2nd Cable box Possibly new card how to?

[dragonfiregum]

Im thinking of picking up a second cable box so i can record MORE channels not just the "basic cable" ones.
I get like 1700 channels ( i do not have hdtv)
Right now i have like 70 of the basic channels programmed on from the coaxil running thru the house.
If i pick up a box will i need a new tv tuner card? Or can i get like a usb IR blaster and get some software and gbpvr can change channel for recordings itself?
Hauppauge WINTV-PVR-150 PCI Interface Tuner Card has what appears to be a IR blaster.Im not sure what settings or software id need to get gbpvr to use that cards blaster. Or i could just buy a ir blaster.
Anyone with this setup care to explain what they have?
*(i wont be needing all 1700 channels just a select about 90 of so.)*
guessing i need a IR blaster or something. Anyone wanna explain that?
What i want is to have gbpvr send a signal out a device(ir blaster) all by itself when its time to change channel to record. I wont need to do anything? Am i correct in understanding this?
Which IR blaster do any of you use? I see a few listed in wiki.
All this transmission and receiving crap confuses me. As i use a USB receiver(i think) with a remote that came with my current card and gbpvr didnt need setup for that and it goes thru all the stuff fine, its just a remote nothing more. Not made to control a box.

Thanks all. Multiple questions and even tho i searched didnt find the exact answer i was looking for. Better to be safe then spend big money on a project of buying new box + parts.

[sub]

If i pick up a box will i need a new tv tuner card? Or can i get like a usb IR blaster and get some software and gbpvr can change channel for recordings itself?

You would need some form of IR Blaster. You can get usb ones, like the USB-UIRT (http://www.usbuirt.com). There is a also a cheapy serial port on that uses WinLirc that a few people use (can remember exact name - use forum search to find it).

What i want is to have gbpvr send a signal out a device(ir blaster) all by itself when its time to change channel to record. I wont need to do anything? Am i correct in understanding this?

Yep, thats how it works.

Which IR blaster do any of you use? I see a few listed in wiki.

Up to you really. Sorry.

[dragonfiregum]

You would need some form of IR Blaster. You can get usb ones, like the USB-UIRT (http://www.usbuirt.com). There is a also a cheapy serial port on that uses WinLirc that a few people use (can remember exact name - use forum search to find it).

Yep, thats how it works.

Up to you really. Sorry.

Thanks sub. Ill pick up a USB-UIRT. (almost as same price as a wintv card with the remote and irblaster but i dont have MCE)
Lets hope a 2nd cable box is only around 8-14dollars a month.

[flyswatta]

The cheapy serial port one is at http://www.irblaster.info/

[dragonfiregum]

The cheapy serial port one is at http://www.irblaster.info/

yeah, apparently all i have is a printer port, no serial port.
a real shame. Im gonna hafta drop a 100 on getting the blaster here in time. Then prolly 12 a month for a box. And my keyboard (media one ) went capoot so theres another 50.
But hey, you get to record shows that are only on tv not dvd. Or you save yourself money not buying dvd's by catching the tv shows. One or 2 big series covers the cost well.
(example: recording all of sopranos instead of buying dvd's)

[flyswatta]

Yeh, I gave up trying to justify all the money that I've dropped into my pvr.

I finally just accepted the fact that I'm a pvr junky

[dragonfiregum]

Yeh, I gave up trying to justify all the money that I've dropped into my pvr.

I finally just accepted the fact that I'm a pvr junky

Yeah it gets expensive. Its nice when they double as your computer you use daily. And when you hear when people say they have all these diffrent dvd's of shows. It makes you feel good that you didnt go out and buy a dvd collection. And upgrades are hands down the best over any DVR. Watching on your computer,or sending signals to your tv. Or even burning cd's to give to your relative to catch the shows they missed is just great.
Another good thing about this is you know your hardware works. And you build it yourself. If theres a problem in the hardware not the programs you can find it yourself and fix it quick/fast.
If you have a problem with a tivo or something goodluck. Your sending that thing away for a few months.
And if you have a good setup you can use your computer for gaming, whatever. And there will be no hicups in your system if you picked a card with onboard mpeg2 encoding.+

Ill admit that im a junky to. And without gbpvr i dont think my setup (if even existed without gbpvr) would have grown into the monster it is.
I use gbpvr constantly. Its either showing something or i have music running thru it.
Anyhow. ill post again once i get all this at home and setup. And oh i bought a camera not long ago so ill post a few pictures of my setup.

[Ted the Penguin]

you could get a cheap USB-Serial converter

or is it too late?

[dragonfiregum]

you could get a cheap USB-Serial converter

or is it too late?

by the time i read this yup lol. Just placed order less then 2minutes before posting this. Dont tell people i wasted money lol. O well. Less converters and gadgets less chance of 1 part being dead and me having to find/replace it.

[dragonfiregum]

Quick question,why does gbpvr only take 3digit channel numbers? up to 125 set on fixed channel external tuner.
I try to get to channel 1205 but it will bring me to 120.
Other then trying to figure that out everything is going well.
(if 125 is a limit from my tuner card why is it limiting something thats coming from 1 channel that channel being tuned to 3 at all times..)
to get to 1000's. I thought since its only inputting on 1 channel and really my tv tuner card isnt even changing channels or frequencys. That it could go past 125.. Please note that if press 1205 super fast i can trick the system to tune to 1205, but gbpvr will show im on channel 5.
Pressing UP/down on the remote works fine, i can slowly work my way up thru the channels. But as far as numbers(which is how gbpvr changes channels to the channel needing to be recorded) Its capped at 125. Im guessing from gbpvr thinking that since the card i use is 125 capped im capped at 125? How do i get rid of that.Because like i said this is setup as a fixxed channel so the 125 analog shouldnt matter.. i should be able to type in to change more cable box channels then that. Its not my tv tuner changing it.

Sorry for rambling on but i wanted to describe this as best as i could.

EDIT: I did some tests. Somehow gbpvr succesfully changes channels on record time, but as far as watching live tv from 125 on i have to press up channel 1000's of times.