[mythtv-users] Cable box always on

[Krzysztof Adamski]

On Mon, 2008-31-03 at 01:00 +0100, Kim Wall wrote:
> Steve Peters - Priority Electronics wrote:
> > So does everyone just leave the cable box on all the time? Or is there 
> > something that can be done to turn it on and off automatically in myth 
> > (or by an external script)?
> 
> One solution, which I'm using for a Sky satellite receiver here in the 
> UK:  My backend is on a dedicated box which shuts itself down when idle 
> (woken by ACPI for recordings and WOL by frontends).  I simply used a 
> 12V relay with mains-rated contacts, powered from the backend machine's 
> +12V supply, to switch power to the STB (and an RF distribution 
> amplifier feeding the two DVB tuner cards).  So when the backend 
> machine's on, the STB and amp are on, and when it's off they're off. 
> All done with suitable enclosures and connectors, of course.
> 
> The STB takes a couple of minutes to sort itself out after being 
> deprived of power, so I've got a script that sleeps for an appropriate 
> length of time and sends a "power on" command via IR blaster before 
> mythbackend is allowed to start.
> 
> Okay, it's a bit of a hardwarey solution and doesn't apply well to a 
> backend that's on 24/7, but it does cut the STB power consumption to
> zero when not in use, and more critically ensures that the STB gets 
> power-cycled on a regular basis (Sky boxes have a tendency to lock up or 
> otherwise get confused, and this means that at worst it will miss a 
> single evening's programming, rather than several days before someone 
> notices the problem).

For BE that are always on, you could use the X10 system to powercycle
the STB.

K