[mythtv-users] strange lirc blaster problem

[Robin Gilks]

> At least I think its strange.  I have a diskless frontend/slave backend
> gentoo system (100mb connection to the NAS) with a homemade serial
> receiver/transmitter with a pvr250.  Using a script to change the
> channel from the command line it works perfectly.  But when using the
> tuner in myth very regularly it misses some of the commands (instead of
> sending 2+4+enter the cable box will receive 4+enter or 2+enter etc)
> either though myth calling the script or by me executing the script
> while watching live tv.
>
> Has anyone else seen anything like this, my only guess is that lirc is
> so sensitive that the high network load is throwing off it's timing and
> causing it to not send valid signals to the STB. My next try is going to
> either get a gigbit card to see if that does it or put a disk in it to
> see if that helps it.  But I would still be heavily using the network
> since I want my recordings stored on the NAS so I'm wondering if I
> should just break down and by a myblaster (or something else if someone
> found something better).
>
> Thanks
> Jeff

I've seen this and I have a hand tuned sleep command in the script to
ensure that the digits get passed out at a pace the STB can process.

I had a similar problem with my theatre amp but in that case, the remote
was sending each command 3 times and I had to replicate that in the script
that changes from analog to digital inputs. I doubt that is the problem in
this case though.

Here is my channel change script.

#!/bin/sh

REMOTE_NAME=sky
cmd="$1"
DEVICE=/dev/lircd1

case $cmd in
    [0-9]*)
    # make sure we unmute by hitting vol up
    /usr/bin/irsend -d $DEVICE SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME Vol+
    sleep 0.1
    for digit in $(echo $1 | sed -e 's/./& /g'); do
        /usr/bin/irsend -d $DEVICE SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $digit
        sleep 0.1
        # Fine tue the sleep time for your STB
        # sleep 0.3
    done
    ;;

    *)
        /usr/bin/irsend -d $DEVICE SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $cmd
        ;;
esac


-- 
Robin Gilks