Help - How to get MCE Vista to detect Zalman HD 160 Remote using Hauppauge PVR150

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Help - How to get MCE Vista to detect Zalman HD 160 Remote using Hauppauge PVR150

Ben78

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#16525 13-Oct-2007 19:46

Hi

Hoping someone might be help me (really hoping!!!) as I've been banging my head against a wall for the last couple of days,

Situation:

Have just built my first HTPC running Vista MCE and using the Zalman HD 160 case that includes a VFD and MCE compatible remote. Everything was working great, remote working nicely after fiddling around with IRTrans settings and also the MS Remote Keyboard for XP/Vista is working well. So I thought it was time to load up the PVR150 drivers and get MCE to show live TV (TelstraClear Cable), installed no problem, WinTV picked up the channels so I thought I was good to go with MCE.

Problem:

During MCE setup, MCE asks if there is STB, I say yes, click through a screen and it shows the TV signal from S-Video1, so I click 'Next' and I get a message saying "IR Hardware not Detected" basically it cannot detect the already installed software. The thing is I can go back and forwards in the MCE set up using the Zalman remote, so it's obviously there, but MCE cannot detect it.

Help:

Has anyone got any suggestions on how I get around this problem?

I looked at GBPVR but could not get the EPG to load said I couldn't use the 'DVB EP Broadcst' source with my Hauppauge PVR150 card so am stuck. Am open to using other software but thought it should be faily straight forward to get MCE working first and then start playing around with other PVR's.

All help and suggestions greatly appreciatedThanks

Ben

Regs

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Snowflake

#91043 14-Oct-2007 22:30

MCE asks if there is STB, I say yes, click through a screen and it shows the TV signal from S-Video1, so I click 'Next' and I get a message saying "IR Hardware not Detected"

its looking for IRBlaster hardware here. IRblaster hardware is used to automatically change the channel on an external set top box. If you don't have an external set top box then skip this step. If you do have a set top box then the Zalman/IRTrans kit is not going to be enough - you'll have to pick up a irblaster kit too.

when you get to the next step, make sure you select "cable" as the source, not "aerial", otherwise you wont be able to tune in more than one or two channels.

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Regs

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Snowflake

#91044 14-Oct-2007 22:32

i've had my zalman and xp mce running for almost a couple of years now - its pretty stable but i used to get a lot of problems with the zalman remote until I added a "no_web" flag to the IRTrans startup parameters. The IRTrans used to crash a lot before that.

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Ben78

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#91066 15-Oct-2007 08:51

Thanks Regs, I have a TelestraClear STB so will use 'cable' as the source. I'll go to Dick Smith at lunch today and get an IR blaster, any suggestions on make and model?

Ben78

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#91098 15-Oct-2007 12:56

Ok so have just been into Dick Smith and asked where the IR blasters were kept and they looked at me as if I was crazy, had to explain what one was and again the guy looked at me as if I was crazy - so I had a look myself and they don't sell them.

Anyone know where I can buy one, as I've been searching on the internet and can't find any?

Ideally I don't want to have to buy the MS Remote Kit (Remote Control, IR Receiver and IR Emitters) as I already have an MCE remote that came with the Zalman case - Regs, interested to know how your set-up is done.

Thanks

lchiu7

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#91100 15-Oct-2007 13:14

I know of three ways to get an IR Blaster

1. You purchase a MCE kit version of the Hauppauge cards - they will come with the card, MCE remote and IR Blaster
2. You purchase something like a USB-UIRT
3. You purchase a MCE remote, receiver and emitter kit like this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Microsoft-Vista-MCE-Remote-Control-Media-Center-Edition_W0QQitemZ130161127137QQihZ003QQcategoryZ51086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2. needs to be mail ordered from the vendor but works well. 3. you might be able purchase here (not sure)

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sbiddle

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#91105 15-Oct-2007 13:35

The MCE receiver and remote is the easiest to get going but does mean you need the USB receiver mounted externally and can't use the IR receiver in the case (unless you hack the MCE receiver). They have 2 IR blasters which allow you to control 2 external STB's

These can be purchased in NZ and are around $60 for the receiver, remote and 2 blasters.

Regs

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Snowflake

#91106 15-Oct-2007 13:37

heres a link to the hauppauge mce ir blaster kit: http://www.pp.co.nz/products.php?pp_id=TV00005

i'm sure there are other places that will be selling them

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Snowflake

#91107 15-Oct-2007 13:41

Ben78:
Ideally I don't want to have to buy the MS Remote Kit (Remote Control, IR Receiver and IR Emitters) as I already have an MCE remote that came with the Zalman case - Regs, interested to know how your set-up is done.

I am using dual Nova-S-Plus cards with XP MCE for Freeview (i also have it working with vista but have made the move permanently yet - perhaps I will when the new extenders are released). I'm using the built-in zalman ir receiver and remote to control MCE. I don't have an STB so i've been perfectly happy with the zalman remote. I'm using reven's xmltvnz and bladerunner pro 3.5 for EPG. Thats about it :)

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Ben78

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#91126 15-Oct-2007 16:57

lchiu7: I know of three ways to get an IR Blaster

1. You purchase a MCE kit version of the Hauppauge cards - they will come with the card, MCE remote and IR Blaster
2. You purchase something like a USB-UIRT
3. You purchase a MCE remote, receiver and emitter kit like this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Microsoft-Vista-MCE-Remote-Control-Media-Center-Edition_W0QQitemZ130161127137QQihZ003QQcategoryZ51086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2. needs to be mail ordered from the vendor but works well. 3. you might be able purchase here (not sure)

Thanks all for the responses.

I think my best option is to go for Ichiu7's option 3 - after thinking about it, it gives me a second remote that I could use in the bedroom to control the HTPC once I've connected that TV to the video card and got eveyrthing set up how I want it.

Nety

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#91133 15-Oct-2007 17:51

Would something like this work?

http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4712f1c800329608273fc0a87f33066d/Product/View/XH8286

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

lchiu7

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#91136 15-Oct-2007 18:50

I doubt it. All that does is enable wireless connectivity on a machine that doesn't have a IR port. I am not sure the applications like Girder could understand those devices since they are not HID type devices.

The MCE kit is the best option

Larry

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Ben78

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#91782 20-Oct-2007 13:07

Quick update:

New MCE remote with receiver and two IR blasters arrived yesterday, MCE picked it up immediately and I succeeded in watching Live TV through MCE, and now it controls my TCL STB via the blaster. Did have a few problems getting the Guide to work with BladeRunner and xmlTV but it turned out to be a reg setting was incorrect. All working now.

Thanks for the help it was very much appreciated.

Ben