[mythtv-users] USB dual channel IR blaster?

[Brian Wood]

On Sunday 21 February 2010 09:10:51 pm Tony Brummett wrote:
> I'm starting to gather parts to put together a new backend machine.
> One issue I'm having is figuring out what to do for IR blasters.  I
> need to be able to control two identical set-top-boxes, and they only
> understand one set of IR codes, so I need two independently
> addressable IR blasters.  My current setup uses a couple of serial
> blasters with two instances of the related kernel modules and lirc
> daemons.  I'd keep using that kind of set up, except that it seems
> that modern-ish motherboards only have one serial port anymore.
> 
> I have a usb-based MCE remote (this one:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121002)
> currently hooked up to a frontend.  The receiver part works great, but
> I can't get either of the two blaster parts to do anything.  It shows
> up in the syslog as a "Topseed Technology Corp. eHome Infrared
> Transceiver"
> 
> Does anyone have an example of a usb-based transceiver where both
> blasters actually work?  I guess the other option is a PCIe serial
> port add on card.

I hate to mention a solution that might be difficult or impossible to find, but 
if you can find an old "MyBlaster", it can control multiple devices using a 
single serial port. You simply use two instances of the perl script that 
controls it, using a different device code for each, either by calling different 
versions of the script, or modifying the script to allow passing the device 
code to it when it's called. 

No lirc required (which is a big plus IMHO).

Not really "USB-based", which is what you asked for, but it can be used with 
any USB-to-Serial adapter that's supported by Linux, and the single serial 
port that most modern mobos have would be sufficient for unlimited (within 
reason) different devices.