Vista-Only MCE Remote and Linux

[Hop]

Running Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty) Server configured as a LAMP server with MythTV and a PVR-150 card installed.

I bought a HVR-1600 based on some reviews I confused with the PVR-150 and found out that there isn't Linux support for it yet, so I shelved it for when support comes around, but with the card came a remote package including a black Microsoft MCE remote, a USB receiver for it with two jacks in the back for the included IR Blaster. Support is limited currently, allowing use of the receiver for the remote, but not the IR Blaster.

I've since bought a PVR-150 and it works great with MythTV, but until I can use the IR Blaster, I have to change the channels on my cable box manually. That pretty much negates the scheduling features.

So I was wondering if anyone has a similar setup and was able to get the IR Blaster working, or maybe can suggest a cheap alternative to changing channels on my digital cable box via my Linux home-made PVR.

One little side-note, in case someone is considering doing a Linux machine...
I built this machine using spare orphaned parts from other rigs just to see what Linux was all about. It's a Athlon XP 2600+ with 1.5gb of ram and raid. That old outdated hardware has surprised me, as it has been able to download, record standard video, and even handle a pull of a large file off it from my Windows machine on my LAN, without even getting up to 100% on the CPU. It's very stable, and has never crashed over about a 5 month period. I access it from my Windows laptop via Putty for command line stuff, web interfaces, and TightVNC for direct access to the desktop. I had to jump through a lot of hoops being a Linux newcomer, but it's coming together and an active part of my daily computing life now. If I can get that IR Blaster feature working, it will become a big help doing our PVR work.

I can't wait to get my C2D machine completed so I can move my P4 3GHz Prescott over to that Linux role. I want to dual boot my C2D laptop with Ubuntu, but don't know enough about that yet.

 

[drag]

Probably I'd recommend ebay'ng that card. All the PVR-* stuff has been reverse engineered previously, but nowadays there are enough Linux-friendly tuner cards that they don't need to do that again. When they were the only game in town it was different. If it's very close to the PVR stuff then it'll probably get support later on, but if it's not I wouldn't bet on it. Not unless Hauppauge puts effort into supporting Linux. Not that I know all of this for a fact, but it's my guess.

(well it'll have support eventually, but you can get hardware support for similar things right now)

Something that would be cooler would be something like HDHomerun. They are very Linux-friendly. Also PCHDTV is a good internal HD capture device and is so Linux friendly that it's Linux-only.

As for the MCE series 2 controller you'll have to have to use a very recent version of Lirc.
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/ind...p/MCE_Remote#Version_2

For future reference you can see http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Hardware
It does not have everything, but it's still usefull.

 

[Hop]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll stick with my PVR-150 for right now, but if my HVR-1600 is never supported for Linux I might go elsewhere as you suggested.
I know that site you linked. That's where I found out about the IR Blaster not supported. I have the Series 1 Model 1069. Sigh.

I'll just do as you suggested and look on eBay for a compatible remote AND IR Blaster type device, and add my current 1069 to the pile of remotes I have waiting for a use someday.

 

[drag]

Well for remotes all you need is a IR receiver. (blaster is for controlling other IR devices like cable boxes)

If you buy a Ir receiver then you can use pretty much any universal remote you'd like. There are some nice Sony ones you can get for 40 bucks that can learn any other remote simply by having it record the button presses that the other remote does.

If your handy with a soldiering gun you can make your own that plug into the serial port of your computer. USB IR receivers are a bit more tricky. (usb screws up the timing so you can use any ol' irda wireless adapter, unfortunately)

 

[Hop]

Originally posted by: drag
Well for remotes all you need is a IR receiver. (blaster is for controlling other IR devices like cable boxes)

If you buy a Ir receiver then you can use pretty much any universal remote you'd like. There are some nice Sony ones you can get for 40 bucks that can learn any other remote simply by having it record the button presses that the other remote does.

If your handy with a soldiering gun you can make your own that plug into the serial port of your computer. USB IR receivers are a bit more tricky. (usb screws up the timing so you can use any ol' irda wireless adapter, unfortunately)

Don't forget, the Remote receiving isn't my issue. It's controlling my cable box via IR Blaster. I have no problem using my remote, but I can't get my linux box to control my cable box through the IR Blaster I have. I'm looking for an alternative that I can plug into a USB2 or regular out-dated USB 1.1 port that allows MythTV to control my cable box via IR Blaster.

The MCE package I have is version 1, which means remote receiving support, IR BLASTER support NO! I want hardware that supports both. Without the ability for my scheduling channels to change channels, it's pretty much useless. I hope that is enough information for you.

Hop