Samsung SIR-TS360 Serial question

[LazyGun]

I just got one of these with my DirecTV system, and just wondered if anyone had tried using Sage to control it?
I know theoretically that Sage can control DirecTV boxes, but all I found after a google was a thread on the TiVo forums where no one seemed to know if it works or not (Serial Control of these box I mean...not Sage ).

I'll probably pop out and buy a serial cable shortly, but I would like to know if anyone else has tried it (in case I end up banging my head on the wall )

Thanks

[LazyGun]

Arrgh!
Well I just discovered a slight flaw in my plan.
The satellite receiver doesn't have a coax output....and the PVR 350 only has Coax in or S-Video in. And for the S-Video I assume I have to run te audio into the sound card on the PC. Which, unfortunately, is a single 3.5mm line in jack. So I think I need to take the component audio outputs, and get a cable with a 3.5mm jack a the end for this.
Also, the serial control didn't appear to work...did bugger all in fact.

[SprDtyF350]

Audio goes into the Audio in jack on my PVR-250's. Assume the PVR-350 would be the same. The Samsung box has an S-Video output right? Why can't you use that into the PVR-350?? I use serial cables to tune my Sony boxes but lots of others use a USB-IRT instead. I guess if your serial port won't work that is another option.

Randy

[LazyGun]

Yep...just had to go routing around for a cable that took the left and right audio from the satellite, into a 3.5mm jack. I now have the card working with that and the S-Video cable...and everything is recording and playing back fine

However, the DirecTV Serial control is not doing anything still.
I just upgraded from v2.0 of Sage to 2.1.9 RC6...made no difference to the serial port controller. According to Winblows Device Manager, the COM port is enabled and working fine.
So either Sage is not doing anything, or my satellite receiver is ignoring the commands. Is there any way of telling which is it?

Thanks

[LazyGun]

Found the dtvcontrol app at www.dtvcontrol.com, and tried that out. Every command times out. So I can only assume that either the satellite receiver is ignoring all commands, or the commands are wrong.
Still investigating

[kny3twalker]

you both need to reset your DirecTV boxes
pull the plug on it while the DirecTV is still on
pull the card out of the back while still on
whatever

and it should work as soon as it gets reset

and for svideo you need to use composite audio with a yadapter to headphone miniplug
and it should plug into the back of the pvr 350 along with the svideo

coax looks like crap anyways
svideo is so much nicer

[SprDtyF350]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

you both need to reset your DirecTV boxes

Nah!! My Sony boxes work just fine with serial cables..


Randy

[kny3twalker]

Nah!! My Sony boxes work just fine with serial cables..

mine work just fine too(Sony here) but I have had to reset the box after reinstalling my OS
not sure why but I did

[LazyGun]

Nope, that did nothing...resetting the DirecTv box I mean.
Guess I am SOOL, and need to try one of the IR solutions instead....bugger