-in IR emitters or a connected IR extension

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wnjj

According to http://www.usbuirt.com/

thanks - yup, I get that the box transmits IR signals TO set top boxes, but how does it get it's commands FROM whatever remote control I'm using - is that still the responsibility of the Hauppauge IR receiver that's taped to my TV?

[peternm22]

The USB-UIRT is both a receiver and a transmitter. So it can learn codes you transmit to it.

When setting up the USB-UIRT inside SageTV, you can either use the pre-programmed .IR files (the files I posted), or you can set new remote codes and have SageTV learn them from your old remote(s).

Have you tried using the .IR files I posted? The Shaw Direct ones should work perfectly.

You Hauppauge IR setup has nothing to do with this at all.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

thanks - yup, I get that the box transmits IR signals TO set top boxes, but how does it get it's commands FROM whatever remote control I'm using - is that still the responsibility of the Hauppauge IR receiver that's taped to my TV?

There is one receiver and one transmitter on the front side of the USBUIRT.
The placement of both on the front is not ideal, but it is often workable. IR signals are line of sight, but they aren’t tightly focused like a laser beam - they are more like a flashlight (the light spreads out in a wide cone). That’s why you usually don’t need to aim your remote perfectly at your TV; you just need to aim in the general direction (and sometimes you don’t even have to do that since the signal can bounce off of reflective surfaces).

So, if you position the USBUIRT so that it is not too close to the STB you are trying to control and maybe aimed a little sideways, you may be able to place it so that it can control the box and receive your remote signals.

If this doesn’t work, there is a plan B. The USBUIRT has a connector on the back (looks like a headphone jack). You can use this connector to add two additional remote transmitters (they get wired just like stereo headphones - the left “headphone” is emitter 1, and the right is emitter 2). By default, the USBUIRT sends the same signal to all 3 emitters, but you can also set it up for “zone” control where each emitter controls a separate STB.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by peternm22

The USB-UIRT is both a receiver and a transmitter. So it can learn codes you transmit to it.

When setting up the USB-UIRT inside SageTV, you can either use the pre-programmed .IR files (the files I posted), or you can set new remote codes and have SageTV learn them from your old remote(s).

Have you tried using the .IR files I posted? The Shaw Direct ones should work perfectly.

You Hauppauge IR setup has nothing to do with this at all.

Hey. Yes, your Shaw Dorect .IR file worked perfectly. The part I don’t get is which way to point the UIRT. If I point it at the boxes, how would it receive commands from my remote? This is my disconnect. The remote I use is a Hauppauge 45 button, and I assume this is what’s still sending commands to Sage via the Hauppauge IR receiver, correct?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Tiki

There is one receiver and one transmitter on the front side of the USBUIRT.
The placement of both on the front is not ideal, but it is often workable. IR signals are line of sight, but they aren’t tightly focused like a laser beam - they are more like a flashlight (the light spreads out in a wide cone). That’s why you usually don’t need to aim your remote perfectly at your TV; you just need to aim in the general direction (and sometimes you don’t even have to do that since the signal can bounce off of reflective surfaces).

So, if you position the USBUIRT so that it is not too close to the STB you are trying to control and maybe aimed a little sideways, you may be able to place it so that it can control the box and receive your remote signals.

If this doesn’t work, there is a plan B. The USBUIRT has a connector on the back (looks like a headphone jack). You can use this connector to add two additional remote transmitters (they get wired just like stereo headphones - the left “headphone” is emitter 1, and the right is emitter 2). By default, the USBUIRT sends the same signal to all 3 emitters, but you can also set it up for “zone” control where each emitter controls a separate STB.

Ok, so the UIRT is actually the device taking commands from my Hauppauge remote? Yeah, it is a silly design. My set top boxes really aren’t in the TV’s line of site. hmmm...

[peternm22]

If you're using the Hauppauge remote with the Hauppauge IR receivers right now, I don't see any reason why you can't continue to use it that way. You can just use the USB-UIRT for it's ability to transmit. You don't need to use the receive functionality of the USB-UIRT. Unless I'm not understanding something about your setup.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by peternm22

If you're using the Hauppauge remote with the Hauppauge IR receivers right now, I don't see any reason why you can't continue to use it that way. You can just use the USB-UIRT for it's ability to transmit. You don't need to use the receive functionality of the USB-UIRT. Unless I'm not understanding something about your setup.

Nope, that’s the setup. Ok, well that being said, it looks like the USB-UIRT is working, thanks to your IR files. Now, I need to learn how to make my own .IR files next. ‘Cause I should know, right?

[peternm22]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Nope, that’s the setup. Ok, well that being said, it looks like the USB-UIRT is working, thanks to your IR files. Now, I need to learn how to make my own .IR files next. ‘Cause I should know, right?

Two ways to do this:

1) Re-setup the video source from scratch, when you get to the USB-UIRT setup, select "Add New Device". Give the device a name, and then it will walk you through programming each of the remote buttons. When you are all done, a new IR file with the device name you gave it will be saved in the folder with the other IR files.

2) If you just want to modify an existing IR file, go into the video source setup and select the current tuner control. Then you can go to "Repogram Infrared Code", and select which one you want to modify.

Note that when learning new codes, your remote should be really close to the USB-UIRT receiver. Probably around six inches.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by peternm22

Two ways to do this:

1) Re-setup the video source from scratch, when you get to the USB-UIRT setup, select "Add New Device". Give the device a name, and then it will walk you through programming each of the remote buttons. When you are all done, a new IR file with the device name you gave it will be saved in the folder with the other IR files.

2) If you just want to modify an existing IR file, go into the video source setup and select the current tuner control. Then you can go to "Repogram Infrared Code", and select which one you want to modify.

Note that when learning new codes, your remote should be really close to the USB-UIRT receiver. Probably around six inches.

Is there an external, third-party app that’s used just for creating .ir files? I’ve seen a couple of Youtube videos of people using different programs to enter remote codes. If I were to switch to a Harmony remote for my setup, would I need to create a map for it?

[peternm22]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Is there an external, third-party app that’s used just for creating .ir files?

No idea. Why don’t you just use the built in method in SageTV? You seem to be trying to make everything more complicated than it needs to be.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by peternm22

No idea. Why don’t you just use the built in method in SageTV? You seem to be trying to make everything more complicated than it needs to be.

lol. Yeah, that’s what my wife would say too. As far as the Harmony remote - you’d create your profile in Sage, or would the Harmony just read the .ir’s you created / uploaded, since Harmony has a pre-programmed library already.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

lol. Yeah, that’s what my wife would say too. As far as the Harmony remote - you’d create your profile in Sage, or would the Harmony just read the .ir’s you created / uploaded, since Harmony has a pre-programmed library already.

The ir files are for blasting and are matched to the cable box. They have nothing to do with what remote you will use to navigate Sage.

I thought you said you were going to use the Hauppauge ir receiver to handle your remote control. In that case it would be easiest to program your Harmony remote to look like a Hauppauge remote.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by peternm22

Just to make things a bit smoothing, after you setup your source:

-go back into "Setup Video Sources"
-select the source you just setup for the USB-UIRT
-select "Tuner Control" at/near the bottom
-"Remote Control Options"
-Make sure your settings match this screenshot:

Following up on some older questions: why are these settings important, primarily the time settings?

[Striker:WG]

These settings are controlling how Sage will send IR signals to your STB.

Essentially, you are configuring them to simulate how your remote functions, how you would normally press the buttons, and how the remote would then send those signals to the STB.

IR blasting is a delicate art as you have to send the right signal as if the remote button had been pushed. Too fast and the signal gets lost. Too slow and the STB starts processing before you are done sending everything.

Some STB's require a minimum number of digits to be sent, so they expect you to pad with zero's if you're tuning to channel 2, so number of digits set to 3 means to send 002 instead of just 2.

The prefix code is if you need to send a specific command to tell your STB that you want to change a channel before sending the actual number to change to.

The confirm code is if you need to send a command telling your STB that you are done pressing numbers for the channel change and it should now execute the channel change.

Delay between codes is how long to wait between sending each button press.

Delay between channel changes, I am not as sure about. The label makes me think that it relates to how long to wait between executing channel change commands overall, but that's just a guess.

Many remotes will send two different IR signals for the same function to help indicate that you have pushed a button twice. When learning IR codes, you should have to record the button push once for each IR Blaster repeat factor that you have set.

When I was doing IR channel changing, I was using LMRemoteKeymap, a software package created by LM Gestion. It was great software and provided more control and lots of customization options, so i'm not as familiar with the Sage specific options, but they generally translate to what i'm accustomed to working with.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Striker:WG

These settings are controlling how Sage will send IR signals to your STB.

Essentially, you are configuring them to simulate how your remote functions, how you would normally press the buttons, and how the remote would then send those signals to the STB.

IR blasting is a delicate art as you have to send the right signal as if the remote button had been pushed. Too fast and the signal gets lost. Too slow and the STB starts processing before you are done sending everything.

Some STB's require a minimum number of digits to be sent, so they expect you to pad with zero's if you're tuning to channel 2, so number of digits set to 3 means to send 002 instead of just 2.

The prefix code is if you need to send a specific command to tell your STB that you want to change a channel before sending the actual number to change to.

The confirm code is if you need to send a command telling your STB that you are done pressing numbers for the channel change and it should now execute the channel change.

Delay between codes is how long to wait between sending each button press.

Delay between channel changes, I am not as sure about. The label makes me think that it relates to how long to wait between executing channel change commands overall, but that's just a guess.

Many remotes will send two different IR signals for the same function to help indicate that you have pushed a button twice. When learning IR codes, you should have to record the button push once for each IR Blaster repeat factor that you have set.

When I was doing IR channel changing, I was using LMRemoteKeymap, a software package created by LM Gestion. It was great software and provided more control and lots of customization options, so i'm not as familiar with the Sage specific options, but they generally translate to what i'm accustomed to working with.

Thanks for the excellent details. I’m still trying to see where you make the setting changed which dictate WHEN the IR Blaster & USB-UIRT send their ‘change channel’ commands. Is it in Sage Properties, or this tuning setup page?

[Striker:WG]

I'm not sure I follow your question.

They should send the command if they are selected as the blaster device and you send a channel change command from your remote control.