[mythtv-users] dct2500 series digital cable box and ir blaster scripts

Harondel J. Sibble help at pdscc.com
Thu Jan 29 01:47:35 UTC 2009


Boy, it's been a few years since I last posted to this list ;-)

Anyhow, am in the process of switching over from my older myth box running 
knoppmyth R5E50 to a new box running knoppmyth 5.5.  This older myth box has 
been around pretty much intact since about myth 0.7!

As part of that upgrade I've added a motorola DCT2524 digital cable box.

My new myth box has 
1x pvr500
1x pvr150 mce
1x pvr150 non mce with ir receiver/ir blaster

The pvr150 with irblaster is configured to get inputs via svideo only (does 
not have catv hooked to the tuner) while the other cards all use an analog 
catv connection.

I got my lircd.conf file all decked out to control the dct2524 and using 
either script here

http://www.knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=PVR150withSetTopBox

or various other scripts I've found, I can successfully change channels from 
the cli. Trying the same scripts in the backend setup has been a mixed bag, I 
might get 2 or 3 successful channel changes, then it stops working.  

Questions
1) So am looking for recommendations for a more reliable script.

I've checked the list archives already, which reminded me of serial port 
control so I called Shaw Cable (Vancouver, BC, Canada) about reopening the 
discussion about serial port control, I don't expect to get a response back 
from them for a few days though.

Considering their take on this back in 2004 when I last contacted them about 
this (see posts 36 and 38)

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?.=.&s=&postid=1512471&.=.

I'm not holding my breath.

2) A script to turn the dct2524 box on and off, before and after recordings. 
I don't really want to leave the box on 24/7 due to the energy draw and heat 
generated 

I came across this

http://evuraan.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-ensure-set-top-box-stb-is.html

but so far have been unable to get it working with any of the other scripts 
(my perl and bash scripting has gotten very rusty over the past few years)

Any other suggestions?

-- 
Harondel J. Sibble 
Sibble Computer Consulting
Creating Solutions for the small and medium business computer user.
help at pdscc.com (use pgp keyid 0x3AD5C11D) http://www.pdscc.com
(604) 739-3709 (voice)



More information about the mythtv-users mailing list