PVR 250/150 Remote Problems

[rsagetv99]

I had a PVR 250 single tuner setup, using basic cable working fine. I purchased a PVR 150 in hopes of controlling a Dish Network STB, in addition to the basic/250 tuner.

The first problem I had was when I loaded the IR blaster software; the blaster did not respond. Since the same jack on the card controls the IR blaster and the IR receiver, I went ahead and loaded the IR software for the 150. IR gave me an error like, “hardware could not be started. I was able to run hcwclear and re-install everything, but depending on what order I installed the software I could only get one or the other IR port working (the one on the 150 or the one on the 250).

I found these registry keys and tried changing the values from 0 to 1, but I still could not force one port to be used over the other.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\hauppauge\IR\IRPort
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\hauppauge\IR\IRBlasterPort

Ultimately I would like to get the both working, since the combo-cable that came with the 150 has a really short receiver cable – so I was going to use the longer receiver cable connected to the 250 to receive and the combo shorter cable connected to the 150 to blast. But if I cannot use more than both, I would at least like to be able to choose which one is enabled.

Also, at one point I had the IR port on the 150 working, but I could not get it to control my Dish Network 301 STB, so this all may be a moot point. If anyone knows which code to use let me know.

The other problem I have is with the new 45-button remote. I am using the new irremote.ini provided by Opus, which seems to work pretty well, however after coming out of sleep the remote no longer works. If I restart IR it starts to work again. I put back the old irremote.ini and the old remote works fine even after coming out of sleep. I noticed in the old ini there is no GRNPOWER line in the [default] section, but in the new ini there is GRNPOWER={run(C:\Progra~1\FreyTe~1\SageTV\SageTV.exe)}{mode(SageTV)}. Also, later in the [sagetv] section in the old ini you have GRNPOWER={ctrl}z, and in the new ini you have GRNPOWER={ctrl}z{mode(Default)}. I tried changing these things in the new ini to match the old ini, but that did not work either.

HEELLLLLPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!

[kny3twalker]

ok add this after the GRNPOWER={run(C:\Progra~1\FreyTe~1\SageTV\SageTV.exe)}{mode(SageTV)}
{run(C:\Progra~1\WinTV\Ir.exe /QUIET)}

that will restart the remote for you will pushing the button to launch SageTV

maybe getting a extention for that cord would be a good idea rather than using both IR ports

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

ok add this after the GRNPOWER={run(C:\Progra~1\FreyTe~1\SageTV\SageTV.exe)}{mode(SageTV)}
{run(C:\Progra~1\WinTV\Ir.exe /QUIET)}

that will restart the remote for you will pushing the button to launch SageTV

Thanks, great idea! I actually tried doing this with a batch file, I was going to have GRNPOWER call the batch file, and have the batch file restart IR and then call SAGE. I couldn't get it to work though.

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

maybe getting a extention for that cord would be a good idea rather than using both IR ports

Do you know how to choose which port will be active?

[kny3twalker]

not really
but I would think installing the update driver for only the pvr 150 and then the remote software may solve this where as for the pvr 250 simply install the inf driver

do not have this issue since I have a pvr 250 and pvr 250 MCE so never had to deal with it

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

ok add this after the GRNPOWER={run(C:\Progra~1\FreyTe~1\SageTV\SageTV.exe)}{mode(SageTV)}
{run(C:\Progra~1\WinTV\Ir.exe /QUIET)}

that will restart the remote for you will pushing the button to launch SageTV

maybe getting a extention for that cord would be a good idea rather than using both IR ports

The initial try with this setting does not look good. I am running hcwclear now and will see how it goes after re-installing all of the drivers...

[kny3twalker]

it works fine
I use to use it all the time before using girder

it should be one long line
and make sure there is no space in exe
like you typed

you do need to install the driver update for the remote control to work
the pvr.exe file not just the inf driver files

[kny3twalker]

It might be that the remote control is using the first priority tuner

do you know which tuner records first in SageTV?

[Opus4]

There may be some issues getting the IR software & blaster to use the 150 when multiple cards are present. There is a reg entry to tell it to prefer 250-style cards; I'm not sure yet if there is such a value for the 150.

Also: for the remote not working when you sleep/wake SageTV... does SageTV go into its screen saver mode when you put it to sleep, or does it sleep as an icon in the system tray? The issue of it not working correctly when using the screen saver was covered in this thread and this post & on. Essentially, you can remove the mode(Default) command from the line in the [SageTV] section that puts it to sleep.

- Andy

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by Opus4

There may be some issues getting the IR software & blaster to use the 150 when multiple cards are present. There is a reg entry to tell it to prefer 250-style cards; I'm not sure yet if there is such a value for the 150.

Also: for the remote not working when you sleep/wake SageTV... does SageTV go into its screen saver mode when you put it to sleep, or does it sleep as an icon in the system tray? The issue of it not working correctly when using the screen saver was covered in this thread and this post & on. Essentially, you can remove the mode(Default) command from the line in the [SageTV] section that puts it to sleep.

- Andy

It goes to the screensaver. I will try what you suggested, thanks.

EDIT: Oh and just so you know, I did research this problem, but since I only had the problem with the 45-button remote I searched on "irremote 45 remote". Sorry I missed the other post.

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

it works fine
I use to use it all the time before using girder

it should be one long line
and make sure there is no space in exe
like you typed

you do need to install the driver update for the remote control to work
the pvr.exe file not just the inf driver files

Here is the line copied and pasted from the irremote.ini file. As I am typing this there is not a space in the exe (wasn't one earlier either), but I have noticed that the sometimes one gets added when posting for some reason.
GRNPOWER={run(C:\Progra~1\FreyTe~1\SageTV\SageTV.exe)}{mode(SageTV)}{run(C:\Progra~1\WinTV\Ir.exe /QUIET)}

I am trying it again after re-installing drivers...

[Opus4]

You really shouldn't need that additional command to run IR.exe again. I know kny3twalker said it worked for him; it is just that I'm not sure what it was doing. Maybe it was something to do with that screen saver mode that I kept missing for the longest time. (?)

BUT, if you are using an ini that controls SageTV w/o requiring focus, then by running ir.exe again, you have just defeated the purpose of that {mode(SageTV)} command in the Dafualt section: since ir.exe will restart in default mode, you will be unable to control SageTV. It might continue to work when it has focus, but not when it doesn't. For an ini that send keystrokes & requires focus, it shouldn't hurt since all it does is reset the IR software.

- Andy

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

It goes to the screensaver. I will try what you suggested, thanks.

EDIT: Oh and just so you know, I did research this problem, but since I only had the problem with the 45-button remote I searched on "irremote 45 remote". Sorry I missed the other post.

This fixed the problem with the 45-button remote after sleeping. Thanks.

kny3twalker, sorry man, the command you suggested I add did not seem to make a difference. After applying Opus' fix I took it off and everything is still working. Thanks for responding though, as always.

I'm going to call support about getting the 150 to accept all of the IR commands, the 250 is the only one accepting them after I installed the 250 inf driver. I tried reversing the order and everything, but the only way I could get the IR on the 150 to work was if I diabled, or uninstalled the 250.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

I'm going to call support about getting the 150 to accept all of the IR commands, the 250 is the only one accepting them after I installed the 250 inf driver.

I just checked on this & was about to reply. Add/change this registry entry...

Check "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\hauppauge\ir" for a DWORD "I2CType" entry. So far, I know of 2 decimal values:

1. 19: prefer 250
2. 18: prefer 150

See if setting it to 18 helps.

- Andy

[mls]

Just FYI, 19 should work for either 250 or 350.

By trial and error, I found 23 works for a USB2.

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I just checked on this & was about to reply. Add/change this registry entry...

Check "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\hauppauge\ir" for a DWORD "I2CType" entry. So far, I know of 2 decimal values:

1. 19: prefer 250
2. 18: prefer 150

See if setting it to 18 helps.

OK, I will give it a try at lunch today. Thanks.

Originally Posted by mls

Just FYI, 19 should work for either 250 or 350.

So if you have both a 250 and a 350 you cannot give one priority over the other? I guess since neither have a blaster there would be no point in giving one priority over the other.


So based on the problems I've been having I guess buying another 150 to control a second STB would not work since it does not seem like you can have more than one IR port active at a time...

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

So if you have both a 250 and a 350 you cannot give one priority over the other?

Not currently, a far as I know. Besides, there isn't a lot of point to that if they both have just the IR receiver -- simply determine which one has the active IR receiver & use that. I think there may be a problem, though, when using a 250 w/o a remote port (250MCE), but I haven't looked into that in detail.

So based on the problems I've been having I guess buying another 150 to control a second STB would not work since it does not seem like you can have more than one IR port active at a time...

Nope, and the v2.1 manual gives you a warning about that on p. 197. I don't know if that driver limitation will ever change. To control multiple STBs, you are probably better off using something like the USB-UIRT, which has 3 zone output.

- Andy

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by mls

Just FYI, 19 should work for either 250 or 350.

By trial and error, I found 23 works for a USB2.

Is there anything I need to do to get IR.EXE to accept these changes? I made the change and it didn't seem to make a difference.

[mls]

After making the change to the registry you need to do a reboot for it to take effect. However, I'm not sure just how this registry hack works out with the newer drivers (such as those for a 150). You might want to check over at shspvr for the latest info and drivers for any of the Hauppauge cards.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by mls

After making the change to the registry you need to do a reboot for it to take effect.

At the very least, you would have to restart ir.exe, but a reboot is probably the best way to make sure it is used, like you said.

However, I'm not sure just how this registry hack works out with the newer drivers (such as those for a 150).

The values for it to prefer the 150 & 250/350-series came straight from Hauppauge.

- Andy

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by Opus4

At the very least, you would have to restart ir.exe, but a reboot is probably the best way to make sure it is used, like you said.
- Andy

I tried restarting IR and rebooting. Still no go. If nobody else has any ideas I'll try to get a hold of support tomorrow. I also need to ask them how to get it to control my Dish Network 301. I'm hoping they will say, oh we have an update to our IR blaster software that adds support for newer Dish Network boxes - but I have a feeling they are just going to tell me that they don't have a working code for it.