[mythtv-users] Foxtel Digital Channel Change Setup With Lirc

[Greg Ahpee]

I have finally had success using Mythtv with lirc to change channels on 
a Foxtel digital STU and thought I would pass on the details of my setup 
for others in Australia who may be interested.

The transmitter I have used is the "Simple Transmitter" at 
http://www.lirc.org/transmitters.html as there is only a few cm between 
the diode and the stu so range was not a problem for me. The lirc_serial 
module must be configured to generate a software carrier to use this 
transmitter circuit.

The lircd.conf file needs the following section added to enable the 
transmitter to generate the correct carrier frequency (35 kHz) and the 
four different space lengths used by this remote.

begin remote

  name foxtelremote
  frequency    35000
  bits         32
  flags RCMM|CONST_LENGTH
  eps             2
  aeps          100
       
  header        500   200
  three         200   700
  two           200   520
  one           200   350
  zero          200   200
  ptrail        200
  gap          90000
  toggle_bit      0
                    
                     
  begin codes
    foxtelbutton             0x21A0268E
    0                        0x21A02600
    1                        0x21A02601
    2                        0x21A02602
    3                        0x21A02603
    4                        0x21A02604
    5                        0x21A02605
    6                        0x21A02606
    7                        0x21A02607
    8                        0x21A02608
    9                        0x21A02609
  end codes
                                                                        
          
end remote


To change channels, the following script is called by Mythtv. In my case 
I saved it in /usr/bin/foxtel.sh  and this path is entered in the Input 
Connections screen in mythtv-setup. The script sends the foxtel button 
code twice to make sure the stu is turned on and to exit any menu's it 
may have been left displaying and then sends the 3 channel digits. The 
channel number must be placed in the freqid field in the channel editor 
in mythtv-setup.

#!/bin/sh

hundreds=`expr $1 / 100`
tens=`expr $1 % 100  / 10`
units=`expr $1 % 10`

irsend SEND_ONCE foxtelremote foxtelbutton
sleep 1

irsend SEND_ONCE foxtelremote foxtelbutton
sleep 1

irsend SEND_ONCE foxtelremote $hundreds
sleep 1

irsend SEND_ONCE foxtelremote $tens
sleep 1

irsend SEND_ONCE foxtelremote $units

Hope this info is of use to someone

Greg