Using Sky from MP

johngc · 2007-03-25, 18:51

Sorry if this has already been asked and resolved but I can't find an answer using the search.

I used to use MCE and have the MCE remote control with two ir blasters. When I set up MCE, I had it linked to my Sky box through a hauppage PVR 150 and an ir blaster. MCE 'knew' that it was sky and so only tuned into one channel on the tv card, but treated it as though all the channels were there. I had a full epg available and when I changed the channel using my MCE remote, the ir blasters did their job and changed the sky box.

Is it possible to have the same set up under MCE? I am struggling to even work out how to get a full egp available for my sky channels! (I can't work out how to have more than one channel available in the epg as only one physical channel is tuned in - the sky feed)

Bagal · 2007-03-26, 14:31

First - simple answer is yes you can configure MediaPortal to work with your Sky box in exactly the same way as MCE, unfortunately there's just a little more work involved (albeit imo very worthwhile).

What you need to do:
1. Setup your channels
2. Use the MCEReplacement Plugin to send the IR signals through the blaster
3. Setup your EPG

1. I don't know of a quicker way to do this (somebody please enlighten me if so), so here goes, you need to configure every channel separately, yes, this is a lot of work, but you can use it as an exercise to only include the channels you actually watch.
Within the MP config channel setup, you need to click 'Add Channel Mannually' or something like that, in the dialog enter the name of the channel, such as 'Sky One', then in the channel number enter the number you use on the Sky box to watch that channel, such as 106, this is what the IR blaster uses to change the channel, and select the input source, such as S-Video or Composite.

2. Download the MCEReplacement plugin and install that - there's plenty of docs with it, so no need for me to explain everything. You might need to learn the commands of your Sky remote if the built in defaults don't work for you.

3. Once you've got MP configured with all your channels and changing the Sky box, you can then configure the EPG. I haven't personally done this step with MP, so all I'll basically say is you can use xmltv or (I think) WebEPG to get this information. Just have a look in the MP config.

At the moment I've got the TVServer hooked up and configured to use the Sky box and it works great, which means I can watch Sky upstairs as well as downstairs without having to pay Sky for another STB (albeit I can only watch the same channel).

HTH.

2007-03-25, 18:51	#1 (permalink)
johngc Portal Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 12 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Using Sky from MP Sorry if this has already been asked and resolved but I can't find an answer using the search. I used to use MCE and have the MCE remote control with two ir blasters. When I set up MCE, I had it linked to my Sky box through a hauppage PVR 150 and an ir blaster. MCE 'knew' that it was sky and so only tuned into one channel on the tv card, but treated it as though all the channels were there. I had a full epg available and when I changed the channel using my MCE remote, the ir blasters did their job and changed the sky box. Is it possible to have the same set up under MCE? I am struggling to even work out how to get a full egp available for my sky channels! (I can't work out how to have more than one channel available in the epg as only one physical channel is tuned in - the sky feed)

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2007-03-26, 14:31	#2 (permalink)
Bagal MP Donator Join Date: Dec 2006 Age: 30 Posts: 139 Thanks: 12 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts Country:	First - simple answer is yes you can configure MediaPortal to work with your Sky box in exactly the same way as MCE, unfortunately there's just a little more work involved (albeit imo very worthwhile). What you need to do: 1. Setup your channels 2. Use the MCEReplacement Plugin to send the IR signals through the blaster 3. Setup your EPG 1. I don't know of a quicker way to do this (somebody please enlighten me if so), so here goes, you need to configure every channel separately, yes, this is a lot of work, but you can use it as an exercise to only include the channels you actually watch. Within the MP config channel setup, you need to click 'Add Channel Mannually' or something like that, in the dialog enter the name of the channel, such as 'Sky One', then in the channel number enter the number you use on the Sky box to watch that channel, such as 106, this is what the IR blaster uses to change the channel, and select the input source, such as S-Video or Composite. 2. Download the MCEReplacement plugin and install that - there's plenty of docs with it, so no need for me to explain everything. You might need to learn the commands of your Sky remote if the built in defaults don't work for you. 3. Once you've got MP configured with all your channels and changing the Sky box, you can then configure the EPG. I haven't personally done this step with MP, so all I'll basically say is you can use xmltv or (I think) WebEPG to get this information. Just have a look in the MP config. At the moment I've got the TVServer hooked up and configured to use the Sky box and it works great, which means I can watch Sky upstairs as well as downstairs without having to pay Sky for another STB (albeit I can only watch the same channel). HTH.