Got DirecTV Serial Control in SageTV working with Hughes HAH-SA ? What STBs do work ?

[kennethadams102]

Does anyone have the DirecTV Serial Control in SageTV 2.0 working with the Hughes HAH-SA (Executive Director) ?

How about the DirecTV D10 ?

What DirecTV STBs have you personally got SageTV serial control to work with ?

I've been trying to decide which DTV STB to get based on whether SageTV serial control works with it. I've been researching forums and sites all over the place for weeks, and have not found any good list of what's compatible with SageTV serial control. I've been hoping to confirm compatibility for hardware that I can buy for $50 or less and is selling now - seems like DirecTV and dealers change the receivers they are selling like they change socks.

The most useful info I've found is the compatibility list on http://www.dtvcontrol.com, but for it to be useful in determining SageTV compatibility I need to know which command sets SageTV has been written to support.

Frey has not addressed the DirecTV serial control compatibility issues very well. I wish they would document which command sets they have written support for, and compile a list of receiver models with SageTV compatibility and test status (similar to DTVcontrol and Snapstream's Knowledge Base).

What is your experience with DirecTV Serial Control in SageTV 2.0 ?

Thanks,
Ken

[kny3twalker]

Sony SAT B3
here

[LowBrow]

Sony SAT-B50, works great, only occasionally (every few days) does it fail to tune. I've recently set SageTV to use always_tune, and it seems a bit better.

Also, I'm using a USB to Serial Cable since my Abit IT7-MAX motherboard has no serial ports. Works like a champ.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...147-302&depa=0

[r00st3r]

anyone get the modular 4P4C adaptor for the "Low Data Port" on the D10 to work with SAGE? I had sage working via serial with my cableboxes, but now have the DTV D10 and want to know if this works before I pay for the cable.. seems like the concept is the same, should matter what the connections are. Is there a way to determine if the data port is even enabled?


Thanks

[kennethadams102]

Since I couldn't confirm that the DirecTV D10 receiver serial control would work before buying one, I bought one at a local store so I could return it if it didn't work.

I "mickey moused" a cable together and it worked !!

It also works with DTVControl - I didn't test every possible command, just channel changing, which is all SageTV needed.

I wired the cable following the directions on http://DTVControl.com , so I expect the cable they sell to work.
So I ordered two, but had to go out of town on a project, so I haven't actually hooked that cable up yet.

[r00st3r]

I looked at the diagram on the link you posted and it looks pretty straight forward, one question i have is they have 2 seperate images for connecting the wires to the rj-22 jack.


1-Black | Yellow
2-Red | Green
4-Yellow | Black

Which one goes where (1-is it black or yeoow or both?)
What goes on 3 ? In the diagram it shows 4 wires connecting to the rj22.
so the diagram confused me a bit..

[kennethadams102]

Unfortunately I am out of town (for weeks yet), and so I can't look at the mickey moused cable I threw together to tell you. But I know what you're talking about because I had to play around with it to figure it out.

If I recall correctly (it was a month ago that I did this) it depends on how you wire the adapter setup. The telephone handset cords do a crossover (rather than straight-through). So if you are going DE9 directly to a 4P4C connector it's one way, if you are using a DE9 to 4P4C jack with a telephone handset cord as a patch cable (like what they sell on the DTVcontrol web site) then it is the other way.

I used a DE connector that allowed me to insert and remove the different colored wires, so I could play with it until I got it right.

Looking at the diagram now, I think they are showing you how their adapter cable is wired. The Modular 4P4C columns are showing you the opposite ends of the patch cord - note that the clip on the connector would be facing away from you so the order of the wires will be reversed on the opposite end of the cable.

Sorry I can't remember what I ended up with.

Cya,

[Redemption]

Not to hijack off the intial direction this went, but how does Sage Control the Direct TV Receiver?
Does it let me specify directv as my reciever (when i say tuning is done on an external device) and then ask which comm port handles that particular receiver? If so, can I buy the RJ11 to Serial adapters the direct tv devices use at a radioshack?
Also, those who have used them, the USB to Serial Adapters, do they just create an additional comm port on your PC?
Thanks for any info
EDIT: On input from satellite, I know I can go from my receiver with coax connections or SVideo and RCA connectors. However the PVR250's I have only have coax, svideo, and "line input" Guessing that's for minijacks. Is there a recomended way to get the audio from the receiver to the tuner? Such as a minijack to RCA "Y"Y cable?

[WarlordBB]

RCA DRD435RH has been working flawlessly for tuning over serial. Hasn't crapped out on me once. Wish I could say the same for SageTV Client

It took me a while to figure out the wiring, if anyone needs help with this STB, let me know.

[LowTech]

I'm using a DRD435RH as well and the ability to change channels on this STB w/o using a blaster is a plus as far as asthetics goes. I still haven't figured out if I can reprogram the Hauppauge remote/Sage to bring up the guide on the STB only so that I can see all of the PPV titles. I happy with the results, and as I understand it the D10 STB will work as well.

[Hector]

Is this to say you need a special made cable?

I have an old Sony B3 for my Tivo but I am trying to find another good sat receiver for Sage (or use the B3 for sage and the new one for Tivo).

peace . . .

Originally Posted by WarlordBB

RCA DRD435RH has been working flawlessly for tuning over serial. Hasn't crapped out on me once. Wish I could say the same for SageTV Client

It took me a while to figure out the wiring, if anyone needs help with this STB, let me know.

[r00st3r]

I would be using a DE9 to 4P4C jack with a telephone handset cord as a patch cable. I understand I only need 3 of the wires connected to the numbers on the DE9, problem is, i am not sure which wires go to which number.

Redemption,
I use coax for the dtv->PVR250. This gives me audio and video. I then use the spdif out on my pc to go to the reciever and a crescendo transcoder (VGA->Component) to go to the tv.

f you go svideo, then yes you would need the minijack to RCA "Y"Y cable

[WarlordBB]

Yes, you need a special cable in most situations.

A lot of these STB's require a handset connector (might be called RJ-6) on one end which is very much like a telephone connector (RJ-11) only smaller. The other end will be DB9, standard serial connection for your PC.

My problem was that, after explaining my situation to my Network Cable supplier, he offered to make me free cable. He made it the exact reverse of what is shown on DTVControl which caused me to have to translate and for some reason would short circuit my brain. Just made things confusing.

Anyway, the DB9 to Modular Jack thingie I was going to use didn't work right so I ended up just striping one end of the handset cable and putting self crimp female DB9 ends on that end and then manually connecting to pins 2, 3, and 5 until it worked right.

I keep meaning to put those ends into the DB9 connector shell...

BTW, the DTVControl program (at the site by that name) proved invaluable while testing my setup. If you look at the screenshots of the program on his site, he shows a Test string being sent and then confirmed. This is how I tested whether I got the pinout right or not.

[Hector]

Thanks for taking the time to explain.

I don't have an STB for Sage yet so I am trying to find a more off the shelf solution. Buy the STB, buy the cable and hook it up. I don't have a lot of experience with cabling and figuring pin outs, it would be a nightmare for me to troubleshoot if it didn't work perfectly the first time even if I could get the cabling right.

I do have my Sony B3 that's hooked up to my Tivo so maybe that's the one. Its DB9 on both ends IIRC.

You think there'd be a 'reference' STB and cable that Sage would commit to. You'd think (like with Tivo) that a user could be pointed to the right hardware (by Frey).

Thanks again.

peace . . .

Originally Posted by WarlordBB

Yes, you need a special cable in most situations.

A lot of these STB's require a handset connector (might be called RJ-6) on one end which is very much like a telephone connector (RJ-11) only smaller. The other end will be DB9, standard serial connection for your PC.

My problem was that, after explaining my situation to my Network Cable supplier, he offered to make me free cable. He made it the exact reverse of what is shown on DTVControl which caused me to have to translate and for some reason would short circuit my brain. Just made things confusing.

Anyway, the DB9 to Modular Jack thingie I was going to use didn't work right so I ended up just striping one end of the handset cable and putting self crimp female DB9 ends on that end and then manually connecting to pins 2, 3, and 5 until it worked right.

I keep meaning to put those ends into the DB9 connector shell...

BTW, the DTVControl program (at the site by that name) proved invaluable while testing my setup. If you look at the screenshots of the program on his site, he shows a Test string being sent and then confirmed. This is how I tested whether I got the pinout right or not.

[WarlordBB]

Worst case scenario, I live about 15 minutes from the Can-tuck-kee border

[Hector]

Me too but on the Ohio side, heh. I'm in Grants Lick with is about 20 miles south of Cincy.

I dunno if I'd drive that far for a cable but I might to have a beer with ya, heh.

peace . . .

Originally Posted by WarlordBB

Worst case scenario, I live about 15 minutes from the Can-tuck-kee border

[LowTech]

Well if you really don't want to go the DIY route, sneak over to the Snapstream website and look at their accessories. They offer DB9/RJ6 cables for RCA type STBs and DB9/DB9 cables for Sonys. They run $20 bucks and come with some cheesey RCA patch cord for composite connections.

[Hector]

Excellent information, man. Thanks a lot.

I'm pretty good with the software and hardware but when it comes to cables I have a mental block that I think it goes back to globs of solder all over my electronic projects as a teen. Much like the glue all over my grade school art projects as a kid. My HTPC project definitely does not need the complexity me trying to make my own cables, heh.

Thanks again!

peace . . .

Originally Posted by LowTech

Well if you really don't want to go the DIY route, sneak over to the Snapstream website and look at their accessories. They offer DB9/RJ6 cables for RCA type STBs and DB9/DB9 cables for Sonys. They run $20 bucks and come with some cheesey RCA patch cord for composite connections.

[r00st3r]

If someone that has it working could just map out in english like this:

Pin 1 - Yellow wire
Pin 2 - ?? wire
Pin 3 - ?? wire
etc..etc...



i could put it together. I cant read the schmatics and don't have the patience to test out every possible scenario....

[r00st3r]

ANYONE,

I know a few of you have this working and it would be nice if you could post the wire color->pin #.

I will try to see if I can figure it out but would like to see if I am close.

thanks,