Can you run 2 different instances of IR Server?

[qaxooti]

I want to run 2 instances of IR Server. I have 2 STBs that I want to control and the only way it seems that I can accomplish this, is if I have 2 different instances of IR Server running.

Anyone know how to do this or know how to modify the .IR file so I can include IR Commands to both ports (IR Blasters)?

[qaxooti]

I've tried your suggestion before, but the problem is that IR Server sends the SAME command to both STBs (regardless of the port). The reason for this is because of the way IR Server learns commands.

I can't seem to learn different commands on different ports under the "IR Commands" tab. It just remembers 1 IR Command and maps that to both ports. Plus, I tried learning different set of commands for the different STBs and named them accordingly (0C, 0F, 1C, 1F, etc.), but when I call on IRBlast.exe, it can't find the command (it looks for 1.IR, 2.IR, etc.). I am looking for a way around this.

1 solution I came up with was running 2 instances of IR server and learning different commands for each STB in each one. Then, I would use each IR Server folder's IRBlast.exe file to call the different commands (depending on which box I want to blast to). Am I overcomplicating this? Is there an easier solution I'm overlooking?

If I have to create 2 instances, how would I go about doing this? Could I just install to another directory? Won't that overwrite the existing installed instance?

[pBS]

that port command should work...
i bet i know what's happening...you're getting crosstalk...
meaning each blaster led is hitting both boxes at once, so blasting out either is hitting both boxes...you have to make the stb's so they can't see eachother, or more precisely, so the eyes don't see both boxes...
unplug one blaster to see if blasting out of other one only changes the one box...
if it changes both then somehow it's bouncing over to the other one..
gotta remember they bouce around quite a bit so may have to put tape over them or something to keep ir from bleeding out..

when you use the -port 2 or -port 1 switch does only 1 led light up? it should only light 1...
using no -port blasts thru both...
if not, then it may not know how to talk to your dongle correctly..

also, when creating the second set of blast codes, can't you name the files differently?

[pBS]

i think there may be a slight typo in the port command...i've found elsewhere that it looks like:-port Port_1 [notice underscore_]
try it with that -port cmd to see if it acts normally...


From the irblast.exe help:

IRBlast -host MEDIAPC -port Port_2 "Turn on surround.IR"

This would blast the "Turn on surround.IR" command on the MEDIAPC computer to blaster port 2.

even tho it says "[-port x]" in the cmddline help at top..i suspect this is where all the confusion is coming from..
i got -port_1 from people's working setups so it must work that way...

and yes, only one set of blast codes are needed if they are identical stb's...just direct to appropriate port....

[qaxooti]

I have already previous tried all of your suggestions (and none of them worked). I have unplugged both, plugged one, tried different command parameters and everything.

Even in IR Server, when I learn different commands for each port, when I test, it blasts the correct STB, just with the wrong code. Like I said, it seems to place the most recent learned command in both ports. So, when I blast out to both STBs, I am only sending out 1 command. There is no bleeding through of the LEDs (I verified that by taking out a cable and testing).

Has anyone actually gotten this to work with 2 different STBs? Like I said before about the filename, when IRBlast is called, it calls 1.IR, 2.IR, etc. So, unless I name it that way, it doesn't work right.

But, if I name it that way (1.IR, 2.IR, etc.), then I won't be able to name the commands from the same box with that same name, hence they won't be blasted.

I'm struggling here trying to get this to work. I feel like I've tried everything. I'm sure I'm overlooking something rather simple (maybe there is a way to manipulate the command line paramaters to "trick" the receiver to blast correctly?).

Any other suggestions?

[qaxooti]

I have created 2 sets of IR commands (0C-9C and 0F-9F) for STB C and STB F. However, when the {channel} parameter is passed to IRBlast.exe, it looks for 0.IR, 1.IR, etc.

So, if I rename my 0C-9C.IR files to 0.IR-9.IR, that will work - but only for 1 STB. I cannot create the commands for Box F with the same filename, so how can I get around this?

I tried this:

-pad 3 -port Port_2 {channel}C.IR

but that only works for channels 1-9. I tried it without the .IR extension and that didn't work at all.

[pBS]

for 2 different stb's...[assuming they have different remotes]
skip to next post, it's much faster and more correct way to do it

make a set of blast codes named 1,2,3,etc. for one box...
make a second set of codes named 1b,2b,3b,etc. for second box
hmm,for 2 diff boxes i have found your problem...
the -channel option doesn't allow separate .ir files to be specified...
i'll whip together a middleware app to let you separate them and use different file sets..
[did same thing for someone else as batch file already before..i should have remembered...lol]

here's the batch file you'll have to specify as your channel changer .exe in config..
save as blast.bat

Code:

rem @echo off
set ch=%1
set stb=%2

cd "C:\Program Files\IR Server Suite\IR Blast\"
rem digit 1
irblast-nowindow %ch:~0,1%%stb%.ir
rem digit 2
irblast-nowindow %ch:~1,1%%stb%.ir
rem digit 3
irblast-nowindow %ch:~2,1%%stb%.ir

and in config for stb1, specify the blast.bat as changer .exe, and as params use just: {channel}
that will send just the channel to batch file as %1 and no stb modification.

for stb2: setup blast.bat as changer .exe, and as params use just: {channel} b [notepace between channel and 'b']
which will send to batch file: ### b
which will send out "irblast-nowindow -host localhost #b.ir for each digit...
i'll build a 'hidden' exe that will do same thing without being visible if you have interact with desktop checked in gbpvr recording service...
if not checked, then this one will work fine and stay hidden...

any questions, let me know...might wanna mention it to the author of ir server as it is a deficiency...
[cuz also can't specify delay 'between' digits,why i wrote batch file in first place...]
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?p=322669

[pBS]

make a set of codes as normal for box1...[0,1,2,etc]
setup in gbpvr to blast as normal, IRBlast-NoWindow.exe as .exe, just " -pad 3 -channel {channel} " as param...[no port stuff needed]


for second box, make a second set of irblast codes and name them a,b,c, etc
[a=0,b=1,c=2,etc]
then set as changer .exe, this batch file....
it will translate the numbers into letters and blast them out...
the limitation was that -channel can only specify single char .ir files...so no "1x.ir" possible..
but letters are fine..

new batch file for faster blasts:

Code:

@echo off
set ch=%1
cd "C:\Program Files\IR Server Suite\IR Blast\"
set ch=%ch:0=a%
set ch=%ch:1=b%
set ch=%ch:2=c%
set ch=%ch:3=d%
set ch=%ch:4=e%
set ch=%ch:5=f%
set ch=%ch:6=g%
set ch=%ch:7=h%
set ch=%ch:8=i%
set ch=%ch:9=j%
echo Blasting %ch%
IRBlast-NoWindow.exe -pad 3  -channel %ch%

you'll see if run from command line that batch file will translate the ##'#s into letters...
so for 121 it would blast bcb, meaning the b.ir,then c.ir,then b.ir...
only for second box...
first box can be controlled as normal without batch file used...
hope that all makes sense now...lol...

[qaxooti]

Hey, seriously, thanks for the hard work.

I'm going to try this out when I get home tonight. I'll keep you posted on it.

So, for the "channel changer plugin .exe" field, I would point to the batch file, right? Underneath that, in the command parameters line (where normally something like "-pad 3 {channel}" would be specified, would do I put in that field? Do I just put {channel}? Or do I leave it blank?

Hopefully, this will solve my issues.

Thanks.

[pBS]

no prob. was meaning to check out ir server for a while now, and may need it for some extra native devices it can handle as i just got a new ir receiver..
i actually had to write a new hipsend for HIP as it wasn't quite working right..
in hipsend i can specify remote codes to blast from...so this not a problem..

so to recap, the first box can be used normally..0123456789 for blast names, and regular setup in config, [exe changer is irblast.exe params are full params, -pad 3 {channel} ]
no batch file/port needed..

for second stb:
point this one to batch file as .exe as it needs to translate...
in config: use batch file for .exe , params = {channel}
in the batch file put your actual params for the irblast.exe for second box..

i like the approach ir blast takes, run as service, better organized, macros...

let me know how it goes and i'll whip up an exe to replace batch file so it'll stay completely hidden....