[mythtv-users] Backend 3000 miles away (kinda)
Joseph A. Caputo
jcaputo1 at comcast.net
Thu Oct 16 16:29:39 EDT 2003
On Thursday 16 October 2003 06:48 pm, Joshua Goldenhar wrote:
>
> I'm trying to gain an understanding for this...
>
> I have a Motorola DCT2244 digital cable box with a serial port on the
> back.
>
> I had purchased an the ACTiSYS IR200 thinking I had to have it, but it
> sounds like I might be able to just run the serial cable from the myth
> box to the cable box to control channels - but this is where I get a
> little confused...
>
> What do you do with lirc? Do you have to recompile and tell it to use
> com1 instead of the (in my case) hauppauge ir device?
>
> If so, then how does the system respond to the hauppauge remote (is the
> answer "it doesn't")? Does the cable box send any IR codes it receives
> TO the mythTV box - in which case I only use the remote that came with
> the cable box?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Josh
I'm not sure I understand your question... are you planning to use the IR200
or not? I'm going on the assumption here that you want to use a serial cable
to control your cable box, plus LIRC for some form of remote control.
All you need is a LIRC setup appropriate to your IR receiver (in your case, I
assume the Hauppauge IR device. Most likely with the Hauppauge IR receiver
you'll only be able to use the Hauppauge remote (or possibly a Philips remote
or a universal with a Philips code programmed). If you want, you could use
the IR-200 instead of the Hauppauge receiver, for more flexibility in choice
of remote controls.
In any case, this is the way it works: you control the MythTV interface with
a remote control & LIRC (or a keyboard). When Myth needs to change channels,
it will issue a command to your cable box via the serial cable (assuming
you've setup an appropriate channel-changing script/program). In any event,
you'll probably want to 'lose' the remote to your cable box and let it be
controlled solely by Myth.
Now, I'm a little unclear as to whether the IR-200 is a receiver/transmitter
or receiver only. If it's a receiver/transmitter, your other option (instead
of a serial cable) is to use the IR-200 to 'learn' the codes from your cable
box remote, and set up a script/program that would transmit those codes when
you change channels. You'd still use a LIRC remote to control Myth. This is
a more difficult course to pursue, especially if you have line-of-sight
issues or if you need to set up 2 separate LIRC devices (receiver &
transmitter). If you can go with a serial cable, you're much better off.
-JAC
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