[mythtv-users] Has anyone figured out a way to change channels to an external box (like DirectTV) and get directtv listings in the program guide?

Michael J. Sherman msherman at dsbox.com
Tue Jul 22 15:27:25 EDT 2003


>Has anyone figured out a way to change channels to an external box (like
>DirectTV) possible using a serial interface or infared, and get directtv
>listings in the program guide?  I would really like to use DirectTv with
>it, but will concede to use cable service if necessary.  Tivo does this
>but don't know if its possible to do through the MythTV.  I am currently
>building the box (waiting on vid card) so am a bit of a newbie but
>didn't see anything listed in documentation on it.
>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This is all over the archives.  Just try searching for "IR transmitter" 
or something like that.

Basically, you need to have an IR repeater hooked up to the serial port 
of your Myth computer, and have the other end pointed at your cable 
(sat) box.  When Myth wants to change channels, it'll call an external 
program, which will in turn call an lirc (lirc.sourceforge.net) program 
to send a signal out through the IR repeater to fake the cable (sat) box 
into thinking you just typed in a channel number from your remote 
control.  That's was TiVo does, too.

I just built my own transmitter (they're easy) and got it working with 
my external DISH Network satellite receiver, so ask me if you have any 
specific questions.

-- 
Michael J. Sherman  |  Software Developer  |  Digital Sandbox, Inc.
"There are 10 types of people in the world - those who know binary
and those who don't"



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