Control satellite box

[Prof]

Please forgive my cluelessness, I'm new at this.

I recently read the article on building a PC for TV over at www.tomshardware.com and immediately wanted to do this myself, until I discovered that it's hard to get the PC to control a satellite TV box -- change channels, etc.

Can Snapstream do this? Can I use the PC to change channels on the satellite receiver? Can I program the PC to automatically record several programs on different channels, in a TiVo-like manner? If Snapstream can't do this, is there another product that can?

Thanks for your time.

[SouthPaw42]

Yes you can control satellite receivers with snapstream with either a IRBlaster or a serial cable. We need to know your satellite receiver model.

[ptinney]

If you check out the support link on the SnapStream home page you will find the information necessary to control your receiver. If you do try the serial control, you may need a newer tuner interface that you can find under the New DSS.DLL thread in this forum.

[svandive]

Don't expect the DLL to actually work or anything!!! It is old and outdated for most new tunners.

Scott

[ptinney]

Svandive, if you are having trouble with the old dll check the thread titled New DSS.DLL I have posted a link to both the code and a new dll that work with newer RCA receivers. I have also sent the code to the Dev team so hopefully official support will be on the site soon.

[Prof]

Sorry, I don't have satellite service yet. I'm moving and will obtain new service soon. I'm merely researching whether I should get a DirectTV receiver with TiVo built in, or build a PC as a video server and get a basic DirecTV box. Which satellite receivers should I steer toward? Which should I stay away from?

[ptinney]

I picked up a RCA DRD430RG. It is a basic receiver with S-Video output. I am using a new tuning DLL, I wrote up to control it. So far the picture is great. No complaints so far.

I decided against the built in Tivo, mainly because with this setup, my wife and I can watch our shows on our PCs and when I get my Home Theater PC setup to my HDTV, I will be able to play them there also. It is also convenient for archiving the shows. And best of all no monthly fees.

[svandive]

how are you turning on and off the tunner? Also can you do "watch live TV"? "Are you running quartz beta? or 2.0?

Yeh, I am not much of a programer so cobeling one together myself just won't work for me.

Scott

[ptinney]

I am currently running the Quartz Beta. It should work fine for SnapStream 2. It does issue a power on command prior to the channel change command so the receiver should come on if it was not on before the request to change channels. It does work with the live TV functionality of Quartz. I am getting some wierd channel changing behaviour, but that is Quartz I believe.