Set top Box: Adding a 3d (or more) source

[giepie]

Hi guys

I've been doing some digging through the forums for a couple of weeks and couldn't find my answer, hence writing this new post.

My master WMC7 PC currently has this config:
Intel i3(3d generation), 8GB RAM, 128GB OS SSD, 2TB HDD (Recorded TV), Series/Videos on network server
1x Hauppauge Dual tuner (analog + DVB-T, only using the 2x analog inputs connected to two STB's)
1x Hauppauge Single tuner (I used this before getting the above dual card)
1x DVB-S2 Sat card (for FTA channels)
1x DVB-T2 USB Dongle (by TeVii, testing our new digital terrestrial broadcasts)
Microsoft IR6 Remote Control + IR Receiver (with 2x IR Blasters connected to the 2x STB's)


Except for the Hauppage single tuner, the above configuration is working exactly as expected. I also use my DVB-S2 card to pull EPG data (working like a charm).

But recently I decided to utilise my older Hauppauge single tuner card, which is what I can't seem to get working. I first attempted the configuration, but Windows complained about not having an IR blaster on the third card. So I installed another Microsoft IR6 IR Receiver (with 1x IR Blaster connected to the third STB). Just to make it clear, at this point I have 3x STB's and 2x Analog tuner cards (of which one is a dual card, giving me a total of 3 "tuners").

I managed to configure 2x of the tuners/STB's, but WMC keeps telling me it was unable to configure the third tuner at this time.

I tried several different configurations, but can't seem to get all three working (even if I don't configure the other tuners like DVB-S2, DVB-T2).

I suspect the problem might be one of the following:
1) Incompatibility between the dual and single Hauppauge Tuners (which I doubt)
2) Tuner limit in Windows (although I understand you can have up to 4 tuners of the same kind by default)
3) IR Blaster issue

I kind of think the problem might be related to the IR blaster config. Just to make it clear, I've got 2x Microsoft IR receivers and a total of 3x IR Blasters between them. When choosing the "try different blaster" option, all three IR blasters seems to blast an IR code.

Now, I've read in several places where people have "hacked" their IR blasters to have more than 1 LED on a single IR blaster lead. I'm not sure if I should have gone for this rather than to purchase another MS IR receiver/blaster, but I doubt this to be the problem in any case.


What I'm really trying to accomplish is to receive TV from 3x STB's (possibly 4 in the near future), and I do need to change channels using IR blasting.

I have considered purchasing a quad card, or a second dual card, but I really don't wish to waste money if I'm not 100% certain it would work.

In case you are wondering why I need to go the STB route, well, here in South Africa our satellite providers make use of IRDETO encryption and, what they call, "smart-card-marriage" to ensure people aren't using their own STB's.

At this point in time I would be happy if I could get the third STB/tuner working even without IR blasting functionality (there is really only one channel I wish to watch on the third STB), but no luck thus far

Sorry for my long explanation, but I usually write as I think in order to not miss anything

Guys, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

G

[Crash2009]

Have a look at this one. There might be an idea or two for you in here.....

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... p=502#p502

You might want to browse through the whole category here.

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewforum.php?f=15

[giepie]

Hi Crash2009

Thanks for your feedback

The first link you sent is actually a very good link and there's some answers I was also looking for (wrt DVBLink)

But unfortunately the first link does not say anything about IR Blasting with more than 2 Analog (RCA) Hauppauge cards


The second link is, like you said, the entire category. Well, I've been through it twice and couldn't find my answer

I'm sure there has to be someone else with the same setup or restriction I'm facing.

If going the USB route (HD-PVR) would solve my problem, I would gladly go that route, but the author didn't mention anything about using IR Blasting to change channels on the STB's. I don't wish to spend hundreds of bucks on the HD-PVR's and not be able to change channels on the STB's

Thanks anyways for your effort trying to help me. In doing so you helped me with another issue I was still researching

G

[Crash2009]

There is no charge for asking questions. Why don't you ask Venom what he is using?

Oh, he does say what he is using..... "All the DTV recievers are connected to the network and channel changes are handled via IP commands sent to the recievers directly from DVBLink."

[giepie]

If I had to be charged for all the questions I ever asked.... lol!

I did read the part of changing channels via IP as you mentioned. I said this:

"But unfortunately the first link does not say anything about IR Blasting with more than 2 Analog (RCA) Hauppauge cards"

But what I should have said was probably this:

"But unfortunately his setup doesn't make use if IR Blasting, and the only option I've got is to use IR Blasting"

DVBLink doesn't support analog input and also no IRBlasting. I tried it, couldn't get it working, asked on their forum, and they replied saying their software doesn't support it.

You see, the problem here in South Africa is that you HAVE to use the STB provided by either Multichoice (aka Monochoice ) or OpenviewHD. You do, however, get some HD decoders (or as you guys call it STB's) that come with RJ45 ports, but the port is disabled and there is no way for you to use it for anything.

In the past people managed to get Dreamboxes to work on Multichoice, but then Multichoice introduced smartcard "marriage", would made it impossible to use your smartcard on ANY other device but a Multichoice decoder/STB. Even if you managed to "crack" the marriage thing, you still have the IRDETO encryption to deal with, and from what I read (and yes, I did some extensive research) it is impossible to crack.

It is really so sad that TV providers are making it so hard for people like us who just want a solid DVR or Media Center setup.

I can understand that people record and redistribute copyrighted material, but now we also have to suffer because of it.

I'm receiving FTA channels via a DVB-S2 card, working like a charm. I also have a DVB-T2 USB dongle, works very well, but ONLY when they are broadcasting (the DVB-T2 network is still being implemented and tested so its off more than on). Then I have 3x Hauppauge inputs from a dual and single Hauppauge card. Only the Dual tuner can currently receive TV, the third is where my current problem lies.



If I REALLLLY need it and REALLY can't find another solution, I guess I could configure a dedicated PC per Hauppauge card and use DVB-Link to stream that to the main Media Center "Server". But that would mean at least 2 PC's plus the DVBLink license costs. Come to think of it, this might actually not be such a bad idea. I could use an old Core2Duo PC for this purpose hmmmm...

You may not have solved my problem, but you got my think-tanks working!! Well done!

Thanks guys!

[Crash2009]

You could also ask Venom for his input, he might have time for a suggestion or two. Venom is the author of the post I sent you to.

[giepie]

Excellent plan!

I'll give him a shot too.

Thanks for all your tips and ideas, I appreciate the help!

G

[Venom51]

DVBLink doesn't support analog input and also no IRBlasting. I tried it, couldn't get it working, asked on their forum, and they replied saying their software doesn't support it.

I'm not sure why as they clearly have an analog TV product.
[url][/http://dvblogic.com/en/software/windows ... alogtv/url]

[giepie]

I should have said they don't support analog input via RCA, only via antenna (hence the analogtv product).

I thought you could use the analog product to configure your RCA inputs, but you can only configure the analog tuner part.

Sorry for not wording it properly!

[Crash2009]

Got another idea for you. Search "Colossus" There are 292 results here. 1 or more "must have" run into this blaster problem.