Need help changing channels on STB

[tcb121]

I know I must purchase additional hardware, but my question is how much?

My current setup:

Pvr-150 running on P4 2.4 Ghz 1 Gig Ram blah blah blah...

My PC sits in a computer room away from the Set Top Box. I have "DirecTV", with a Sony Receiver. ( no serial cable support )

I have a "Firefly" remote, but that will only allow me to control GB-PVR, and what I really desire is to have GB-PVR change channels on my Set Top Box. The PC and TV share a common wall that I have cables running through, so I could place an "IR-Blaster" type of device in the same room as the Set Top Box.

Can anyone recommend the cheapest / easiest route to for me to head in?

I'm really only interested in transmitting to the STB. I don't mind so much if I can't use a "remote" to change channels from the PC room. My main objective it to have GB-PVR be able to change the channels when a recording is scheduled.

Any help would be appreciated. Are there any other options then the $50.00 USB-UIRT?


Thanks.

[sub]

The most common IR Blasters in use seem to be the USB-UIRT or the MCE2005 remote/blaster combo.

[flyswatta]

Can anyone recommend the cheapest / easiest route to for me to head in?

Easiest is probably what Sub said. Cheapest (not necessarily easiest) is probably a serial ir blaster. $15 w/ shipping. http://www.irblaster.info/

[tcb121]

Update for anyone who cares.


Here is what I ended up doing:

I have the PVR-150 card that comes with the IR-blaster, but I was a good 10 feet short of reaching the set top box with the IR-Blaster end. I had been searching online looking for solutions, and found that some people had actually "Extended" the cable lenght of their IR-Blasters by splicing in extra cable. So I had a spool of thin paired cable that I had purchased from Radio Shack, and I figured what the heck. If I failed, I would just get the USB-UIRT, and if I succeed, problem solved.

Well, I have good news to report. The extra cable I added worked perfect, and I'm now able to use the channel changing from the computer room.

*** In addition ***

I also replaced the IR LED with the IR LED from an old remote control that I was no longer using. The actual IR LED that I used was from an old Leadtek TV2000 remote, but you could take almost any IR LED out of an old remote, and it would work. It is a clear LED, and increased the "range" of the IR-Blaster end so that I didn't have to be 2cm or less away. With the new IR LED, I found that it worked from over a foot away. Anywho, the extension works great for anyone interested in trying it.

Before I went through this effort, I did bring the PC into the TV room to setup the IR-Blaster config. I wanted to make sure before I ran all of the cables etc, that the IR-Blaster could actually control my STB. It did, and the rest is history. Since I was going to add my own IR LED end, I just snipped off the old IR-Blaster end, and extended my cable with the new IR LED end from the leadtek remote. Tested it out, and everything worked.


Tools I used:

Screwdriver: ( Had to pry open the Leadteck remote )
Soldering Iron: ( Used to De-Solder the Leadteck IR LED, also used to Solder in the extra cable that I used, and to solder in the "new" IR LED )
Extra Cable
Electricians Tape: ( Black tape, used to wrap the wires after I soldered them )

Hope this helps someone else along the way.

[pvrdude]

Isn't the 150's blaster supported? Why buy the serial one if you own the 150 with built-in blaster? I'm just asking because I own the 150 with built-in blaster. I thought you only need the codes for your settopbox (be it digital cable or satellite etc.).

[flyswatta]

Isn't the 150's blaster supported? Why buy the serial one if you own the 150 with built-in blaster? I'm just asking because I own the 150 with built-in blaster. I thought you only need the codes for your settopbox (be it digital cable or satellite etc.).

Not all of them. Both of mine are the OEM version - cost around US $50 each new. All you get is the card (without the IRBlaster port), no remote or IR Blaster. I originally was using analog cable, so I didn't need the other stuff, but when I switched to satellite, I needed to find a way to change the STB - hence an affordable, serial ir blaster.

[tcb121]

Yes, my PVR-150 came with the IR-Blaster. My issue was my PC was in a completely different room then my STB, so I looked at several choices.

1). I looked at using an RF Remote extender from Radio Shack, and just having the IR-Blaster send the signal to the RF extender, and then have the second RF extender change the channel on the STB. I went and purchased an RF Extender from Radio Shack, but the IR-Blaster from the PVR-150 was not powerful enough to transmit a signal to the device.

2). Option two, I decided to "Extend" the IR-Blaster portion of the PVR-150 using some extra wire. This did the trick. In the process, I also swapped out the IR-LED that came from Hauppague with a spare IR-LED that came from an old Leadtek remote control. This gave the IR-Blaster more "sending power" if that is what you want to call it. I found the IR-LED that came standard on the PVR-150 to be quite weak. With the new LED installed, I don't have to affix the sensor to the STB, and my range is now several feet.

3). Third option was to purchase a USB-UIRT. Didn't have to go this route since the extension worked.

Hope this helps someone else looking to do the same.