INTERACT FORUM

Windows => Television => Topic started by: glynor on October 21, 2013, 10:32:14 am

Title: Controlling Two Cable Boxes?
Post by: glynor on October 21, 2013, 10:32:14 am

I'm once again considering ditching SageTV and moving my DVR functions to MC.  Before I try, I have an important question:

I have two cable boxes.
I have two HD-PVRs.
I don't have, but could get pretty easily if needed, two USB-UIRTs.  The USB-UIRT can do multiple-zones without having two of them, but if I remember right, MC cannot.  Right now with Sage (because I'm lazy) I'm using a USB-UIRT for one cable box, and the integrated IR blaster in the second HD-PVR for my second cable box.  This works fine, but the IR Blaster in the HD-PVR is a bit more flaky than my USB-UIRT.  In any case...

If I get two USB-UIRTs, is it possible to use MC to control my two separate (but otherwise identical) cable boxes so that I can tune them separately?  If not, and I stick with my current USB-UIRT for one and Hauppauge IR Blaster for the other, would this work (can it use the HD-PVR's blaster, and is it smart enough to be able to use them separately)?

If not, that's a deal breaker.  If so, I might try to switch, even though you don't (yet) have the unified guide system like Sage and Windows MCE.

Title: Re: Controlling Two Cable Boxes?
Post by: Yaobing on October 21, 2013, 10:54:43 am

I a sorry to say that I am still lagging behind on this.  Firstly I do not know the status of USB-UIRT support. When we started supporting STB, the IR blaster on the MCE remote device was the one that worked for sure.  Secondly, we are still only supporting one IR blaster (both blasters get the same code each time one is needed).

Title: Re: Controlling Two Cable Boxes?
Post by: glynor on October 21, 2013, 11:20:54 am

Bummer, but thanks!

Title: Re: Controlling Two Cable Boxes?
Post by: eapool on October 22, 2013, 07:54:28 pm

I am also very interested in multiple STB support.  I will offer this again, if JRiver can offer the desired channel and the desired box through any available interface, I will write a plug in to support HTTP and/ or serial support for STB.  I started this before and I am limited by the information available through the MCWS interface.  I am sure the plug-in could be expanded to support IR blasters as well.

Alex