IR Blaster not working for 3-digit channels. Missing Olympics!!!

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Asmodeus

1015 posts

Uber Geek

#106870 1-Aug-2012 20:55

Hi guys,

Im using an HTPC to change the sky channels via an IR Blaster (yeah yeah I know) but the damn thing just won't work for 3 digit channels ie: all the Olympic channels! It's only the first digit of any 3-digit combination that isn't working but it fine with 2-digit channels

I've tried editing the STBCode registry entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners and have tried all sorts of different values for key duration and key interval and made sure the digit number is set to 3 but none work. The annoying thing is it was working most of the time a few days ago but now nothing even on the same settings.

I've also tried fiddling the position of the IR blaster and have it taped to the stb. It's definitely in the right position as the other two digits work fine.

Any ideas on other stuff to try? Any ideas why it would have worked sometimes the other day but not now even with identical setup? The blaster flashes 3 times but seems to flash too early on the first digit for the stb to recognise and it only sees the second 2...

Aaarrrgghh!

dickytim

2514 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#665841 2-Aug-2012 07:12

can't really help as mine has always worked fine, maybe re set the speed in MCE (pain as you would possible have to reset all you channels if you also have DVB-T (S) going in.)

Also if you go to channel 99 then use the channel up button ;)

Asmodeus

1015 posts

Uber Geek

#665859 2-Aug-2012 08:12

dickytim: can't really help as mine has always worked fine, maybe re set the speed in MCE (pain as you would possible have to reset all you channels if you also have DVB-T (S) going in.)

Also if you go to channel 99 then use the channel up button ;)

Well you can reset the speed between IR pulses and the duration of the pulses using the registry edit without losing all your channels which is what I have tried but no joy. Even with 1 second between pulses it still misses the first one. Teasingly it worked a couple of times last night but then crapped out again...

If I go to channel 98 and hit channel up, instead of going to 110 (CUE) it almost always goes to 10.

When it does work it seems to work every time for a small set of channel changes but then reverts back to the 2 digit only behaviour.

At the moment, only work arounds are to leave HTPC on the channel I want to record later at night and not put it to sleep (only works if I want to record one channel) or hope whatever I want to record is on Prime Freeview

I have one of the Pace silver Sky stbs and I'm thinking its just a piece but it's annoying how it works sometimes and not others!

Will continue registry tinkering for now, maybe I can find a sweet spot for duration and interval......

dickytim

2514 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#665881 2-Aug-2012 09:02

my box is Pace but it is a black one.

Good luck!

Azzura

603 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#665904 2-Aug-2012 09:46

Can you increase the number of pulses for when it sends out the digit (will end up being for all digits). I had this issue with my old BeyondTV setup. I increased length with no positive outcome. But when I increased the number of pulses it sent out for the digit. It never missed a channel change after that on the STB.

I was using a USB UIRT though....not sure what IR Blaster you are using.

Should also mention I had the blaster taped over the stb sensor. Another thing (not sure you have one), plasma tv's can interfere with ir.

Mattv

242 posts

Master Geek

#666501 2-Aug-2012 19:53

Try setting the number of digits to 4 instead of 3. If you send 10 for example, it should then send 0010 and for 110, 0110. This way it should have time to "wake up" as such.