[mythtv-users] DirecTV D10-300 Serial Interface

[Blaine Nelson]

I've got an ohm-meter.  Any tips on how exactly to use it to check if
the cable is bad?  I've only used it for troubleshooting a busted
washing machine, so I've got no idea what to do for this cable.

On 8/26/07, George Mari <george_mythusers at mari1938.org> wrote:
> Blaine Nelson wrote:
> > I believe the default in the perl script is 9600 baud.  I've never
> > done anything in perl, but here's the line I think does that:
> >
> > $baudrate = "9600";
> >
> > Just to be sure, I ran directv.pl from the command line using the
> > baudrate parameter set to 9600 (I also tried 115200 and 57600).
> > Again, I tried for both ttyS0 and ttyS1 and for both serial outs on
> > the machine.
> >
> > Perhaps the order of the parameters is screwy?  Here's what I got for
> > the 9600 baudrate attempts:
> >
> [deleted]
>
> >>> You've got a D10-100.  Mine's a D10-300.  Maybe the software upgrade
> >>> for the D10-300 that's supposed to make it behave like a D10-100
> >>> doesn't do the trick any more?  Like directv has put out a newer
> >>> version that sucks?
>
> This is a possibility, but I've not heard of problems with the D10-300.
>   The Wiki page at:
>
> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Controlling_DirecTV_Set_Top_Box_%28STB%29_via_USB_or_Serial
>
>
> seems to indicate it should work.  (There are also many useful links on
> that page, BTW)
>
>
> >>>
> >>> The cable?  Could it be bad?
>
> Well, we know the D10-300 works because other people have reported it as
> working.
>
> The way I see it, there are three things that could be causing your failure:
>
> 1. Bad serial port.  To eliminate this possibility, hook up a modem or
> other serial device to your port to make sure the port itself works.
>
> 2. Bad cable.  I have found bad connections in my home-made cable using
> an ohm-meter.  If you already have a meter, I suggest checking the cable
> this way.  If not, another possibility is buy another cable, preferably
> from a different source.  Of course, you could get two bad cables, but
> what's the likelihood of that happening?
>
> 3. The D10-300 has a bad port.  The way to rule out or verify this is to
> get another D10-300 and try that. (Hey, nobody every said logic was
> convenient.)
>
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