Multi Turners with Multi Sat Boxes

[AZman]

With 3.5 supporting multi tuners, I have a question. I have Dishnetwork with two sat boxes both 301. If I hook up each sat box to two different turners, how will BTV change the channels indepently. So if I am viewing tuner #1 and hit the remote for channel up, will BTV send the correct IR signal to the right Sat box?

[DonK]

You will need a separate tuner device for each box, eg. 2 UIRTs, or 2 Serial cables, etc.

[AZman]

Ok,

Then can the turner output be sent to two differnt video outputs i.e. two video cards? This way you can send one signal to a modulator and watch one show in the bedroom and watch another show in the living room from the same computer. I am thinking that the PVR350 with the TV out would do this.

[Sandbag]

I don't think TV-out on the PVR-350 is supported yet.

[berg]

You will need a separate tuner device for each box, eg. 2 UIRTs, or 2 Serial cables, etc.

Actually, you should be able to use a single USB-UIRT, although it might require a little tweaking, depending on how BTV supports the new USB-UIRT drivers.

Here is an excerpt of a PM I sent to a fellow BTV user some time ago about the USB-UIRT -

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My setup is really quite simple. I have BTV running on my box, using a retail PVR 250 card to capture and encode the audio/video from the satellite receiver over a S-Video cable (IRD S-Video to PVR-250 S-Video).

I also have a USB-UIRT, which is really a USB infra-red receiver/emitter/blaster, that takes care of tuning the satellite receiver based on the request of BTV.

Once the hardware is setup, you will need to run (or re-run) the setup wizard to select the listing/guide service from SnapStream.net you wish to use (in your case Expressvu), select the source of the signal (your satellite box), the input on the PVR-250 card you are using to record the signal (Video 1, Video 2 - the S-Video is usually Video 2) and the tuning device to change the channel on the satellite box. [This is from memory, but it isn't tough at all]

If you elect to use the USB-UIRT (more on this choice in a minute), BTV supports it out of the box. You will only need to select it from a drop down box in the wizard, select your receiver from another drop down box in the wizard and you should be ready to go.

Many of the Dish Network receivers (which are the same as Xpressvu's, except for some model numbers) are already provided for by the wizard, and should your receiver not be listed, it will be rather easy to program BTV by simply pressing each number key when asked.

You might need to "tweak" the timing of the IR signal sent by the USB-UIRT a little but we can talk some more if you run into problems.

That's it !

Now, why the USB-UIRT - there are a number of solutions supported by BTV and used by BTV users, but I elected to go with the USB-UIRT because the device can learn IR codes from almost any device, emit or "blast" IR codes and is affordable ($50 USD). But the real reason is that as a result of recent driver changes and of the architecture of the device, it can send IR signal from it front mounted emitters, essentially "blasting" the required signal over a large area AND send the IR signal to two separate "channels" for externally connected IR emitters (a little IR dongle). That would allow the device to send the SAME IR signal to one of three satellite boxes, using the separate channels. Since most of the Dish/Xpressvu boxes don't support different IR signals, you would not be able to send an IR signal to one receiver without also sending the same signal to another receiver in the field of view of the "blaster". Using the front mounted "blaster" and two "stick-on" remote emitters, you could control three identical receivers from the same device.

Why is this important you ask ? With the upcoming release of version 3.5 which WILL support multiple tuners/capture device and MIGHT support multiple listings, BTV would be able to record two separate shows, from two separate receivers controlled by the same IR device.

I don't know of another IR device that can do that elegantly right now.

The one thing you should remember if you decide to purchase a USB-UIRT is that in order to learn the IR codes from most Dish/Expressvu receivers, you must order the 56 Mhz optional receiver for the USB-UIRT. It is only a few dollars more. You do not need the option if you only intend to send 56 Mhz IR signals, only to learn them. In my opinion, it is a few dollars well spent.

You can find out more about the USB-UIRT by visiting the web site at www.usbuirt.com <http://www.usbuirt.com>

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