[mythtv-users] Controlling STB with Lirc

[aaron]

Hi,

This might be a bit off-topic, and I might not have described properly in
the subject, but hopefully it will make sense...

I had been happily using analog cable with two PVR-250 capture cards since
2005 (which is when I bought the capture cards. Before that I was
relatively happily using it with a BT8x8 card since 2002). Everything
worked great, I just plugged the cable directly into both cards and away I
went.

Just recently, I moved into a new house, and rather than migrate my analog
Rogers service, I decided to try the new Bell Fibe service. Which, of
course, requires a box. While the PVR software offered with Fibe is leaps
and bounds ahead of the pitiful offering of Bell's ExpressVu service, it's
still pretty pathetic compared to Myth. So naturally I would like to
capture the output on my Myth box.

So I set about connecting the composite out of the Fibe box (I lost my
SVideo cable in the move :( ) and I was able to successfully capture video
and audio. yay!

But the sticking point is trying to control the Fibe box (to change
channels). I bought a USB-UIRT device, which seems to work (I was able to
successfully turn the TV off with it. Baby steps. :) )

I wasn't able to find any ready-made remote configuration files for the
Fibe box that I have (...which I would have to look up later as I forgot to
write it down. I remember it's a Motorola something-or-other).

I figured I could use irrecord to learn the remote's codes and then point
the transmitter at the box and use that config file to blast using irsend.

After a fair bit of trial and error, I was able to get irrecord to learn
the codes for Power, Select, and 0--9. Which I think will  be all I need,
but I can deal with that later.

Then I turned the blaster around, pointing at the Fibe box, and issued:
$ irsend SEND_ONCE Fibe BTN_POWER
to send the "Power" button command

...and... nothing happened. I saw the light on the blaster blink,
indicating it did something, but the box didn't respond. I tried again with
other codes, but none of them had any effect.

Is there some other trick needed to program the transmitter codes? Is this
box/remote using some frequency/code/language/whatever that the USB-UIRT
isn't able to recognize? Has anyone else tried to control such a box? I
found precious little information on trying to connect Fibe to a PVR
system, or control the box with a blaster.

Any input would be appreciated. And I'm happy to provide more details, just
it's late right now and I'm not near the Myth box, and not sure which
details might be helpful.

aaron
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