USB-UIRT with Telstraclear cable?

[lchiu7]

I just installed GB-PVR and am pretty impressed with it. Up till now I have been using WinTV2K with the Hauppauge PVR-250 card, recording via the composite video ouput from my Telstraclear (NZ) cable box. But to make sure the channels are okay I have been using a remote control with macro facility (it can change the cable box to the channel to record at a designated time).

It works well most of the time unless I forget to program the remote :-(

Anyway thought it would be much easier to do it one step and use GB-PVR and the USB-UIRT interface and get the TV listings from http://mr.geek.nz/epg/. I have just purchased the USB-UIRT and now realised I didn't check to see if it will control the TCL cable box (I have the GI SurfView box). And of course, didn't think to check what would happen when TCL moves to digital cable and a newer cable box. Should I have purchased the USB-UIRT with the 56KHz option? (not sure why that option exists)

Anybody have any information on this?

Thanks

Larry

[sub]

I'm controlling one of the older TelstraClear Jerrold (GI) 550 cable boxes without any problems. I've never tried it a SurfView box, so unfortunately I can comment.

I wish TelstraClear would hurry up with their digital cable, I'm ready and waiting... We have no way to tell if the new boxes will work with USB-UIRT, but I would guess it will. Manufacturers seem better at following standards these days, rather than implmenting their own custom IR signalling.

[lchiu7]

Thanks for the information. I suspect it will work - the GI box while fancier seems to have pretty standard IR codes (that is I have been able to use a universal remote control to control it). I like th GI box since it outputs stereo via the audio jacks which you can record. I guess I will know in about 2 weeks when the USB-UIRT arrives

I did ask TCL when digital cable was coming (my analogue cable is pretty crappy at times even after a multitude of service calls). They told me they might be going out in pilot in a month or so but of course they will be running both at the same time for a long time. Apparently the first lot of boxes they got were no good so they needed a different or replacement lot of cable boxes

Larru

[sub]

Yeah, the older cable box I'm using is straight out of the 70's.

"in a month" - I'd be very please if this comes true. I've chased them in the past on this and it was always a vague "later in the year" response.

[lchiu7]

Well that's what our account manager at TCL told me. Maybe they tell corporates more than they tell the public? I did ask to be on the pilot so all I can do is wait and see

Also got the epg working fine in GBPVR so once I get the USB-UIRT I should be set

[sub]

We'll if your hear anything about the pilot, make sure you let me know!

[lchiu7]

Will do!

[lchiu7]

I just got my USB-UIRT and it installed fine. DBPVR learnt the codes from my Motorola remote (that controls the TCL cable box) and it all seems to work fine. Quite straightforward. Only tiny issue was when GBPVR asked me to press the Enter key on the remote and the remote doesn't have such a function! I just pressed the OK button but I suspect for channel changing only the numbers are used

[sub]

Yeah, it only needs the Enter/Ok key if you explicitly enable it. Most people dont need this send to their cable box.