Steps Taken to add irblaster support under R5E50
1) Connected IRBlaster to COM1:
2) Connected digital cable box output to PV-350 input. Verified operation by setting PV-350 tuner to channel 3, and then changing channels on digital cable box. Channels changed, and were visible on Mythtv while watching tv.
3) Ran irblaster.sh script
a. Yes to serial port question
b. Answered (A) to com port question (COM1:)
c. Selected COX_CABLE_SA3250 digital cable box
4) Edited /etc/blaster/hardware.conf file to add:
IR_BLASTER_SERIAL_PORT=COM1
5) Edited “channel-change-lirc.sh� file by changing lines with irsend to include:
irsend --device=/dev/irblasterd
6) Tested irblaster by running:
irsend –device=/dev/irblasterd SEND_ONCE SAE3250 select
This resulted in the IRblaster emitting a red light (I have the version that shows a signal being sent with a visible light…)
7) Ran mythtv-setup
a. Went to section 4: Input Connections
i. Selected (Tuner 1)_>cable – my only tuner on this box
ii. Set external channel change command option to:
“/usr/local/bin/change-channel-lirc.sh “
PLEASE NOTE: The space at the end seems to be critical for it to work…
iii. Set preset tuner to channel: 3
Restarted mythbackend and then mythfrontend
9) I can now record from the SA 3250cable box, as well as watch live tv. The only limitation is that if MYTHTV is recording, then I should NOT change the cable box tv channel.
10) For reference, here is my wiring diagram as well. This lets me watch and record from the cable box, and it lets me also watch the analog cable channels on regular tv if I’m recording something on the TIVO:
|cable | | RF |- > |Cable Box| - > |RF | - > |PVR-350| -> tv input3
| | - > | Splitter| |Splitter| -|
|outlet| | |- - -| |- > |A/B |
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > |Switch| - > TV Cable input
The wiring is a little strange perhaps (and I'm not sure it will translate to the board...), but it lets me watch both the digital cable and regular cable just through the tv, as well as record from the digital cable box on my myth box, and watch live tv from the digital cable box. The obvious limits are when recording on the Mythtv, I have to watch live tv from analog cable channels. I also have to be careful not to change the digital cable box while recording on the mythtv (I look for hard drive activity…), as that will change the channel that is being recorded. If anyone has a better solution, I’d love to hear it.
Hope someone finds this little writeup of some future use.
Tom