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Author Topic: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV  (Read 2244 times)

gcharma

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IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« on: November 23, 2014, 03:59:11 pm »

Hi all,

I've tested this with two IR receiver/blasters now and both are exhibiting the same weird scenario:

When using the "Setup IR Emitter for STB channels" wizard, after successfully entering in my IR channel info I use the Test button on the IR Emitter Setup window. I successfully change channels and all is well. I then start watching TV which also works fine, only to find I can no longer change channels.

What's up? The emitter seems to be working fine (at least from the Test button), but once I actually get down to watching TV it no longer seems to function.

I'm using a Hauppauge HDPVR2 if that makes a difference. Thanks for any ideas!

edit: sorry, should have added I'm on MC20.0.41.

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Yaobing

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2014, 11:07:51 am »

Did you make sure that the IR blaster configuration was done for the correct set of STB channels? 
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Yaobing Deng, JRiver Media Center

gcharma

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2014, 09:13:40 pm »

Are you referring to the "Select Set Top Box Channels" window? I've only got one option in the "Select One:" drop-down box, so I chose it (Hauppauge Siena Video Capture... etc). If there is another way to select which channels are affected by configuration, let me know and I'll give it a shot.
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Yaobing

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2014, 08:12:19 am »

That was what I was referring to.

What method do you use to change channel when you actually watch?  Keyboard?  Guide? Remote control?  If remote, what remote control do you have?
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Yaobing Deng, JRiver Media Center

gcharma

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2014, 01:21:38 am »

I have tried using the keyboard and the remote that came with the IR receiver, and get the same result.
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Yaobing

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2014, 01:03:06 pm »

This is puzzling.  Maybe it is the placement of IR emitter?  Have you tried adjusting its distance from the STB?

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Yaobing Deng, JRiver Media Center

Yaobing

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2014, 02:32:21 pm »

Another idea: try increasing the value of "Delay between blasts".
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gcharma

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2014, 07:41:02 pm »

Hi again,

As a test, I watched the emitter for flashes to determine if it was actually even sending the signal to the STB:

- In Test mode from the IR Emitter Setup Wizard, it flashes when I enter a channel number via the on-screen keypad.

- In regular TV mode, when I enter a channel and hit Enter, no flashes.

I can't seem to get the emitter to flash no matter what I do outside of Test mode, but Test works fine. Does this help?
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Yaobing

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2014, 12:25:37 pm »

MC apparently did not find any channel to switch to.  Did you see "Change channel: ###" on-screen display while you press remote/keyboard numbers?

Please check and make sure your STB channels have been setup properly.  Go to Tools > Options > Television > Advanced, and click "Edit channel list...".  Choose a channel by clicking it in the list on the left-hand-side, and look at its properties in the box on the lower-right-corner.  Right above the box it should say "Type: Set-top box".  In the box you should find the following:

Channel: 5 (for example)
Capture Device:
        Your capture device
Capture Channel:
        Cable 3, or Composite, or SVideo on a device etc. etc.
IR Blaster Device: MCE or USB-UUIRT etc.
IR Blaster Port: 1, or 2, or 3

Except for channel number, these items must match those that you pick when you run IR emitter setup wizard.
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Yaobing Deng, JRiver Media Center

gcharma

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Re: IR blaster works in Test mode, not when watching TV
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2014, 09:49:55 pm »

That's interesting; I don't actually see the "Changing channel: ###" pop-up, though I did see it when using Test mode.

From what I'm seeing on the Edit Channels screen, everything seems to look OK (at least, based on your description). I've attached a screenshot of what I'm seeing in that lower-right window.

I also saw at the top of that screen that the "channel number" field was blank, so I tried filling it in with the number for that channel. It didn't work, so I restarted Media Center (and the Media Server, just in case) and again it didn't work.

EDIT: Fixed it! I went through the "Scan for channels" wizard again, and this time on the Scan Channels window I enabled the checkbox beside "Automatically fill 'Channel Number' field if available"... that seemed to do the trick. I completed the wizard, and everything is working as expected now. Thanks for your help!

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