Irblaster and a mix of sat-channels and FTA channels

[sbp]

Hi, I have figured out how to setup mediaportal, so that it can use a single EPG lineup with a mixture of FTA channels and sat channels (from a sat box) and get it to change the channels on the sat box via Irblaster from Hauppauge (PVR150).

The connection to the PVR 150 card is like this:
I use an antenna-splitter, so a normal antenna is connected to the antenne input on the PVR150 card. Furthermore my sat box is connected via antenna out on the sat box to the splitter and into the PVR150 card.
My FTA channels are DR1 and TV2 on channel 5 and 25 respectively, the feed from my sat box is recieved on channel 38.

So basicly I need mediaportal to recieve on channel 38 and then change the sat box to the different channels.
The way to do this is:
1. Go into TV-channels (in configuration) and choose "external"
2. I then choose Type: "Recieved by external settop box"
3. I also need to choose Input via: and here you choose anything you want - we will change this later.
4. Then you choose the channel number on settopbox to the correct number this is important ie no 13.
5. Click OK

Now you can see that if you press the "general tab" the channel number is wrong - something like 250001/13. 13 s the number you need for the settopbox. But 250001 should for me be no channel 38.

BUT you can easily change this. I downloade a SQlite database browser (google for it) and opened TVdatabasV21.db3. Clicked on Browse data, choose Table: channel. And changed the value 250001 to 38.
And voila, now mediaportal use channel 38 (=my satbox channel), and call the hauppauge myblaster and changes the satbox to the desired channel.

You need to use the Hauppauge myblaster configuration tool, in order to find the correct settings for the blaster, in order to work with your specific satbox.

HOpe this can help somebody

Best regards
Steen

[PHN2]

Hej.

Is this possible with mce ir-blaster.

Regards. Per.

[sbp]

Hi. I don't know for sure if you could do the same with the MCE blaster. But as far as I can see this method allows you to keep the correct channel on your TV-card, and and the same time tell Mediaportal which number it should use for the satbox, no matter which blaster you use (MCE, Hauppauge, winlirc ect).

So if you in the settings have told Mediaportal yo use the MCE blaster - yes I would think that you could do as I have described.

Steen

[sbp]

Hi here is a picture demonstrating which part of the Tvdatabase you need to change.

Steen




link: http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5526/databasezb1.png

[mjb]

Thank you for your tip this is just what I have been trying to do

[MaFu]

Hi SBP,

Great tip ! It should be working... but now I get: "No tuner can receive:<name of channel>"

Im pretty sure Im on the way of getting that damn IR Blaster to work!! Its the only thing that is preventing my MP installation of being a real killer app.

My config:

- PVR350 working OK
- HVR1600 not working (not supported yet by MP but Im sure Ill make it work)
- Hauppauge IR Blaster connected to the HVR1600 and working in the blaster config app from hauppauge. The remote is working fine with MP, give the fact that its connected to the HVR1600 and not the PVR350.

Do you have any idea on this problem?

[sbp]

HI

I don't quite understand where the problem is.
You are saying that PVR350 is working OK?.
So if you remove the HVR1600 card you are able to see the channels and use the blaster to change channels on the STB?

STeen

[MaFu]

No, the PVR does not have IR Blaster capability, only the HRV1600.

What's happening is that, when using your solution and changing channels, the screen "blinks" for a moment but does not change the channel in the STB. Using the Hauppauge remote control configuration utility, it works OK.

If that message "No tuner can receive:<name of channel>" is new to you as well, and yours work, I think the problem is elsewhere.. I'll try some new workarounds, you gave me some very good insights by editing directly the table.

Thanks!

[sbp]

I'm sure that you must have put something wrong inside the database, because if the Hauppauge IR blaster config utility can change the channels so should MP also.
The field bExternal only tells MP to use the IR-blaster. So a 0 here means no use of blaster and 1 means use blaster. So the first thing to get working is the changing of channels on the STB, don't care about the "No tuner can recieve: ect", first get MP to change channels.

I think I would use the MP configuration utility to get this working (I'm aware that you can't watch the actual channel inside MP) but when you have the IR blaster working from here, you simply open the database file and then change the IChannelN field to the channel number that your PVR1600 or 350 card use for watching TV via the STB.

I hope this makes sense

Steen