[mythtv-users] strange lirc blaster problem

[news at propixs.com]

On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:36:06 +1300 (NZDT), "Robin Gilks" <g8ecj at gilks.org> wrote:
> 
>> At least I think its strange.  I have a diskless frontend/slave backend
>> gentoo system (100mb connection to the NAS) with a homemade serial
>> receiver/transmitter with a pvr250.  Using a script to change the
>> channel from the command line it works perfectly.  But when using the
>> tuner in myth very regularly it misses some of the commands (instead of
>> sending 2+4+enter the cable box will receive 4+enter or 2+enter etc)
>> either though myth calling the script or by me executing the script
>> while watching live tv.
>>
>> Has anyone else seen anything like this, my only guess is that lirc is
>> so sensitive that the high network load is throwing off it's timing and
>> causing it to not send valid signals to the STB. My next try is going to
>> either get a gigbit card to see if that does it or put a disk in it to
>> see if that helps it.  But I would still be heavily using the network
>> since I want my recordings stored on the NAS so I'm wondering if I
>> should just break down and by a myblaster (or something else if someone
>> found something better).
>>
>> Thanks
>> Jeff
> 
> I've seen this and I have a hand tuned sleep command in the script to
> ensure that the digits get passed out at a pace the STB can process.
> 
> I had a similar problem with my theatre amp but in that case, the remote
> was sending each command 3 times and I had to replicate that in the script
> that changes from analog to digital inputs. I doubt that is the problem in
> this case though.
> 
> Here is my channel change script.
> 
> #!/bin/sh
> 
> REMOTE_NAME=sky
> cmd="$1"
> DEVICE=/dev/lircd1
> 
> case $cmd in
>     [0-9]*)
>     # make sure we unmute by hitting vol up
>     /usr/bin/irsend -d $DEVICE SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME Vol+
>     sleep 0.1
>     for digit in $(echo $1 | sed -e 's/./& /g'); do
>         /usr/bin/irsend -d $DEVICE SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $digit
>         sleep 0.1
>         # Fine tue the sleep time for your STB
>         # sleep 0.3
>     done
>     ;;
> 
>     *)
>         /usr/bin/irsend -d $DEVICE SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $cmd
>         ;;
> esac
> 
> 
>

I don't think the sleep is the issue, i've played with it, changing it from everything from .25 all the way to 1 second.  But the reason I don't think thats the problem is it works just fine if mythtv isn't viewing liveTV.