2017-08-14, 04:27 AM
I'm not sure anyone really needs this, as the built in NextPVR blaster options are very solid, but I needed one thing that none of the build in blasters do. I wanted to send a discreet power on code to my cable box to make sure it was actually on when I need to record something from it. Thus was born iguana-blaster. To use this you need an IguanaWorks USB IR Transceiver (I have no idea if the serial one will work), and you can get one from http://iguanaworks.com. You also have to have Python 2.7.x on your system. 3.x might work as well, but I haven't tested it.
Once you have that you can download the channel changer from https://github.com/pkscout/iguana-blaster. There's a read me that will tell you how to get it setup, including the kind of cumbersome work you have to do to learn the IR codes. I had originally planned to use WinLIRC as the go between for this, but right at the end I found out that WinLIRC's Transmit.exe uses the clipboard to send commands, so it won't work with NextPVR. Thanks to sub for that info. I wish I would have found that 7 year old thread two days ago. :p
The only thing not in the README is how to configure NPVR to use this (although I will probably add that soon).
In the NextPVR settings you have to go to devices, select your analog recorder, and then click device setup. In the channel changer section:
Changer: Executable
Executable: C:\Python27\pythonw.exe (or whatever the path is to your python executable)
Arguments: C:\CustomApps\iguana-blaster\execute.py -c {channel} (or wherever you put the iguana-blaster folder)
Then highlight all the channels, right click, and select UPDATE TO CURRENT SETTINGS. If you have the IguanaWorks software installed correctly and iguana-blaster setup, you should now be able to change channels. And with the right settings in the iguana-blast settings.py file, you can have a command (or group of commands) that is sent before each channel change (with an option to only send that every once in awhile if you want). There's more info at the GitHub site on how to configure iguana-blaster.
As I said, I have no idea if anyone else will need this or what to go to the effort of getting everything configured. But just in case there it is.
Once you have that you can download the channel changer from https://github.com/pkscout/iguana-blaster. There's a read me that will tell you how to get it setup, including the kind of cumbersome work you have to do to learn the IR codes. I had originally planned to use WinLIRC as the go between for this, but right at the end I found out that WinLIRC's Transmit.exe uses the clipboard to send commands, so it won't work with NextPVR. Thanks to sub for that info. I wish I would have found that 7 year old thread two days ago. :p
The only thing not in the README is how to configure NPVR to use this (although I will probably add that soon).
In the NextPVR settings you have to go to devices, select your analog recorder, and then click device setup. In the channel changer section:
Changer: Executable
Executable: C:\Python27\pythonw.exe (or whatever the path is to your python executable)
Arguments: C:\CustomApps\iguana-blaster\execute.py -c {channel} (or wherever you put the iguana-blaster folder)
Then highlight all the channels, right click, and select UPDATE TO CURRENT SETTINGS. If you have the IguanaWorks software installed correctly and iguana-blaster setup, you should now be able to change channels. And with the right settings in the iguana-blast settings.py file, you can have a command (or group of commands) that is sent before each channel change (with an option to only send that every once in awhile if you want). There's more info at the GitHub site on how to configure iguana-blaster.
As I said, I have no idea if anyone else will need this or what to go to the effort of getting everything configured. But just in case there it is.