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PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:47 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 11:58 pm
Posts: 99
Running R5F27 with a 250 and 150 analog capture cards.

Comcast is giving me two converter boxes dc50x

Computer (duron 64) has available 1 serial port, 1 parallel port, and bunch of usb ports.

So my option are buy:

A) 2 port serial card and two ir blasters (any card suggestions?)

B) buy Iguanworks USB Blaster

I am all the for the easiest option and the prices are near each other.

Not a linux guru, so avoiding as much configuration is also important.

Any opinions on what to do?

thanks


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:18 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:07 am
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Location: California
I don't know which option will be easier, but I'll throw in a third option to consider. You can purchase USB->Serial cables on ebay for $3.50 each = $7.00 for the pair, shipped. If you add serial ports with a PCI card it will require the use of an additional IRQ; I don't think the USB->serial converters use an additional IRQ, thus reducing the risk of an IRQ conflict.

I am currently on R5.5, but I used a USB->Serial cables on my R5F27 box in the past to control my x10 transmitter -- I don't recall having to install any special drivers.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:09 am 
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That would be great if it works. But the net and this form say this is does not work, or I am reading this wrong.

http://knoppmyth.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... cf956a63d0

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=647983

If you have it working maybe I could get the exact same parts as you.

Another option is using the Media Center remote control but not sure if a custom lirc is needed.


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:15 pm 
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Posts: 99
The hardware minor upgrade has got my head spinning. (in addition to making a door stop out of my replaytv)

On the fence of upgrading, throwing everything away, going HDTV, or saying game over.

I have a Nivida card (5400 or 6300) and older CPU (SEMPRON 3000 1.8GHZ) that might be able to handle playback, but probably not transcoding.

A new TV and HDHomerun would be nice, but can not also pull off an entire new myth box as well.


Last edited by thekingofspain on Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:22 pm 
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I'm not using the USB->Serial cable for LIRC so I cannot confirm it will work for the purpose -- I use it for my x10 interface. The threads you linked to suggest it won't -- probably not worth the headaches of trying that path.

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:48 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 3:50 pm
Posts: 1013
Location: Los Angeles
You can also try the:
Quote:
Double Headed MythTV LIRC RS232 IR Blaster
Two Standard IR Heads connected to one DB9

from http://www.irblaster.info
Basicly, you'll need to have each box "listen" for different codes--this is usually accomplished by changing a setting on one of the boxes called "IR Address" or similar. Then you'll need the second set of codes in lircd.conf and a second channel changing script. When you change the channel, both blasters will send the code, but only one box should respond. Disclaimer: I have never had the need to do this, but I've heard it can be done and is not too difficult.

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:41 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 11:58 pm
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I looked in that option and the pace dc50 hardware only has one channel. I switched my Replay Tv in to another channel a few year back do to a few conflicting signals with some tuner at the time. The good old show stopper supported 4 channels, and still is downloading tv listing for somewhere paid by someone.

The 4 blasters there also blast the signal on all 4 channels as well. The Commander IR has separate channels.

I am thing about switching cable provides and maybe just getting allot of tuners to drive the three pvr tuners that I have. The sole dc50 device that has been up for days that I use for live tv viewing locked up today. I dont want to record "Service is temporarily unavailable. Please wait." for hours on end before I notice the box needs to be reset.

Yikes my video card is a only a MX 440.

Not to thread crap my own thread, but if anyone was doing all over again today, what tv & pvr services would you use?


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:56 am 
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2005 5:47 pm
Posts: 65
Another option albeit a little pricer is:

http://www.commandir.com/

It has 4 irblasters and one receiver. It lets you address each device independently. It works with R6. I am having some trouble with the IR receiver, but that my be an issue with configuration file. I also needed to plug in a USB hub between the commandir device and my motherboard to get it to work. But it does work.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:06 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 11:58 pm
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mark60050 wrote:
Another option albeit a little pricer is:

http://www.commandir.com/

It has 4 irblasters and one receiver. It lets you address each device independently. It works with R6. I am having some trouble with the IR receiver, but that my be an issue with configuration file. I also needed to plug in a USB hub between the commandir device and my motherboard to get it to work. But it does work.


Thanks. If I stay with MythTv that is probably the thing to own from an upgrade perspective, control cable box/dish boxes etc. Looking also at the iguanaworks thing as well. Really they are my only two choices or switch to lower tech analog cable company.


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