Changing channels on a Motorola box via serial

[jgummerm]

I've got FIOS tv and a Motorola QIP2500 stb, which has a serial port. I believe this serial port is activated judging by what I've read on a TiVo forum (despite Verizon's official line on this). I've tried Is2's executable mot.changer designed for a dct 2524. The log file shows that the channel was sent to the QIP2500 but no channel change.

Any advice?

Thanks

[Ted the Penguin]

do the tivo forums say that DCT2xxx series serial commands work on the QIP2500? my guess is that your box either doesnt recognize the commands, or the serial port is off (just because some people have it activated doesnt mean yours is).
good luck

[jgummerm]

No, the tivo forums don't say the dct-2xxx is the same as the qip2500. Do you know of a way of finding out if they're compatible? Also do you know of a way to test whether or not a serial port is activated?

Any advice is appreciated

[Ted the Penguin]

not off the top of my head, but some good googling will go a long way

[jgummerm]

Well, I'm now convinced more than ever that the serial port on my STB (motorola qip2500) is activated because a Verizon tech gave me the codes to use with a TIVO, which of course I don't own. So now I've returned my attentions to ls2's mot_changer program referenced at the beginning of this thread. Unfortunately, I haven't programmed in years and I don't know c++, so I'm hoping someone can tell me if mot_changer would be relatively easy to modify for a different STB's codes (and where I might find such codes, i.e. what's the format of the codes ls2 uses in the program).

Thanks in advance.

[Ted the Penguin]

what codes do you have? a bunch of hex?

the source for the program is in the zip, its real simple, the codes are in the header file, just take a look, as long as you have visual studio you should be able to get it working

[jgummerm]

Thanks, Ted, for all your help. Just a couple more questions and I promise I'll leave you alone. Today I tried the remote for my qip500 on a dct2000. It worked on some of the features but not on the critical channel-change-by-entering-the-number feature. So I now know for a fact that I have to modify the mot_changer if it's going to work on my stb. So my new question is does mot_changer send ir codes thru the serial port to change the channel or does it use some other kind of code? I've found a website (listshttp://lirc.sourceforge.net/remotes/motorola/) :confused: that lists the ir codes for several motorola models, including the dct6200, which I've read will work my stb.

Thanks again for your help,

Gummerm

[jgummerm]

Ted,

By header file, you mean mot_changer.h, right?

gummerm

[Ted the Penguin]

I am not sure exactly where the values for the signals that get sent over the cable come from, if the can find an IR code table for the dct2xxx series and correlate them to the list of serial codes, then try doing the same for your box.

but my guess is that the codes sent over IR are not the same as the codes sent over serial.

yes thats the header file

[jgummerm]

Ted,

Thanks again for all your help. You're instinct seems to have been right. I can't find any correlation between ir codes and serial codes. It seems what I need is the serial protocol for my stb, but I have no idea how to find out what that is, despite much googling. I'm still not even sure if the serial port on my stb is even enabled. I'm toying with the idea of buying a tivo, testing out my serial port, and then taking the tivo back. Then at least I'll know if the serial port is enabled and what stb's protocol tivo is using to talk to it.

I've got to learn to embrace the frustration!

jgummerm