[mythtv-users] USB keyboard control of digital cable box

[Bill Bradley]

You can but some cable boxes use a different frequency that the Actisys IR200L 
blaster will not support.  You could build a homebrew IR transmitter, but I 
have yet to be able to get it to work.  I agree that a direct USB connection 
would be much better.

On Monday 22 March 2004 10:42 am, Khanh Tran wrote:
> But then why wouldn't I just use the IR blaster to send remote codes to
> my cable box?  Why bother buying a keyboard that I'll only use the IR
> receiver for?
>
>
> -Khanh Tran
> khanh at khanh.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wbradley at bham.rr.com [mailto:wbradley at bham.rr.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 8:33 AM
> To: Discussion about mythtv
> Subject: Re: RE: [mythtv-users] USB keyboard control of digital cable
> box
>
>
> So say you have a logitech wireless keyboard..plug it into the cable box
> and then use a logitech remote file?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Steven Cruysberghs <steven.cruysberghs at pi.be>
> Date: Monday, March 22, 2004 7:15 am
> Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] USB keyboard control of digital cable box
>
> > Or you could use a wireless USB keyboard receiver and send the
> > keypresses using lirc.
> >
> > > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> > > Van: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> > > [mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] Namens Khanh Tran
> > > Verzonden: maandag 22 maart 2004 13:30
> > > Aan: Discussion about mythtv
> > > Onderwerp: RE: [mythtv-users] USB keyboard control of digital cable
> > > box
> > >
> > >
> > > Great!  So, then someone must have at least ATTEMPTED writing
> > > something close to what I'm looking for, no?
> > >
> > >
> > > -Khanh Tran
> > > khanh at khanh.net
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Ben Scott [benscott at cableone.net]
> > > Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 12:26 AM
> > > To: Discussion about mythtv
> > > Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] USB keyboard control of digital
> >
> > cable box
> >
> > > There is a thing generally called a USB link cable, I think they
> > > even sell them at places like Best Buy and Comp USA.
> > > Here's a link I found on Google for one:
> > > http://www.usbgear.com/item_102.html
> > >
> > > So it's basically a host on both ends, and a funky little box in the
> > >
> > > middle pretends to be a device for both hosts
> > >
> > > As for getting that to work on linux and then using it to send
> > > keyboard commands, well...
> > >
> > > Ben Scott
> > >
> > > Andrew Jamieson wrote:
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Khanh Tran" <khanh at slc.edu>
> > > >To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
> > > >Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 12:29 PM
> > > >Subject: [mythtv-users] USB keyboard control of digital cable box
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >I've got a Scientific Atlanta 4200 digital cable box.  It's got
> >
> > a USB
> >
> > > >port on the back and interestingly enough, I can plug any
> > >
> > > USB keyboard
> > >
> > > >into it and change channels by entering the numbers.  Is
> > >
> > > there any way
> > >
> > > >to make MythTV or Linux output the keyboard commands to control
> >
> > the
> >
> > > >cable box?  I've heard of serial port control of satellite
> > >
> > > receivers,
> > >
> > > >so it's not too far off I suppose...
> > > >
> > > >Thanks!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >-Khanh Tran
> > > >khanh at khanh.net
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Not easily.  USB is a master / slave system (actually Host /
> > >
> > > Device is
> > >
> > > >the official nomenclature) - a keyboard is a Device and a PC
> > >
> > > is a Host,
> > >
> > > >as would be your cable box.  Communication is not possible Host
> >
> > <->
> >
> > > >Host or Device <-> Device.  To do what you ask you would
> > >
> > > need some way
> > >
> > > >to control an
> > > >(external) USB device from the mythTV box that then
> > >
> > > presented itself as
> > >
> > > >a USB keyboard to your cable box.  This is perfectly
> > >
> > > achievable with a
> > >
> > > >custom micro-controller design (say RS232 serial ->
> > >
> > > micro-controller /
> > >
> > > >USB -> cable
> > > >box) but can't be done without such custom hardware.  I know of
> >
> > no
> >
> > > >commercial products that do this.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Andrew Jamieson
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
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> > >
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