[mythtv-users] How can I change channels on a Cisco HD271 DTA (with TWC)?

[Ed Clark]

Hello,

TWC recently went all (switched) digital in my area and I am now
required to use a DTA in front of my pvr-150 to get any of the
CCI protected channels.  (Although its output is SD video, it's
actually a lot cleaner picture than when I fed the pvr-150 directly.)

The unfortunate thing with this DTA is it has an RF remote.  (The
remote says HDA-RF2.2 on the back.)  So right now, I have to
"tune" the DTA to the appropriate channel manually before every
scheduled recording.  A bit of a PITA.

The one glimmer of hope I have is the DTA does have a IR IN
3.5 mm jack on the back.

If I put the DTA inside a cabinet, it doesn't receive commands from
the remote.  (Pretty crappy RF signal/receiver I guess.)  But, if I
plug an IR extender cable into the IR IN jack and place the IR
receiver end outside the cabinet, the DTA "sees" the remote.

Finally, if I cover up the end of the remote when pressing buttons,
the DTA doesn't "see" them.

So I'm thinking that the IR side of the DTA is actually working,
and all I need to do is get my backend to send the appropriate
IR commands.

Unfortunately, when I try to record the RF2.2 remote's IR
using irrecord, I get nothing.

The MCE IR receive that I'm using to control my frontend does
blink it's light with each button press of this (RF) remote, so it
seems to see IR pulses.  But, nothing's showing up with irrecord.

Being a bit of a noob, I'm looking for suggestions as to how
to determine what IR signals this remote is sending.

Furthermore, what I'd ideally like to do is run a audio patch cable
from the line out of the backend to the backend to the IR IN of
the DTA.  Then, hopefully, I'd just play the appropriate WAV file to
get the equivalent button press.  Thus skip using an IR blaster.
But, that may be a pipe dream...

Thanks for any suggestions,

Ed Clark