OT: serial connection on cable box

[vitaminman]

Hello,

My digital cable tuner box is a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000. On the back there is a port marked DATA, it looks very similar to a PS-2 or older Macintosh printer/modem serial connection. It is an 8-pin female connection...

Can I connect a cable from my PC to this in order to change channels? I'm trying to avoid having to purchase an external ir transmitter to change channels.

Take care,

Nick

[sub]

Can I connect a cable from my PC to this in order to change channels? I'm trying to avoid having to purchase an external ir transmitter to change channels.

There is no built support for this, but if you can find a command-line executable that'll do this for you, then you can use the '.exe channel changer'.

There are definitly some executables out there that do this, but I'm not sure which cables boxes they're compatible with.

[vitaminman]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not afraid of the command line, but I have no idea what to look for. Is there a type of program I should be looking for (ie. command line cable box controller software), like GBPVR is a personal video recorder software?

Take care,

Nick

[sub]

Sorry I dont know, as I've never used this myself. I guess you'd be searching for something like Scientific Atlanta serial cable.

Another option is using the Girder channel changer plugin. Girder is third party software that you can configure to change channels via serial cable. Again, dont know if it supports you cable box.

[simon]

Does the manual for your cable box contain a list of serial commands?

I use my PVR and a serial cable to change the display modes on my tv. The tv manual contained the serial specs and baud rates required, and I just wrote a simple batch file to output commands to the serial port.

I'll post it if its helpful.

Simon

[Trevor]

Realize too that the serial data port is not necesarily turned on by default. You may need to call up your digital cable company to get it activated.

Here in Vancouver, Canada, Shaw Cablesystems is rather negative about activating this port. You have to know someone on the inside to get it done, apparently.

I've not yet hooked the two together, I may have to deal with this eventually.

[raptoger]

if it was made to receive commands through this cable connection, you just need something like Directv control which is a small free program that links your box with GBPVR through the .exe channel changer.

[Pioneer4x4]

I use "Girder" to control my cable box via serial.

[vitaminman]

Hey,

Problem solved. Picked up a brand new PVR-150, which comes bundled with a little ir blaster/receiver, and this changes the channels on my cable box just fine!

Thank you to all who replied,

Nick