[solved] Trying to ditch MCE, but blaster issues (1 Viewer)

[Danny Rego]

It looks like I've got everything working, except IR blasting my colossus cards. So here's my setup...

- Colossus configured to use IRSS/USBUIRT to change channels on my set-top box. (known working because I was using this with MCE for months)

I cannot figure out for the life of me how to tell mediaportal to communicate with the colossus card for channel changes!? My URBUIRT "test" from the mediaportal config screen doesn't IR blast either.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[mm1352000]

Hello Danny

It looks like I've got everything working, except IR blasting my colossus cards.

So you have all your channels in the TV Channels section of TV Server Configuration?
...and they're all configured with the correct input settings (as per the mappings in the "inputs" section of -->this post<--)?
Cards (multiple) or card (singular)?

I cannot figure out for the life of me how to tell mediaportal to communicate with the colossus card for channel changes!?

MediaPortal does not communicate directly with the Colossus. It can receive remote commands from the USB-UIRT, but it cannot control your set top box.
So, if you're fishing through MediaPortal Configuration looking for something then stop. That's a complete waste of time.

My URBUIRT "test" from the mediaportal config screen doesn't IR blast either.

If you're going to succeed in configuring MediaPortal then it is critical that you understand what I'm about to write.

Only one application can use/control the USB-UIRT at any given time. If IRSS is using it then MediaPortal won't be able to, and vice versa.
As I said above: despite what you see in MediaPortal Configuration -> Remote -> USBUIRT, MediaPortal cannot use your USB-UIRT to control your set top box.
Therefore IRSS should be configured to control the USB-UIRT.
You must disable the "use your remote to control MediaPortal" and "let MediaPortal control your settopbox" options. If you leave them enabled, MediaPortal and IRSS will fight for control over the USB-UIRT. That won't end well.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yes, as above.
Disable all USB-UIRT related options in MediaPortal Configuration.
Use the IRSS MP Control plugin for MediaPortal to receive remote commands from the USB-UIRT receiver.
Use the IRSS TV3 Blaster plugin for MediaPortal's TV Server to have the USB-UIRT blaster control your set top box.
If you configure the above plugins appropriately then everything can and should work.
If you need help configuring the above plugins then just ask.

Regards,
mm

 

[Danny Rego]

WOW! thanks for that response. I think I understand, except, I cannot find the "TV3 Blaster Plugin". I read that it comes with IRSS, but I cannot seem to find it in my installation.

 

[mm1352000]

If it isn't listed in TV Server Configuration -> plugins section then that's because you didn't choose to install it when you installed IRSS. You will have to reinstall IRSS to get it.

 

[Danny Rego]

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yes, as above.
Disable all USB-UIRT related options in MediaPortal Configuration.
Use the IRSS MP Control plugin for MediaPortal to receive remote commands from the USB-UIRT receiver.
Use the IRSS TV3 Blaster plugin for MediaPortal's TV Server to have the USB-UIRT blaster control your set top box.
If you configure the above plugins appropriately then everything can and should work.
If you need help configuring the above plugins then just ask.

Regards,
mm[/QUOTE]

Ok...

- I have disabled all USB-UIRT stuff in MediaPortal Configuration (under Remotes and Inpute Devices)
- I re-installed IRSS, and allowed all MediaPortal plugins to get installed. I see all three in the various places.

...so now in the Tv-Server Configuration, under Plugins, I see "TV3 Blaster Plugin for IR Server", and in there, when I click on STB I see all of my cards. When I select the card I want to configure, I see an option for "RUN PROGRAM". Do I need to set that up for each digit, or can I have it blast the whole sting at once? For example, I would normally execute (for my MCE setup) ---> "C:\Program Files (x86)\IR Server Suite\IRBlast-NoWindow.exe -port "port 2" -delay 150 -pad 3 -channel 1234" <--- but here...do I need to configure it to run IRBlast for each individual digit, or am I missing something obvious here!?

 

[mm1352000]

Ok...

- I have disabled all USB-UIRT stuff in MediaPortal Configuration (under Remotes and Inpute Devices)
- I re-installed IRSS, and allowed all MediaPortal plugins to get installed. I see all three in the various places.

Okay, good.

...so now in the Tv-Server Configuration, under Plugins, I see "TV3 Blaster Plugin for IR Server"

Yes, that's the one you want.

When I select the card I want to configure, I see an option for "RUN PROGRAM".

Really? That's strange.
I would have expected you to be seeing something like this:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/@a...ster_ExternalChannelChanging.png?size=webview

...and there's definitely no "run program" option there.
Which version of IRSS are you using?

Do I need to set that up for each digit, or can I have it blast the whole sting at once?

You shouldn't have to care about this.

In Input Service Configuration (AKA IRSS Configuration), you should have enabled "USB-UIRT" in the "transmit" column (and the "receive" column, if you also intend to use the receiver for your remote control) and configured the additional parameters. That is exactly as you would have done for your WMC setup.
The difference with a MediaPortal setup is that the TV3 Blaster Plugin can communicate directly with the IRSS service. Therefore there's no need to configure a program to run, or to care about whether digits have to be sent separately. IRSS itself takes care of all the details. Normally with the TV3 Blaster plugin you just select your set top box vendor/model (or learn the commands) and configure each command with the correct blaster port.

In other words: what you're seeing is not what I would expect if you had installed the latest version of IRSS (which you should do, unless you have good reason not to).

For example, I would normally execute (for my MCE setup) ---> "C:\Program Files (x86)\IR Server Suite\IRBlast-NoWindow.exe -port "port 2" -delay 150 -pad 3 -channel 1234" <--- but here...do I need to configure it to run IRBlast for each individual digit, or am I missing something obvious here!?

Again, as above: a MediaPortal setup should not require executing IRBlast or any other program.
Your command line parameters ("-port...") should be configured/entered via the TV3 Blaster interface. In other words:

• after you've selected your STB and clicked set (or learned the commands, and mapped each command in the "commands" list), configure each command to be sent to port 2
• configure "wait between digits" as "150"
• configure "channel digits" as "3 digits"

 

[Danny Rego]

I am sooooo close. When I go into STB, I click "test" and I see my set-top box changing channels perfectly, however, MediaPortal doesn't seem to want to attempt tuning to those channels!? Any last words of wisdom???

 

[mm1352000]

Any last words of wisdom???

Sure.

1. Did you restart the TV service after enabling the TV3 Blaster plugin?
TV Server Configuration would have told you that you need to do this. A lot of people make the mistake of ignoring the message.

1. Open TV Server Configuration.
2. Go to the "manual control" section.
3. Click "stop service"... then "start service".

2. As I asked previously: are your channels all configured correctly?
In order for blasting to work, each channel has to be configured with the correct channel number and input settings. I'm talking about here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/@api/deki/files/2582/=Tuning_detail_1_Analog-TV.png

The "channel number" field there must be set to the channel number of the channel on the set top box.
"Video source" and "audio source" should also be set according to the inputs you're using (eg. HDMI, component, S/PDIF) and the mapping information which I previously linked.

 

[mm1352000]

If following the above suggestions does not help, you will need to provide IRSS and TV Server log files. I won't be able to help further without them.

1. Open TV Server Configuration.
   
2. Go to the General section.
3. Ensure TV Server's log level is set to debug.
4. Go to the Manual Control section.
5. Click "stop service"... then "start service".
   
6. Open IRSS Input Service Configuration.
7. Select "advanced" (button up the top).
8. If there is a log level setting available (there may not be, depending on which version you ended up using), set it to debug.
9. Click "stop"... then "start".
10. Open the MediaPortal Watchdog tool.
11. Select option 2 and click "proceed".
    
12. Try to use MediaPortal to view a couple of channels (ie. show me that blasting is not working).
13. Close MediaPortal.
14. Attach ("upload a file") the zip file created by the Watchdog tool.
15. Zip the contents of the c:\ProgramData\IR Server Suite\Logs folder, and attach that zip file as well.

 

[Danny Rego]

Thanks so much! I got 'er going. Now it's a matter of tweaking to my liking I hope! Your assistance is much apprectiated.