[mythtv-users] HD PVR and IR transmitter for channel change (why)

[Mike Perkins]

On 15/12/10 16:05, Robert McNamara wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 7:38 AM, Dave Richardson<mythtv at derdev.com>  wrote:
>> On Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:33:57 -0800, Robert McNamara
>> <robert.mcnamara at gmail.com>  wrote:
>>>
>>> On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 7:29 AM, Dave Richardson<mythtv at derdev.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>   Why is the HD PVR IR Transmitter favored over IR
>>>>
>>>> transmitting from the BE?
>>>
>>> They are one and the same.  the HD-PVR is just a capture device with
>>> an IR Emitter.  The backend still controls it as it does any other IR
>>> emitter.
>>>
>>> Robert
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> mythtv-users mailing list
>>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>
>> But physically, there's a difference between
>>
>> HDPVR -->  [IR] -->  STB
>> and
>> BE -->  [IR] -->  STB
>>
>> right?
>
> Wrong.  It's not a functional equivalence, it's a literal equivalence.
>   It will *always* be:
>
> Backend->SomeHardware->[IR]->STB
>
> where "SomeHardware" could be a PVR-150, a PVR-250, a Serial to IR
> adapter, whatever.  It's literally 100% the same as using any other
> device to do IR blasting.  The HD-PVR wiki page emphasizes configuring
> IR on the HD-PVr because the wiki page is about the HD-PVR.  Just as a
> PVR-150 page would emphasize configuring IR on a PVR-150.
>
The IR transmitter on the HD-PVR has a well-known and well-tested driver, which 
is not necessarily the case for other kinds of IR blaster. Integration into 
mythtv is straightforward.

It is possible you don't need an IR transmitter, however. You may be able to 
change channels using Firewire, depending on which STB you're using to receive 
content. Thus the mention of a (free) IR blaster in the HD-PVR wiki entry is 
appropriate, but that does not make it the exclusive method you must use.

-- 

Mike Perkins