"Big Picture" Question

[white2833]

I think that I'm missing some basic concepts, been working with this for a couple of hours and would appreciate some assistance...

I have a WinXP system with Hauppauge WinTV PVR-350 with SageTV 2.0, which has been working well, with the exception that I must manually tune my Motorola DCT2500 digital cable box (which is connected to the PVR via S-Video and RCA connectors for best quality) to record anything.

Enter my new USB-UIRT which I've been trying to get going. I downloaded the drivers, installed the USB cable, installed the drivers and all looks well. I tested the UIRT by pointing an IR remote at it, and the led blinks...

Now, I went into SageTV, updated the config and told it of the UIRT on USB. I assumed that I would be done. But as I changed channels in SageTV by pointing at the PVR-350's IR receiver which updated Sage (just like it did before), the UIRT didn't send corresponding codes to the cable box...no blinking from the UIRT.

I've been playing with the remapping of commands in SageTV, but I'm confused which remote I should be remapping! Should it be the Hauppauge remote, or the DCT's? Or should I be messing around in this at all?

My vision is to use the hauppauge remote to manipulate channels and control Sage by pointing at the IR connected to the PVR, and the UIRT will strictly communicate with the cable box. Am I mistaken?

Help please!

Lance

[jrhees]

White,

You're not mistake, but things can get confusing since the USB-UIRT can support both transmit (i.e., control your set-top-box) and receive (i.e., perform similar functionality as the IR on the PVR-350).

You definitely *can* use the USB-UIRT just for transmit. It sounds like you've been trying to configure it, however, in the mapping screen which affects *receive* functionality for sage and not transmit.

To configure the transmit, you need to go to the screens where you set up a source (setup wizard). Select your Hauppage as the source as you have done previously), and select S-Video as you have done previously. At this point you will have the option in Sage to specify that you want Sage to externally tune your set-top-box, and you will be able to choose the USB-UIRT as the transmitter.

After this selection, you may be asked which COM port (in which case select USB or COM1 -- it doesn't matter) and then you will be given a list of pre-defined set-top-boxes. I believe there iss a Motorola box listed. If necessary, you can create a new set-top config and Sage will walk you through a wizard which will 'learn' the buttons from your Mot. remote.

-Jon

[white2833]

Yup, spot on, Jon. That fixed me up. Thanks!