[mythtv-users] Configuring USB->serial converter to control DirecTV set top box

[Jeff Simpson]

> Yes, I set the $serport in directv_usb.pl to /dev/ttyUSB0. I did plug my
> working serial connector into my second old RCA receiver. I was able to
> control the old RCA receiver just fine.
>
> After further investigation, I'm pretty certain the USB->serial converter
> hardware is not compatible with Fedora Core 5. The usbserial module
> recognizes the Moschip MCS7703 USB->serial converter and connects it to
> /dev/ttyUSB0. Whenever I try to use the device, I get a timeout error. The
> converter comes with a pre-compiled Linux driver, but the driver was written
> for an older kernel. ( 2.6.11, I believe). I get an incompatible modle error
> whenever I try to insmod the manufacturer's driver. The manufacturer also
> provides the source for the driver. Again, the source code was written
> against the 2.6.11 kernel and will not compile against my 2.6.16 kernel.

To test it, I would connect that USB serial device through a
null-modem adapter as a loopback to a regular serial port. If you open
up a terminal program on each end, you should be able to send text
back and forth through it. If you can, that means there's a problem
specifically with the STB. If you can't send text back and forth, you
have a problem with the USB->Serial adapter.

Alternatively, you can try to control the STB from a windows machine
using that USB->Serial device. That will make sure the device and STB
are working properly. It sounds like you already have one box on a
standard serial port, so that testing step is probably unnecessary.

That's amusing how many people posted immediately with very helpful
advice on connecting the D11 through USB :-P If I see "DirecTV" and
"USB" on the same line, I assume that's the goal, too. I had to read
it a little more carefully to see that you were trying to use USB on
the PC side and Serial on the STB side.

 - Jeff