[solved] How to get MediaPortal to blast through USB-UIRT (1 Viewer)

[stephenv]

I'm configuring a MediaPortal 1.6 TV server with two Hauppauge Colossus cards and am using a pair of external cable boxes for tuning.

I got this working with one Colossus using the built in IR blaster that Hauppauge supplies, but all the information that I can find says that this can only be done with one card and to use something like USB-UIRT with IRSS for more cards.

So, I installed my USB-UIRT and then IRSS and ran its IR Server Configuration application, this showed that USB-UIRT was configured for both transmit and receive.

Then I opened the Media Portal Client configuration tool to find the IRSS plugin. Only this is in the Incompatible Plugins section and so can't be used.

Then I opened the Media Portal Server configuration tool to find the IRSS plugin. I can't find it anywhere. I also checked the Media Portal Extension Installer, but it doesn't have anything to do with IRSS either.

So what am I missing? Or doesn't IRSS work with the more recent versions of Media Portal?

Regards,

Stephen

 

[CanadianEh]

Download IRSS from this thread: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/ir-server-suite-version-1-4-2-test-build-3158-3281.33512/ ****

****

Actually, looking further, you will likely need the newer version posted here: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-unoficial-testing-version-no-support.119847/

 

[stephenv]

Yes, eventually I found the new version. Was by accident when someone posted another message to the thread that it was in and then I spotted it.

Installed it, but still could not find the TV3 Blaster plug-in. Uninstalled. Reinstalled. Rebooted. Uninstalled and then on the next reinstall I finally noticed that this installer DOES NOT INSTALL EVERYTHING BY DEFAULT. For some reason the TV3 Blaster is not installed by default!

So once I selected it to be installed I was finally able to get to the blaster plug-in in the MediaPortal server.

Then when I tried to configure it nothing happened.

After a while I noticed that the IRSS blaster service had not started, so another reboot later and I was able to get the blaster to light up in test mode.

I've progressed to the point where I can get the USB-IIRT main unit's light to flash on a channel change, but the main unit is blasting on both Colossus tuner changes, despite having configured separate ports and I cannot get the second blaster light (the one that's plugged into the main unit) to flash at all.

So for tonight I've reverted to a single tuner setup (I just unmapped all the channels from one of the Colossus cards) and am using the Hauppauge blaster again.

At least some progress has been made. And maybe I'll have a Dakar Rally recording to watch in the morning...

Good night all!

 

[CanadianEh]

Sounds like you've actually made some good progress, granted you're not all the way configured yet. I will admit that the IRSS was pretty complex to set up, but the good thing is that once it's working, it should be maintenance-fee. For instance, I am running MediaPortal 1.6, but am still using that old IRSS version I first posted above - without any issues.

So, there's a couple ways to go here to get the USBUIRT to blast to only one cable/sat box at a time:

Option 1: Some STB's let you change the remote codes on a box to a second set (ie: Newer DirecTV boxes allow for this). This would eliminate the chance of both boxes responding to a channel change only intended for one box. This would be ideal.

Option 2: Use the Zoning settings on the USB-UIRT. The standard model has three zones - 1 zone is the main emitter built-into the box, and the other two zones would require using the "headphone jack" on the back and plugging in a STEREO IR emitter. The connector would have two black rings, just like a regular headphone plug. Otherwise, if you're using an emitter with a mono connector, it would get signal from both zones 2+3 (left and right channels on a headphone jack).

I *think* all you need to do is configure the TV3 Blaster plugin under the default tab, click the STB setup box, and then see if your device or a similar box is preset into the app. You'll see in my attached screenshot, that while I have a Bell ExpressVu 6141 STB, the codes match the Echostar 3000 series, so I used that... and also used an external IR blaster plugged into my USB-UIRT on "port 2" so that the IR is only emitted from one of the zones. Additionally, I have the blaster stuck to the front of the STB, and covered the entire area with black electrical tape to ensure that the IR signal doesn't stray around the room and potentially affect something else.

 

[stephenv]

I can now report success with the IRSS through USB-IIRT to control two set top boxes for two Hauppauge Colossus cards.

As suggested elsewhere I did try to use a digital camera to look for the IR LED activity during blasting. This worked, but the only indication of activity was on the main part (the box) of the USB-IIRT device. But I could not see any activity from the two external blaster cables that came with the set top boxes I have. So I'm thinking these are actually receivers - not transmitters. Next, I followed a suggestion from an old post on the USB-IIRT forums, use a pair of head phones to listen for activity. This worked, but showed the following:

1. port 1 blasts to the right headphone
2. port 2 blasts to the left
3. port 3 blasts to the main box

one would think that port 1 would be the main box...

Then I went digging through my old cables boxes and found another blaster from some other PVR device. This actually worked and I was finally able to see IR activity on the extra blaster cable with my digital camera.

Then I took a closer look at the two set top boxes (Motorola DCX3200-M HD Receivers that Shaw Cable uses) to see where the IR receiver was. By shining a strong flashlight at the front panel you can make out a small area to the right of the clock display where the receiver is. I then started testing different code settings for the IR control (since my STB is not listed in the TV3 Blaster Plugin for IR Server). I found that the Motorola DCT-6200 settings worked and after taping the two blasters to the front of the two STBs I got my first dual channel tuning to happen.