[mythtv-users] Controlling a satellite box from MythTV

[Steve Hodge]

On 2/13/07, JCA <1.41421 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>    I understand that one can purchase inexpensive IR blasters to be
> connected to a USB port in the MythTV PC. MythTV would somehow manage
> to control the IR blaster so that this sends the relevant IR command
> to the satellite box.


Usually serial port transmitters are used. These are very simple and can be
easily constructed at home with a basic knowledge of soldering. There are
USB transmitters available, but I'm not sure if LIRC supports them.

   Is this really possible?


Yes.

   My confusion arises from my research into LIRC. LIRC seems to do
> with controlling MythTV by means of some IR remote control unit.
> That's not what I want, for I am already controlling MythTV remotely
> by means of a wireless cable - bulkier than a little remote control
> unit, but adequate for my needs (and more reliable to boot - the
> wireless keyboard seems to work no matter how it is oriented with
> respect to the PC).


LIRC can be used with both IR receivers and IR transmitters ("blasters"). So
you can use LIRC to control the system via a remote control and you can also
use LIRC to allow the system to control an external device. The command you
use to send commands to an external device is irsend (see
http://lirc.org/html/irsend.html).

   Does LIRC provide the means to control external satellite boxes by
> infrared signals, with the USB infrared device connected to the MythTV
> PC, in the way I described above? If not, and assuming this
> undertaking is at all feasible, what software/hardware set should one
> use instead?


I'd recommend LIRC plus a serial transmitter. Check out
http://lirc.org/transmitters.html for plans or buy one from one of the sites
that sells them (e.g. http://irblaster.info/).

Steve
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