USB UIRT questions

[morb0]

Hello folks,

I'm looking to buy an IR 'blaster' to allow GBPVR to change channels on my Telewest box. I think at about £80 RedRat is rather too expensive. USB UIRT at about £43 looks like a better bet, but I wonder if anyone can answer a couple of questions I have about it:

1. Do I need to buy Girder to get it to work with GBPVR?

2. What's the range like? I think I'd need about 5 metres to allow it to transmit across the room to the set top box.

Many thanks

[jksmurf]

1. Do I need to buy Girder to get it to work with GBPVR?

Nope. IF you have a remote to control the box, GB will "learn" the commands or there might be an existing one in GBPVR.

What's the range like? I think I'd need about 5 metres to allow it to transmit across the room to the set top box.

Dunno, but I think it will do that NO Problem. In any case you can always buy an IR emitter that is bonded to a plug that plugs into a jack in the USB-UIRT and tape the emitter to the box you want to control. Search IR emitter on the USB-UIRT site. HTH

k.

[stefan]

1) As I have understood this, you don't need to.
2) Over at the USB-UIRT forums it seems people are more than happy with the range, talking about taking measures to make sure there girlfriends "don't start glowing", so I would suspect it's pretty good, range wise. I don't know for sure though, I don't own one myself. Yet.

[morb0]

Thanks very much for the help, I have a look on the USB-UIRT Forum and found that 7-8m should work fine. For those interested:

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...#post62642

peterjwhite> My intention is to sit the USB-UIRT on a high bookshelf 7-8M from the home electronics
jrhees>that should work. To be sure, you can grab your existing remote and hold/aim it where you plan on placing the USB-UIRT. Then try buttons on the remote for each piece of equip. and verify the equipment responds.

My only concern now really is that I my set top box is Telewest, and I have heard some of their boxes do not use standard irda. See this page http://www.redremote.co.uk/
I'll take this question to the USB-UIRT forum though.

Thanks again.

[blader_se]

Thanks very much for the help, I have a look on the USB-UIRT Forum and found that 7-8m should work fine.

I'm having 5-6m plus a 90 degree turn, i.e. the sat reciever is placed in a bookshelf that is turned with it's side towards the USB-UIRT - no direct line of sight - and it still works (the next wall is about 2 m furter away

[borgs5]

When I used to have Telewest I found that my learning remote could not learn the codes - I think that that particular version of the cable box used irDA rather than consumer remote.

But, I am getting Telewest again in two weeks and have a USB-UIRT, so if you don't have your answer by then I'll be able to check it for you. You may need to remind me though as my memory isn't that good.

Range with a USB-UIRT should not be a problem - the standard emitter is very powerful.

[borgs5]

OK, I can confirm that my new style Telewest box has "dodgy" IR. The USB-UIRT led lights up when I fire the remote at it but GBPVR cannot learn the IR code.

My IR repeater also can't repeat it.

On a side note this box doesn't half get hot compared to my Sky box!

[steves]

There's a IR Definition file in GB-PVR already that should work with Telewest/NTL boxes, at least it does with mine.

RE: The overheating box, just feign some sort of fault (eg. it keeps freezing & you really ventilate it well!) and see if you can get them to replace it!

[borgs5]

There's a IR Definition file in GB-PVR already that should work with Telewest/NTL boxes, at least it does with mine.

RE: The overheating box, just feign some sort of fault (eg. it keeps freezing & you really ventilate it well!) and see if you can get them to replace it!

Cheers Steves,

Is that the Pace NTL Box.dat device profile or some other?

I'll give it a try tonight.

[steves]

Yes that's the one. Works fine with me, although my brother informs me that the PACE boxes have an in built bug (nothing to do with USBuirt or any other blaster), that they miss remote presses sometimes. Has happened to me yet....

Steve