[mythtv-users] Remotely controlling Comcast "On Demand"

[Kevin Kuphal]

Byrne, Tim wrote:
> I finally decided to take the plunge and setup a MythTV system.  I
> ordered parts for the new computers, and scheduled Comcast to come out
> and install digital cable.  I just got a call from my wife that Comcast
> finished the install, and she LOVES the On Demand service they provide.
> I haven't gotten to setup the MythTV system yet, but now that she's seen
> that On Demand is available, I know she'll want access to it.  I'm sure
> that the On Demand channel will be accessible to Myth, but my plan was
> to have the cable boxes tucked away with the backend.  I did some
> searching but haven't found much of anything with folks using On Demand
> and MythTV.  Does anyone know of a good way to control the On Demand
> screen when the cable box is far away?  I'm curious about what others
> have done.
>   
How does On Demand work?  Most cable boxes are controlled from a Myth 
system using either a serial control (if your box has it) or IR blaster 
from the backend (note: I don't believe any PVRs have a IR *blaster* but 
rather have an IR receiver for working with their remote).  You can get 
an IR blaster at irblaster.info

If On Demand means just changing channels at a particular time, Myth can 
of course do this, but getting good guide information for those channels 
depends on zap2it but I'm guessing the "On demand" part means it isn't 
so much guide oriented programming, but what you want when you want it 
and I'm not so sure how that would function because there is no way for 
Myth to arbitrarily send commands via IR.  It only runs a channel change 
script which sends a channel command to the STB when a channel change is 
requested.

Kevin