Question to all MyBlaster users. (1 Viewer)

[joboehl]

Hi,

I've being testing myblaster with 2 different MCE IR receivers this weekend and noticed that, altough both are MCE devices, they behave a little different from each other in therms of IR sending and internal programing. So I would like to ask all MCE-blaster users, specially those having problems with MyBlaster and MCE-like receivers/blasters:

1st - What receiver you are using (Microsoft branded or other like the SMK branded shipped with the Hauppauge PVR150MCE)?

2st - Symptons you observe, if any. (Some examples: Have to use the forceport=2 setting, blaster don't change the channels right and etc).

The reason I'am asking is that it might be possible to change the blaster plugin to better handle this non-MS branded blasters/receivers, but I need to know if this problems are really related to this kind of HW.

Julio

 

[Dale#1976]

Hello:

I have the MCE remote that came with the Happauge 150MCE tuner card. I have been trying for a week to get it to change the channels on my satelite receiver, but with no luck.

I've installed MyBlaster.exe and used the learn function to program in the numbers. I know the numbers are now being seen by MP because I can select items on the various menus by pressing the appropriate numbers. ... so, MyBlaster only partially worked.

I downloaded the 'alternate MCE' software yesterday, but I can't quite figure out how to map the numbers into it. I can see the numbers are already programmed in and I am a little reluctant to change them because I only want the numbers sent to the 'blaster' when I am in the guide or watching TV or when the channel needs to be changed by MP for recording. I notice the up and down buttons skip two lines in the TV guide.

I am a little frustrated because the 150MCE tuner card is fairly popular and I've seen a number of posts listing the same problems dating back many months ... but no solutions that I can find.

It would be wonderful if someone with the programming experience could create a plugin specifically for the 150MCE remotes.

So, to answer your question, yes, I think there are a lot of people with 'OEM' MCE remotes that can't quite get it working right within MP. Makes it real tempting to go back to MS Media Center.

Any programmers reading this???

Thanks!!

 

[joboehl]

Dale,

How does your receiver/blaster looks like? Does'it have the Microsoft brand or is it made by a different comapny (look at the botton).

I have 2 MCE remotes shipped with Hauppauge cards. One have a differente remote/receiver (made by SMK) and the other has Microsoft written on top. One is gray, the other is black. How does your look like?

 

[Dale#1976]

Hello again Joboehl:

Thank you for your prompt reply.

I have two remotes also and one has 'Microsoft' on the front of the remote and on the top of the transmitter/receiver. That is the one I am using. The other is an SMC, but it is not in use yet. Haven't yet got my HTPC setup for my bedroom.

I'm using port 2 and have added to the configuration file to force this. I'm also trying an alternate MCE program, which I found in the remote download section, without any luck in getting the blaster to change channels on my satelite receiver. Other than that, the remote operates all the functions properly.
MP is getting the numbers because I can change menu selections by pressing the appropriate number.

I just can't figure out why MP isn't sending the channel change to the blaster as it should. It works perfectly in MS Media Center and has for months.

Hope this information is helpful.

Have a nice weekend!!

Bye for now ... Dale

 

[joboehl]

Dale,

I'll propably release a modified version of myblaster tonight. It will have some switches you can use to try to make particular blasters to work.

But iin your case I think is good to take a look at mediaportal.log and see if the blaster is being actually called. Look for Blaster log entrys.

The remote control and the blaster are handled by completly different parts of mediaportal. So, the fact of your remote control is working doesn't really mean myblaster is working in any form. If you can't find any blaster log entries in you log file, the problem might be a different one (Eg: failure to load the plug-in and etc).

Hope this helps.

Julio

 

[Dale#1976]

Thank you Joboehl ... I will check the logs to see if the blaster is being initialized. If I have any problems, I'll let you know.

Thank you for all your efforts and prompt replies.

Bye for now ... Dale

 

[joboehl]

Sorry, had some problems yestarday and the code needs a little bit more testing. Will be ready today.

 

[joboehl]

Finnally.

Hello all,

I've made some little improvements to the MyBlaster plug-in (hope smirnuff don't mind). The goal was to give a little bit more control over the blaster so users could try to solve some commom problems.

Also, the plug-in is being changed to support the use of multiple STBs (just 2 actually). Changes are necessary on MP code, so you can't use this yet, but you will soon be able to do it.

There are new configuration entrys. You can use them to customize the plug-in behavior:

blaster1Card -
Maps blasterport1 to a particular TV Card. You need to specify the TV card ID (index) in this field. If specified, it overrides the forceport value.

blaster2Card - The same thing as blaster1Card, but for the second port.

speed - Changes the default blaster speed. Can be used to solve channel changing problems. 0- Fast, 1 - Medium ,2 - Slow. Default is Fast.

blastertype - Specifies wich variant of the MCE blaster is being used. 0 - MS standard, 1 - Blaster made by SMK (grey) and bundled with some Hauppauge PVR150MCE devices. Default 0 - MS standard, the same used before.

If you don't change anything in the MediaPortal.xml file, blaster will behave the same way as before. You need to specify the entrys for them to become active.

As a side note, if you do use the Card to Blaster mapping (Baster1Card or Blaster2Card), the forceport is ignored. Otherwise, forceport still defines the port to be used.

Logging has also changed to give more info about what is happenning.

Setup myblaster as before, and after that you just need to copy the MyBlaster.dll in this file to your plugin/process directory. Setup and Learn functions haven't changed, so no need to do it again. Just use what you already have.

Hope this helps some of you guys. Here is working fine.

Julio

 

[Dale#1976]

Hello Again!!

Thank you ... the updated MyBlaster worked. My remote is now changing the STB. Up until this final update, the IR channel codes were not being sent out the blaster.

I have the Hauppauge 150MCE capture card. This is the one where many people have been having problems with changing channels on their satelite boxes. Looks like you solved the problem.

Thank you again!!

Dale

 

[joboehl]

Thanks for the feedback Dale.

Just as a tip, in my case the best setup for this Hauppage blaster was blastertype 1 and speed 2.

Go enjoy MP now.

Julio