[mythtv-users] RE: possible to do Dish Network + antenna

[Rolando Nieves]

First off, sorry about the spam blocker message ... it has gotten pretty bad for me ...

Anyways, I don't know for sure if a commercial blaster would work with the DISH receiver. The receiver does not use the usual 38KHz IR carrier to receive signals. Instead it uses 56KHz. Most simple homebrew receivers work because the computer is generating the carrier frequency in software, therefore it can generate any carrier frequency it needs by toggling the DTR signal in the serial port. The drawback is that the computer is practically unusable for that second or two when the signal is being sent, since it is so busy generating the correct pulses and spaces.

Most commercial blasters I've seen try to free the computer from having to generate the carrier frequency. One that seems to be popular (www.irtrans.de) comes to mind. It has a USB interface and one of its features is that the traffic between the computer and the blaster is small. A couple of bytes or something tells the blaster what signal to send. If the commercial blasters are as flexible as the homebrews and can generate pulses at any frequency then you're OK. If they only generate using a 38KHz carrier then it might not work.

Although I did a fair amount of research on this before building my own blaster, you should probably some more expert advice. I've only had my Myth box for about a month. Hope this helps, though.

Rolando.

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Gregg <stephengregg at earthlink.net>
Sent: Feb 3, 2004 12:56 AM
To: Discussion about mythtv <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>, 
	"Rolando J. Nieves" <rjnieves at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] RE: possible to do Dish Network + antenna

Does a commercial IR Blaster work with the DISH receiver? or is the Homebrew 
version the only option?

Thanks

Stephen.

On Sunday 01 February 2004 14:01, Rolando J. Nieves wrote:
> If you get a WinTV PVR 250/350 for your Myth box you can connect the DISH
> network receiver to your Myth box using either the S-Video or Composite
> input, while connecting your off-the-air antenna to the WinTV's built-in
> tuner. Later you can set up all of the individual inputs of the PVR 250/350
> as receiving signals from different "media sources."
>
> I have a setup similar to what you're trying to put together, except my
> DISH 6000 also feeds in my locals off-the-air (not with the local's
> package). It's been working great for me. The only drag is that you will
> need an IR blaster if you want to control the DISH box from your Myth box.
>
> Rolando.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 11:32:18 -0800
> From: Mike Jasper <e394td at comcast.net>
> Subject: [mythtv-users] possible to do Dish Network + antenna
> To: mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> Message-ID: <401D5442.8060001 at comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
>
> Total newbie here.  I currently get local channels via an antenna (no
> cable or dish), and don't have a PVR.  I'm planning to sign up for the
> cheapest Dish Network package and build a MythTV box, and I'd like to
> continue getting local channels via the antenna instead of paying $5
> extra per month for the Dish package that includes local channels.
>
> Can MythTV handle input from both the Dish Network and my antenna?  I
> assume I would need two tuner cards, right?  Or would it cause me fewer
> headaches in the long run to just get local channels via Dish?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
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