[mythtv-users] Serial IR Blaster Stopped Working
Richard Woelk
richardwoelk at yahoo.ca
Sat Jun 28 03:44:24 UTC 2008
Jason Sharpe wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I am using a serial IR blaster with MythDora 5.0. I am using the
> blaster to control a Dish Network 301 STB which is recorded by a PVR-250.
>
> Everything has been going great for a couple of years but after a
> reboot of my dedicated backend a couple of weeks ago the blaster seems
> to have stopped working with no apparent reason. (the STB still
> responds to the Dishnetwork remote just fine). I purchased the blaster
> from IRBlaster.info a couple of years ago and it includes a red led
> that goes off when it blasts for a visual indication of it working.
> The red LED no longer goes off either when it should be blasting.
>
> The backend logs report no errors when changing channels for a
> recording and if I manually run the change_chan.sh script, no errors
> are reported.
>
> I also try running "irsend --device=/dev/lircd 3100 1" and it doesn't
> report any errors, however nothing appears to be blasted either. (the
> STB doesn't respond and I see no Red LED)
>
> So thinking that the blaster may have gone out for some reason, I
> ordered a new serial ir blaster from IRBlaster.info however the new
> one has the same exact problem.
>
> I am not sure what else to try.
>
> I see there is a newer version of lirc out (0.8.4) but I wasn't sure
> if upgrading would fix it or not.
>
> Anyone have any ideas on what else to check to try to resolve the issue?
>
> I guess my serial port on the motherboard could have just gone bad.
> Does anyone know if a USB to Serial adapter will work with lirc and a
> blaster?
>
>
>
> Some info:
>
> *****************************************************
> [mythtv at mythtv ~]$ lsmod | grep lirc
> lirc_serial 16020 0
> lirc_dev 15044 1 lirc_serial
>
> ******************************************************
>
> ******************************************************
> [mythtv at mythtv ~]$ yum info lirc
> Installed Packages:
> Name : lirc
> Arch : i386
> Version: 0.8.3
> Release: 74_cvs200080314.fc8
> Size: 1.5M
> Repo: installed
>
> *******************************************************
>
> *******************************************************
> [mythtv at mythtv ~]$ vi /etc/rc.d/rc.local
>
> #!/bin/bash
>
> # This file allows you to execute things at the end of boot
>
> touch /var/lock/subsys/local
> #IRBlaster
> setserial /dev/ttyS0 uart none
> /sbin/modprobe lirc_serial type=0 irq=4 io=0x3f8 softcarrier=1
> /usr/sbin/lircd --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd
> /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc1
> --output=/dev/lircd1 --pidfile=/var/run/lircd1.pid
>
> ***********************************************************
>
> I have tried both COM1 and COM2 in the rc.local and I again get the
> same results, nothing appears to be blasted, but no errors.
>
> In all my testing I have never once gotten an error from my Mythtv
> box, either in logs or with me manually running commands.
>
> I am also open to just getting a new USB Blaster if that is an easy
> way to solve this, can anyone recommend one?
>
> Thanks for any help you can provide.
>
> Jason Sharpe
>
Do you have an IR receiver on the same serial port? You could test the
driver with mode2 and aim a remote at it. (make sure lircd is not
running) If it spits out numbers, it will tell you if the driver has
loaded properly and it is working.
Using a USB to serial adapter usually won't work with LIRC. The LIRC
device uses the serial port in a non-standard way, a USB device can't
toggle the handshake lines quick enough or with the right timing. I
think a PCI serial card should work though I haven't tried one.
- Richard
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