NextPVR not calling IRBlast

[reward72]

Hi!
I've been using Windows Media Center on Windows 7 for years but with my old hardware dying on me I've decided to try something new.

This is a brand new build, my first on Windows 8.1 and my first attempt at using NextPVR. I'm using all new hardware except for two trusty Hauppauge HD PVR and a MCE IR Blaster with two ports so I can control both devices individually. I've been able to set everything up, including the channel line up and EPG updates. NextPVR sees my two HD PVR just fine. I can watch "LiveTV" (I get video and sound) but I just can't change the channels.

Since I have two devices it's my understanding that I can't use the built-in IR blaster because there is no way to specify which of the two you want to operate. So... I've installed the IR Server Suite (IRSS) from the MediaPortal team and set it up to use the dual-port Microsoft MCE IR Blaster.

I've followed the instructions there: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...light=IRSS

Everything seems to work fine within IRSS. If I open a command prompt window and run IRBlast.exe from the command line I can change the channels just fine on both devices using the additional port parameter. I see the channel change in the "LiveTV" window. But even thought I specify the exact same syntax within the NextPVR devices settings (just like in the URL above), it just doesn't work. The LEDs don't flash, it's like nothing is happening at all.

Any idea what the issue could be?
Thanks

[sub]

It'll be one of two things, either:

1) you've tried adding the ir blaster after setting up the channels. The channels hold a copy of the settings at the time they were created, so you can use different inputs or different blaster settings for different channels. If you setup the blaster after creating the channels, then those channels wont contain the blaster settings. Channels that'll use a blaster will show the blaster settings in the 'Details' column. Easy fix if this is your problem - highlight the channels, then right-click and select 'Update to current settings' from the context menu, and it'll update the channels to use the current blaster settings.

2) or you're using a blaster that uses the clipboard for sharing data between components of the software (aka WM_COPYDATA). Remember the recording service runs in the background as a service, under a different user account, so doesn't share a clipboard with software running on the user's desktop. We've seen a couple of users have problems with this in the past. I'm not sure if IRBlast.exe is one of these apps or not. If it is, look for a different blaster executable.

[reward72]

1) you've tried adding the ir blaster after setting up the channels.

Bingo! I've never noticed that! You are my hero!
I'm donating right now.

Thanks

[justhangin]

sub,

I've run into the same wall and im not sure if the problem is #1 or #2. I've included my logs.

I have a Win7 x64 ultimate setup with 2 AVerMedia M780 PCIe BDA ATSC tuners which i did manage to setup in analog mode. So far everything seems to work except they arent communicating with the IR Blasters that are strapped to the two Comcast DTA boxes (but there is no physical problem, this all works for WMC). The IR blaster is a standard Windows MCE.

I went thru all of BTJustice's steps detailed here:

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...light=IRSS

but im definitely missing something.

Some things i did notice:

when you wrote "Easy fix if this is your problem - highlight the channels, then right-click and select 'Update to current settings' from the context menu, and it'll update the channels to use the current blaster settings." i looked for that but found no such option. all right clicking offered me was some "merge/unmerge" options with channels highlighted under the channels menu. and in the device channel list there were no right click options at all with channel highlighted. so, im not sure im even looking in the right place.

when i tried to "learn" the remote codes following BTJustice's steps that didnt work either. it seemed that the system already knew what buttons i was pressing without me having to tell it. now, when i press the remote or type something into the keyboard, i see the right number come up, nextpvr does switch the metadata its presenting in the live tv window...but the command to the comcast box isnt happening so the actual channel doesnt change.

The current executable is: E:\Programs\System Hardware\IR Server Suite\IRBlast.exe
and the current string or arguments: -channel {channel} -delay 500 -host localhost -port Port_1

after a lot of twists and turns to set this all up, i know im close. could you help me get the right incantation to use to get the channels flipping? or, if the issue is the "clipboard for sharing data" with the MCE blaster and IRSS, could you point me at the right blaster software to use?

thanks,
JH

[sub]

My comments above only applied to HDMI/Component capture devices like the HDPVR etc. For old school analog devices, it always runs whatever blaster executable you've got set, ie no copy of the settings at the time the channel was created. If it's not working for you, it's more likely the second option I mentioned, where the utility is trying to use the clipboard or similar.

[sub]

Yep, almost certainly something like that. I can see in your recording service logs that it is definitely calling the executable you specified, so sounds like the problem is your executable, not NextPVR.

[justhangin]

So what should I be trying next? Are you saying I need to find some blaster software other than IRSS that doesnt rely on the clipboard for data sharing? What would that be? HIP?

[sub]

I'm not sure. I don't use analog or blasters myself. I can see NextPVR is running what you told it to though.

Hopefully someone that uses a blaster will be able to offer some advice.

[justhangin]

i *think* i found the problem. for some reason my 2 port blaster doesnt like the IRSS Port_1 address.

however, these strings seem to work (more testing needed)

-channel {channel} -delay 500 -host localhost -port Port_0 #for tuner 1
-channel {channel} -delay 500 -host localhost -port Port_2 #for tuner 2

Im wondering...i basically came up with this by lucky guess, but is there somewhere in the logs on one of these programs (or windows) that would have suggested this solution?

Im also not sure if the port numbers remain invariant across reboots. some posts ive read suggest that some people have issues with them changing

thanks,
jh

[sub]

Im wondering...i basically came up with this by lucky guess, but is there somewhere in the logs on one of these programs (or windows) that would have suggested this solution?

I'm not sure what you mean.

In the nrecord.log you can see the command that NextPVR is executing. It doesn't know if IRBlast.exe has had any problem. Maybe IRBlast.exe has a log somewhere that'll give you extra info about any problems.

2014-02-14 00:37:57.933 [INFO][19] Running blaster: E:\Programs\System Hardware\IR Server Suite\IRBlast.exe -channel 4 -delay 500 -host localhost -port Port_1

Glad to hear to found a work around.