Difference between revisions of "IR Blaster and Direct Connect Cable Setup"
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Revision as of 03:59, 5 December 2017
This document is a compilation from numerous posts that describes the setup of a USB-UIRT, Tira-2 IR Transceiver as well as a TiVo-style direct connect cable for channel changing a Set Top Box.
Description
Because of my local cable provider’s move to full digital, they no longer provide Set Top Boxes (STB) with firewire ports, my preferred way of channel changing. The cable provider used to provide Motorola DCT6200 & DCH3416 STBs. They now provide Arris (formerly Motorola) DCX3220e STBs. The DCX3220e has a 3.5mm IR extender port that you can connect a TiVO style direct connect cable then connect the other end to the STB for a no-fail channel change solution.
Direct Connect Cable
The direct connect cable: If you search on Amazon, eBay, or Weaknees for, “TiVo to DTA / Cable Box Infrared (IR) Direct Connect Cable. Replaces IR Blaster,” you will find the 34” cable or go to the link: https://www.weaknees.com/tivo-direct-connect-cable.php
This cable fits either the USB-UIRT or Tira-2's 1/8" (3.5mm) external ports. Of course, run the other 3.5mm plug to the STB's EXT IR IN port. So, no IR blaster emitter required. Note: The adapter cable can be extended with a standard, 3.5mm audio extender cable.
IR Blaster Setup
For USB-UIRT: http://www.usbuirt.com/, and if you run Mythbuntu, the Mythbuntu Control Centre will provide you essentially a turnkey solution for the blaster setup, except make [LOAD_MODULES="false"].
For comparison, my hardware.conf files look like this:
USB-UIRT hardware.conf
# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf # #Chosen Remote Control REMOTE="None" REMOTE_MODULES="" REMOTE_DRIVER="uirt2_raw" REMOTE_DEVICE="" REMOTE_SOCKET="" REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF="" REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS="-d /dev/ttyUSB0" #Chosen IR Transmitter TRANSMITTER="USB-UIRT2 : Motorola Cable Box" TRANSMITTER_MODULES="" TRANSMITTER_DRIVER="uirt2_raw" TRANSMITTER_DEVICE="" TRANSMITTER_SOCKET="" TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF="motorola/dctxxxx.conf" TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS="" #Disable kernel support. #Typically, lirc will disable in-kernel support for ir devices in order to #handle them internally. Set to false to prevent lirc from disabling this #in-kernel support. #DISABLE_KERNEL_SUPPORT="true" #Enable lircd START_LIRCD="true" #Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file #START_LIRCMD="false" #Try to load appropriate kernel modules LOAD_MODULES="false" # Default configuration files for your hardware if any LIRCMD_CONF="" #Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration #If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application #that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive #frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER #It will then populate all other variables without any user input #If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure #to leave this set to "false" FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="true" START_LIRCMD=""
The following is the hardware.conf for the Home Electronics Tira-2 (my preferred IR Transceiver): https://home-electro.com/products/tira-21
TIRA-2 hardware.conf
# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf # #Chosen Remote Control REMOTE="None" REMOTE_MODULES="" REMOTE_DRIVER="tira" REMOTE_DEVICE="" REMOTE_SOCKET="" REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF="" REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS="-d /dev/ttyUSB0" #Chosen IR Transmitter TRANSMITTER="None" TRANSMITTER_MODULES="" TRANSMITTER_DRIVER="tira" TRANSMITTER_DEVICE="" TRANSMITTER_SOCKET="" TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF="" TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS="" #Disable kernel support. #Typically, lirc will disable in-kernel support for ir devices in order to #handle them internally. Set to false to prevent lirc from disabling this #in-kernel support. #DISABLE_KERNEL_SUPPORT="true" #Enable lircd START_LIRCD="true" #Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file #START_LIRCMD="false" #Try to load appropriate kernel modules LOAD_MODULES="false" # Default configuration files for your hardware if any LIRCMD_CONF="" #Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration #If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application #that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive #frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER #It will then populate all other variables without any user input #If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure #to leave this set to "false" FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="true" START_LIRCMD=""
For Home Electronics Tira-2, you may have to make a unique transmitter lircd.conf file (dctxxxx.conf) using tira_raw. Note the following link for the reason why: http://www.lirc.org/html/tira.html
To accomplish this, use the cable provider remote that works with your STB. Mine is the UR4U remote that works with Arris/Motorola boxes. Point it at the Tira-2, then:
sudo killall lircd
irrecord -H tira_raw -d /dev/ttyUSB0 DCT2000-tira
Result was the following:
dctxxxx.conf
# Please make this file available to others
# by sending it to <lirc@bartelmus.de>
#
# this config file was automatically generated
# using lirc-0.9.0(tira_raw) on Sat Aug 23 08:16:44 2014
#
# contributed by
#
# brand: DCT2000-tira
# model no. of remote control:
# devices being controlled by this remote:
#
begin remote
name DCT2000-tira
flags RAW_CODES
eps 30
aeps 100
repeat 8935 2236
gap 88173
repeat_gap 88176
begin raw_codes
name 1
8960 4496 448 4496 432 2240
432 2240 432 2240 448 2232
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 4496 432 4504
432 4496 448 4496 448 30832
8936 2232 448
name 2
8960 4496 448 2232 448 4496
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
448 2232 432 2240 448 4496
432 4504 432 4504 432 33096
8936 2232 448
name 3
8960 4496 448 4496 432 4504
432 2240 432 2240 432 2240
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 448 2232
432 2240 448 4496 432 2240
432 4504 432 4504 432 30832
8936 2240 432
name 4
8960 4496 448 2232 448 2232
448 4496 432 2240 432 2240
432 2240 432 2240 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 432 2240
448 4496 432 4504 432 35360
8936 2232 448
name 5
8960 4496 448 4496 432 2240
432 4504 432 2240 432 2240
432 2240 448 2232 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 432 4504 432 4504
432 2240 432 4504 432 30832
8936 2232 448
name 6
8960 4504 432 2240 432 4496
448 4496 448 2232 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 432 2240 448 4496
432 2240 432 4504 432 33096
8936 2232 448
name 7
8960 4496 448 4496 432 4504
432 4504 432 2240 432 2240
432 2240 432 2240 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 4496 432 2240
432 2240 432 4504 432 30832
8936 2240 432
name 8
8960 4496 448 2232 448 2232
448 2232 448 4496 432 2240
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
432 2240 448 4496 432 37624
8936 2232 448
name 9
8960 4504 432 4496 448 2232
448 2232 448 4496 448 2232
448 2232 448 2232 448 2232
448 2232 432 2240 448 2232
448 2232 448 4496 432 4504
432 4504 432 2240 432 30832
8936 2240 432
name 0
8960 4496 448 2232 448 2232
448 2232 448 2232 448 2232
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 448 42136
8936 2240 432
name OK
8960 4504 432 4504 432 2240
432 2240 432 2240 432 4504
432 2240 432 2240 432 2240
432 2240 448 2232 448 2232
432 2240 448 2232 448 4496
432 4504 432 4504 432 30840
8936 2232 448
name POWER
8960 4496 448 2232 448 4496
432 2240 448 4496 432 2240
432 2240 432 2240 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 432 2240
448 2232 448 2232 432 4504
432 4504 432 2240 432 33096
8936 2232 448
end raw_codes
end remote
In my case, I saved the above file as /usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/motorola/dctxxxx.conf
Tira-2 lircd.conf file:
lircd.conf
#/etc/lirc/lircd.conf # #This configuration has been automatically generated via #the Ubuntu LIRC package maintainer scripts. # #It includes the default configuration for the remote and/or #transmitter that you have selected during package installation. # #Feel free to add any custom remotes to the configuration #via additional include directives or below the existing #Ubuntu include directives from your selected remote and/or #transmitter. #Configuration for the Hauppauge TV card remote: include "/usr/share/lirc/remotes/oneforall/lircd.conf.rcatira" #Configuration for the None transmitter: include "/usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/motorola/dctxxxx.conf"
My modified Mythtv external channel change script (change-channel-lirc.sh):
change-channel-lirc.sh
#!/bin/sh
REMOTE_NAME=DCT2000-tira
cmd="$1"
case $cmd in
[0-9]*)
for digit in $(echo $1 | sed -e 's/./& /g'); do
irsend --device=/dev/lircd1 SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $digit
# For USB-UIRT, could just be "irsend SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $digit"
sleep 0.3
# If things work OK with sleep 1, try this for faster channel changes:
# sleep 0.3
done
;;
*)
irsend --device=/dev/lircd1 SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $cmd
# For USB-UIRT, could just be "irsend SEND_ONCE $REMOTE_NAME $cmd"
;;
esac
Note: For Tira-2, I had to use "--device=/dev/lircd1" for irsend to work.
