Win 7/Sage TV/Using Receiver and Emitter(s)

[Mark Olbert]

I can't get Sage TV to access the emitter(s) in my USBUIRT (it does have a 'z' suffix, and I've updated the drivers to the latest). I'm running under Windows 7, with Sage running as a service.

On the Sage forums I've been told that this problem is a limitation of the current USBUIRT driver. I've also been told that even if I purchase a second USBUIRT to use solely as a transmitter I'll run into the problem. Purportedly the problem has something to do with different processes trying to simultaneously access the receiver and emitter(s) through the driver. Because the Sage client is accessing the receiver, when the Sage service tries to access the emitters an exception gets thrown.

I'd just like to confirm whether what I'm being told is correct or not. If there's a solution (which doesn't involve junking Sage ) I'd love to hear that, too.

[canoewhiteh2o]

I don't use Sage TV but does the code you are transmittinng have a Z1, Z2, or Z3 prefix?

[Mark Olbert]

Yes, the prefixes are set.

But that's not the issue, because there's a problem even accessing the emitters via the software.

[canoewhiteh2o]

Try downloading lrnhelper here and try your emitters. Paste some Pronto code into the textbox. You can try the code below if you like:

Code: Select all

Z10000 0048 0001 0011 0018 0162 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 005E 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 005E 0018 00A5 0018 005E 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 00A5 0018 0162

The Z1 prefix should be the right channel. Change the value to Z2 for the left channel (Z3 is the internal emitter).

If you want to try it without using your emitters you can use a headphone with an 1/8 inch stereo jack. Don't put the headphones on your ears because the sound frequency is not good for them. Just hold them away a little bit. When you click the transmit button in lrnhelper you will hear a little buzz in the channel chosen with the Z value. With Z3 you will hear nothing since this is the internal emitter.

If zones are working in lrnhelper then it is not a driver issue, but rather how your software interacts with the USB-UIRT API.

[Mark Olbert]

Thanks for the tip re: lrnhelper. I was able to confirm that the codes are being transmitted to the appropriate channels.

I will post these results over on the Sage forum and ask for help/clarification about their stance on the issue being a driver-related one.

[canoewhiteh2o]

Purportedly the problem has something to do with different processes trying to simultaneously access the receiver and emitter(s) through the driver. Because the Sage client is accessing the receiver, when the Sage service tries to access the emitters an exception gets thrown.

After rereading your initial post, what you are trying to do (receive and transmit simultaneously) won't work with the USB-UIRT. The way the USB-UIRT typically works with send and receive is when a signal is received the USB-UIRT calls a callback function supplied by the host application in the in UUIRTSetReceiveCallback function of the USB-UIRT API. The info received from the callback function then triggers the host application to transmit IR using the (USB-UIRT API) UUIRTTransmitIR function. So typically these happen sequentially and not simultaneously. I guess I don't fully understand why sage is trying to receive and transmit simultaneously.

As far as using 2 USB-UIRTs this does work in other software - I have never tried it. If you read this long thread you will see that using 2 USB-UIRT is dependent on the host software managing both devices.

[Mark Olbert]

Actually, I'm not looking to do simultaneous transmit and receive. The receive operation is to listen to input from a handheld remote. The transmit operation changes the channel on a set top box linked to an HD digitizer (Hauppauge's HDPVR).

I suppose it's possible that, by accident, transmission and reception could occur simultaneously. But it'd be a pretty big coincidence.

[canoewhiteh2o]

If what you are trying to do is receive IR transmissions from a remote control, and then have the USB-UIRT respond by sending the appropriate IR via Z1, Z2, or Z3 zones, then that is not a problem with the current driver. The limiting factor on whether or not this can be done will be the host application's use of the USB-UIRT API.