# No red dots or missed channel changes



## occitan

irblast, inspired by LJs noreddot program, runs on the TiVo in the background and can send infrared signals to external set top boxes based on the current channel, recording state and system state.

While it is possible to customise the behaviour, the default version will send the Backup key every minute when recording from a Sky Digibox, to remove the red dot (i.e it replaces noreddot) and it also resends the digits for the current channel number, two minutes into a recording. This will make sure that the set top box is definately on the right channel. No more missed recordings because the digibox has reset itself, or a chance IR interference cause it to miss the TiVo channel change.

If you have no external set top boxes, i.e you just record from a TV aerial, it won't do anything for you. If you use FreeView or cable, some support is included for channel changing, and it is quite easy to add support for other boxes too. If you do, please send it back to me so I can include it in the main release.

The program *can* be run from rc.sysint.author, so it will be restarted automatically when the TiVo reboots (which isn't currently possible with noreddot). It also handles priorities so that it doesn't adversly affect the current playback (some previous attempts to do this resulted in a warbling in the playback sound when the infrared signals were being sent).

The program can be suspended using the TiVo remote, by three key presses, 0 Clear Clear. 
Restart IR sending using the key sequence 1 Clear Clear.

Many many thanks go to LJ for his original noreddot program, and to Stuart Anderton for endpad (THE best addition to any TiVo). I've swiped the Log rotation code from endpad, which I think came from LJ originally, and I've swipped the 8 clear clear code to exit the program from LJ's noreddot.

Options [default value]:
keydelay__boxid_=ms [1000] Delay between keys in milliseconds

NB: delay between two identical digits = 1.5*ms

Supported boxes

Sky: 20006, 20010, 20016, 20017
. noreddot - sends backup key during recordings
. channel - sends SkyKey/Backup/Backup/channel digits/Backup after 2 mins into a recording
Options [default value]:
+ skychanneldelay=n [2] Delay n minutes from start of recording to send channel change
+ skylivepoweroff [no] Power Off when not recording
+ skylivetv [no] Also send backup for live tv

FreeView: 20031
. channel - sends channel digits after 2 mins into a recording
Options [default value]:
+ freeviewchanneldelay=n [2] Delay n minutes from start of recording to send channel change

NTL: 20035
. channel - sends channel digits after 2 mins into a recording (keydelay_20035 defaults to 300)
Options [default value]:
+ ntlchanneldelay=n [2] Delay n minutes from start of recording to send channel change

How to install

Copy ir_1.2.1.tar to the TiVo using binary mode FTP then:

cpio -i -H tar -u -d <ir_1.2.1.tar 

Run with:

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl [options]

Stop with:

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -stop 

or press 8 Clear Clear on the TiVo remote control.

Auto-Run at startup in /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author with the -forcestart flag:

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart [options] >> /dev/null &

To create a rc.sysinit.author type :

mount -o remount,rw / 
echo "/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart >> /dev/null &" >>/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author
chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author
mount -o remount,ro / 


An example using options :

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart skychanneldelay=1 skylivetv >> /dev/null &


A log file is created in /var/log/irblast.log and is cycled regularly. The previous log is also kept in /var/log/Oirblast.log Both these files can be consulted using TiVoweb. The log tells you what it got up to each minute, and what it tried to send if anything.

An error file is also created for more serious startup errors in /var/log/irblast.err

How it works

On startup, irblast checks to see what set top boxes are attached, and extracts the Infrared codes for the digits 0 to 9 from the TiVo database for those boxes. For each box it finds, identified by the TiVo IR code (e.g 20016 for a Sky digibox), it looks in the directory /var/hack/ir for a file called Blast__ircode_.itcl (e.g Blast_20016.itcl). If the file for a given box doesn't exist, it will not do anything if the TiVo is switched to a channel on that box.

The Blast__ircode_.itcl file contains a procedure that will be called to execute an action when that box is selected.

irblast wakes up at 15 seconds past every minute, and checks what the TiVo is up to (15s ensures no clash with standard channel changes which happen on the minute). It will then call the procedure Blast__ircode_ for the current set top box with the following arguments :

chnum the current channel number
isrecording 1 if currently recording
wasrecording 1 if was recording one minute ago
newrecording 1 if this is a new recording
lastchannel the channel number one minute ago
newchannel 1 if the channel has changed
elapsedmins the number of minutes since the recording began
onstandby 1 if the TiVo is on standby

The Blast__ircode_ procedure can then determine if it wants to do anything based on these parameters. To send a channel number it uses 

SendChannel $chnum

To send a custom button sequence it uses 

SendButtons "_ircode_" {"_buttonname1_" "_buttonname2_" ...}

Where _ircode_ is the box number and _buttonname_N is the name of a button to send. For each button name, a function IR__ircode_buttonname_ must be defined that returns the inrfared sequence for that button. For instance :

SendButtons "88008" {"Cancel" "OK"}

will call the following functions


Code:


proc IR_88008_OK {} {
	return "0 36 9 0 105 99 99 48 48 99 99 102 99 99 99 99 51 45 51 45 51 366"
}
proc IR_88008_Cancel {} {
	return "0 36 11 0 51 48 99 51 48 48 48 99 99 99 48 48 48 48 102 48 48 48 
        48 99 48 360"
}

The main file for Sky DigiBox is contained in Blast_SkyDigiBox.itcl, which is called from individual files for each of the ircode files related to digiboxes. That file sends the Backup button every minute during recordings, and resends the channel number after two minutes into a program.


Code:


	if { $isrecording } {
	
		# Send Backup key
				
		SendButtons "SkyDigiBox" {"Backup"}
		
		# Send Channel number after 2 minutes into program (only)
		
		if { $elapsedmins == 2 } {
			SendChannel $chnum
		}
		
	}

Where the Backup button is defined by


Code:


proc IR_SkyDigiBox_Backup {} {
	return "0 50 24 0 152 51 25 25 25 25 25 49 25 49 49 25 25 25 
   25 25 25 25 25  25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 49 49 
   25 25 25 25 25 25  25 25 49 25 25 600"
}

This behaviour for any box can be easilly changed by editing the Blast_ files. New boxes can be supported by adding new Blast_ files. If you add support for a new box, please PM me your file so I can add it to the main release.

The quit signal is sent by creating the file /tmp/blastquit

You can easilly add new buttons using the irtest command on the tivo plus a few tools on the internet. For more info, see here. Alternatively people have managed to convert codes from Pronto CCF files.

Also included with the Blast files is one I use to keep a VCR awake, so the TiVo can record some French channels I can receive. This should help as a non-sky example for those that might want to add support for other boxes.

Version History
#
# 1.2.1 29/03/04
# Add option to set delay between keys being sent. Default 1000ms on per box basis
# Update Blast_SkyPlusDigiBox to send Sky Backup Backup Digits Backup
# Add 1s pause before sending Sky digits, and 3s after, to avoid problems with Backup
# When sending digits, if one digit is the same as previous digit, wait 1.5 * wait time
# Added Blast_20035 for ntl cable box, with default 300ms key delay
#
# 1.2 28/03/04 
# Add files for Sky+
# Add option for sky delay before channel change, and sending backup during livetv
# Add option to power down a sky box after a recording
# Add option for freeview delay before channel change
# Add remote control options to suspend and restart sending IR signals
#
# 1.1 27/03/04
# First Public release


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## 10203

Cool - just installing it now...

[Edit: removed note about typo as it's now fixed ]


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## gyre

This looks well cool, and well flexible. Excellent!

Can you explain why this will work spawned from rc.sysinit.author, but none of the other ones will? i.e. what did you do differently to get this to work?

Thanks!

-- gyre --


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## sanderton

Superb; installed and it does indeed survive a reboot.

The command you are issuing is the same as one I tried and failed with. I guess it's the way the script that blasts is directly called from rc.sysinit.author, not via a shell script, which makes the difference?


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## kweller

This looks really interesting and I'm just about to install it, thanks.

Any chance you can get it to send the 'Sky' button as well to wake up a Digibox that has been sent to a sleep by a software update/power cut/whatever? Grundig 20016 (or whichever one it is that sends the 'Sky' button after the channel change) doesn't work on my ancient Amstrad Digibox as channel digits are dropped.

Kevin


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## sanderton

It should do that as it stands - the TiVo generated channel change will wake the box up; the second one after two minutes will chnage channels.


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## vassilis

Which keystroke file should be used with SKY+? 
I have tried it with mine. The script runs but the red dot is still there


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## kweller

> _Originally posted by sanderton _
> *It should do that as it stands - the TiVo generated channel change will wake the box up; the second one after two minutes will chnage channels. *


I wondered that so before I posted I tested it manually by putting the Digibox into stand-by then sending it a channel number. The box remained in stand-by and would only wake up when I pressed the Sky or power on/off butons.

I'm probaby showing my ignorance here but isn't that why TiVo added the Sky button to Grundig 20016?

Kevin


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## tivo_boj

Any way of putting sky to sleep ( standby ) at the end of a recording. The reason I ask is the Sky box still has a tendancy lo lock up if left on for any long period of time. This happend when I went on holiday and thus it lost recordings.

You have already put the code in that wakes it up, so putting it to sleep meands the box is only on when recording, doing a bit for saving power as well


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## sanderton

> _Originally posted by kweller _
> *I wondered that so before I posted I tested it manually by putting the Digibox into stand-by then sending it a channel number. The box remained in stand-by and would only wake up when I pressed the Sky or power on/off butons.
> 
> I'm probaby showing my ignorance here but isn't that why TiVo added the Sky button to Grundig 20016?
> 
> Kevin *


Yes it sends the Sky key; are you sure you are using 20016?


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## kweller

I think you missed the last sentence on my initial post Stuart, 20016 doesn't work on my Digibox as it caused channel digits to be missed.

Kevin


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## 10203

Looking good here. 

Spotted one minor wrinkle: on BBC1 when the script re-transmits the channel number it causes the red dot to be redisplayed until the next backup key is sent a minute later.

My personal preference would be for the channel to be re-sent one minute into the recording rather than two. My Sony digibox times out after 8 seconds if it hasn't received enough digits to change channels. Do other digiboxes have the same timeout?


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## sanderton

My Panny is about that, yes. I'd have thought it would be universal.


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## iankb

If the recording has soft padding at the front (courtesy of EndPad), does the second channel change occur 2 minutes after the padding starts, or 2 minutes after the scheduled start?

I too would much prefer that it sent the second channel change after just one minute, or less. No STB would wait for more than 20 seconds to clear an incomplete change.


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## tivo_boj

What about channel search when the box has reset. This happens the first time you switch to a channel, and I believe takes more than a minute.

Could the two minute be there to ensre you do not try and change channel while its searching for channels ( which would fail to change channels).

Just a thought.

Imy other question still stand - anyway this script could be used you switch the set to standbay after a recording .


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## occitan

LJ, thanks for the heads up, I've corrected the typo in the instructions.



> _Originally posted by gyre _
> *Can you explain why this will work spawned from rc.sysinit.author, but none of the other ones will? i.e. what did you do differently to get this to work?
> *


It seems to be something to do with priorities. It wasn't working before because irtest wasn't able to get access to the microcontroller of the IR serial port.

The key was getting irtest to work directly from tcl, which allowes the priorities to be adjusted, and simplified the exercise. Just like endpad or noreddot, irblast runs at a low priority so as not to drain the TiVo completely, but changes the priority just before issuing the irtest command, and then back again.



> _Originally posted by kweller _
> *Any chance you can get it to send the 'Sky' button as well to wake up a Digibox that has been sent to a sleep by a software update/power cut/whatever? Grundig 20016 (or whichever one it is that sends the 'Sky' button after the channel change) doesn't work on my ancient Amstrad Digibox as channel digits are dropped.
> *


[UPDATE: v1.2 now sends SkyKey, Backup, Backup, Digits, Backup]

If you setup your TiVo to use 20016-SLOW to control your SkyBox (Choose GRUNDIG as your set top box manufacturer rather than AMSTRAD). This should then send the Sky key, followed by the channel change. And if it has trouble with the channel change, irblast will send the channel change again, so the recording will be on the right channel. Add endpad too to start recordings early and nothing should be missed.

If this still doesn't work, then yes it is also possible to send the Sky Key too. Let me know if 20016-SLOW + irblast works for you.



> _Originally posted by vassilis _
> *Which keystroke file should be used with SKY+?
> I have tried it with mine. The script runs but the red dot is still there
> *


[UPDATE: v1.2 includes files 20017 and 20010 for Sky+ users]

I don't have a Sky+ terminal to test, but guessed at what should be used for Sky+. I assumed that the TiVo will be set up as IR code 20017 and that the backup key would be the same.

The script will send the backup key during a recording from a sky channel, by default it doesn't affect the LiveTV (incase you do want to use the interactive features). Of course it also won't affect existing recordings either, as the red dot is burn't into the TiVo recording.

If you're still not seeing the effect of the backup key every minute, could you try these commands from the command prompt, while watching LiveTV, and let me know if either of them remove the red just after you press return.

<snipped>



> _Originally posted by tivo_boj _
> *Any way of putting sky to sleep ( standby ) at the end of a recording. The reason I ask is the Sky box still has a tendancy lo lock up if left on for any long period of time. This happend when I went on holiday and thus it lost recordings.
> 
> You have already put the code in that wakes it up, so putting it to sleep meands the box is only on when recording, doing a bit for saving power as well
> *


[UPDATE: v1.2 includes the option *skylivepoweroff* which will do just that.

In theory yes, all we need to do is capture the power off button for Sky, add the routine to return the IR sequence and rewrite Blast_SkyDigiBox


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by LJ _
> *Looking good here.
> 
> Spotted one minor wrinkle: on BBC1 when the script re-transmits the channel number it causes the red dot to be redisplayed until the next backup key is sent a minute later.
> *


[UPDATE: v1.2 now sends Backup key after digits to remove red dot]

Good point, I'll add a Backup key after the channel change.



> *My personal preference would be for the channel to be re-sent one minute into the recording rather than two. My Sony digibox times out after 8 seconds if it hasn't received enough digits to change channels. Do other digiboxes have the same timeout? *


[UPDATE: v1.2 now includes the option *skychanneldelay=n* which sets the number of minutes into a recording one should send the channel change, which is still 2 by default. if n is 0, NO channel change is sent]


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by iankb _
> *If the recording has soft padding at the front (courtesy of EndPad), does the second channel change occur 2 minutes after the padding starts, or 2 minutes after the scheduled start?
> *


The timing is from the beginning of the recording, so if endpad adds two minutes soft padding to the beginning, the second channel change will be at the original start time (i.e two minutes after the padding starts).

Also, if you are watching LiveTV and press record, then the channel change will be resent two minutes after the start of the recording buffer. If the live buffer includes more than two mins already, no channel change is sent.

[UPDATE: v1.2 now allows the delay to be set *skychanneldelay=n*. By default the value is 2. If n=0, then no channel change is sent]


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## iankb

Thanks, nice work.

If you are adding command-line parameters, it would be nice to be able to switch off the channel change (e.g. if delay = 0 ?), since I get very reliable channel changes at the moment.


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## vassilis

The SKY+ back code is 

/sbin/irtest -t /dev/ttyS0 -- 0 54 0 23 144 48 24 24 24 24 24 48 24 48 48 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 48 24 24 48 24 24 48 48 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 48 24 24 6277

Vassilis


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## kweller

> If this still doesn't work, then yes it is also possible to send the Sky Key too. Let me know if 20016-SLOW + irblast works for you.


Unfortunately using any of the 20016 codes results in the fist digit being lost, e.g. send 102, Digibox picks up 02, send 454, Digibox picks up 54.

I got tied up in something this morning so haven't had a chance to install IRBLast yet (will be doing it after this post) but I imagine it's going to do the same thing as it uses the TiVo to send the same channel change.

I've been using endpad for a while - it's excellent.

Kevin


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## managerxxx

I too am having issues with the 20017 codes on my SKY+ box. - I have tried both of the suggested key sequences to no avail.....


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by vassilis _
> *The SKY+ back code is
> ...
> *


[UPDATE: Now included in v1.2]


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by managerxxx _
> *I too am having issues with the 20017 codes on my SKY+ box. - I have tried both of the suggested key sequences to no avail..... *


What are your _issues_ ? Do you mean that you have your TiVo set up to use 20017 to control your Sky+ box, and everything works fine, but when you try irblast, the channel change keys work, but the backup key is not recognised ? Or do you mean that you have problems with the TiVo controlling the Sky+ box with the 20017 codes, wheather you use irblast or not ?

Could you try out the patch in the previous post and let me know if that works for you ? If not, perhaps one of the Sky+ users will try to follow the instructions here to recapture the Sky+ Backup Key code. No need to run irtest2tivo - just PM the output from irtest to me and I'll do the rest.


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by kweller _
> * I imagine it's going to do the same thing as it uses the TiVo to send the same channel change.
> *


irblast gets the infrared data for each of the digit buttons from the TiVo's built in database, but it sends them in a different way. It waits one second before sending each key to try to give the box time to recognise each signal. It also sends the backup key before sending the Sky channel change, to clear anything that might have hung around from a previous change.

Fingers crossed it should solve your problem...


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## managerxxx

Thanks Occitan, the patch works a treat - basically just had a problem with irblast not sending a backup command understood by Sky+ under 20017.

All works well now - thanks for your work on this....


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## kweller

Of course as I use Grundig 20014 it won't work as there is no .itcl file of that name <makes mental note to read instructions properly!>.

I use a Pronto which captures the commands for the Digibox. 1 for example appears to be -

0000 0073 0032 0000 0060 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 1161 0060 001f 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020

Is it just a matter of copying all of the values for 0-9, backup, etc. into the code somewhere?

Kevin


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## Mark Ward

Great Work!

Could I request that the name zipfile in the first post contains a version number?

This'll will help us work out whther we have the latest version.

Thanks for a great little util, I hope DailyMail can support it like it supports LJ's also excellent StartRD.

Cheers,

Mark.


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## tivo_boj

Does the Key 8, Clear, Clear stop the actual script so it needs to be restarted at the bash, or just stops the backup key for that recording? I believe it must be the former !


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## vassilis

Yep! It does work with my SKY+ now.

Many thanks

Vassilis


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## alphabeta

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!

What else can I say.


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## leejordan

Hello,
I am an NTL customer with a Pace 1000 box that uses the 20035 IR code.

I thought I'd set up a Blast_20035.itcl module to see if it works. It looks like this ..
#
# Pace 1000 NTL Cable
#

proc Blast_20035 {chnum isrecording wasrecording newrecording \
lastchannel newchannel elapsedmins onstandby}

if { $isrecording } {

if { [expr $elapsedmins % 2] == 0 } {

# Send channel number every second minute

SendChannel $chnum

}

}

Unfortunately the channel changing doesn't work too well. With a 3 digit channel number like 109 it always ends up on channel 9.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Lee.


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## richard plumb

this sounds great, but can I offer a suggestion?

Is there either a way to react to a Tivo button key press to clear the red dot while watching Live TV, or alternatively is there a way to configure this script to just send the 'noir' blast all the time (at 15 seconds past or whatever), whether live or recording.

I watch as much live as recorded, and so would like a solution that covers both.


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by kweller _
> *Of course as I use Grundig 20014 it won't work as there is no .itcl file of that name <makes mental note to read instructions properly!>.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Is it just a matter of copying all of the values for 0-9, backup, etc. into the code somewhere?
> *


No need to add anything for the digits, irblast get the correct IR sequence for them from the TiVo's built in database. Only keys the TiVo wouldn't normally know about (e.g backup) need to be learnt and added.

If you can't use 20016 or 20004 with your DigiBox, copying the file Blast_20004.itcl to Blast_20014.itcl and change the two 20004's to 20014.



> I use a Pronto which captures the commands for the Digibox. 1 for example appears to be -
> 
> 0000 0073 0032 0000 ...


Could you tell me the Pronto Hex code for Power off ? This would help to find a way to get it to power down the digibox after a recording as someone requested.


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by tivo_boj _
> *Does the Key 8, Clear, Clear stop the actual script so it needs to be restarted at the bash, or just stops the backup key for that recording? I believe it must be the former ! *


Yes it stops the script dead. Either rerun from the command line or restart the tivo if you have it configured in rc.sysinit.author.

I have a look into adding other remote commands to just get it to restrain itself, and another to get it going again. Good idea, thanks !

[UPDATE: v1.2 now includes 0 Clear Clear to suspend activity, and 1 Clear Clear to restart it]


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by leejordan _
> *Hello,
> I am an NTL customer with a Pace 1000 box that uses the 20035 IR code.
> 
> I thought I'd set up a Blast_20035.itcl module to see if it works. It looks like this ..
> <snip>
> 
> Unfortunately the channel changing doesn't work too well. With a 3 digit channel number like 109 it always ends up on channel 9.
> 
> Any thoughts?
> *


Hi Lee, the code looks correct (I guess the missing curly braces around the procedure code was just a cut/paste glitch). Is there anything special about the Pace unit, does it need an enter key after the channel digits, or do you need to send another key first before entering the digits ?

What do you see in /var/log/irblast.log when recording ? (You can see the file via TivoWeb if you have that installed)

Do you see the digits being sent one by one ? irblast waits one second between each digit, is that too slow perhaps ?


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by richard plumb _
> *this sounds great, but can I offer a suggestion?
> 
> Is there either a way to react to a Tivo button key press to clear the red dot while watching Live TV, or alternatively is there a way to configure this script to just send the 'noir' blast all the time (at 15 seconds past or whatever), whether live or recording.
> 
> I watch as much live as recorded, and so would like a solution that covers both. *


[UPDATE v1.2 includes the option *skylivetv* which will send the backup key even when not recording]

This way the backup key will allways be sent whenever the Tivo is on a Sky channel, whether it is recording or not. As a precaution, it won't send anything when the TiVo is in standby.


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## occitan

> _Originally posted by kweller _
> *Of course as I use Grundig 20014 it won't work as there is no .itcl file of that name <makes mental note to read instructions properly!>.
> *


I've just come across this old post which recomends you don't use the 20014 IR codes for Sky DigiBoxes


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## kweller

> Could you tell me the Pronto Hex code for Power off ? This would help to find a way to get it to power down the digibox after a recording as someone requested.


0000 0073 0032 0000 0060 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 1151 0060 001f 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0020 0010 0010 0010 0020

On/Off is a toggle isn't it so if it's off it'll turn it on and vice versa. I'd have thought that was a bit iffy to have as an automated function.

I've had a look at the thread you highlighted which should tell me how to convert a CCF code to one that works on the TiVo but I couldn't find the instructions; did I just miss it or is it in another thread? If I understood how to do the conversion I could add the Sky button which is -

0000 0073 0044 0001 0060 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 1151 0060 001f 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 1151 0060 001f 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0010 0020 0020 0010 0010



> If you can't use 20016 or 20004 with your DigiBox,


 No, can't use 20016 and I don't have 20004 as an option. I'll try your suggestion, thanks.



> I've just come across this old post which recommends you don't use the 20014 IR codes for Sky DigiBoxes


 My experience is totally opposite. Grundig 20014 is the only code that works reliably.


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## threadkiller

works a treat, thanks. just need to work out how to add my thompson freeview box


----------



## richard plumb

cheers Occitan!


I'll try and install tomorrow


----------



## leejordan

> _Originally posted by occitan _
> *Hi Lee, the code looks correct (I guess the missing curly braces around the procedure code was just a cut/paste glitch). Is there anything special about the Pace unit, does it need an enter key after the channel digits, or do you need to send another key first before entering the digits ?
> 
> What do you see in /var/log/irblast.log when recording ? (You can see the file via TivoWeb if you have that installed)
> 
> Do you see the digits being sent one by one ? irblast waits one second between each digit, is that too slow perhaps ? *


Sorry, I haven't had a chance to check this yet. Real World intrusions 

I'll have to wait until the rest of the household has gone to bed.

Lee.


----------



## richard plumb

made the changes as per Occitans reply and it seems to be working a treat! Can't say just how good it feels when that pigging Nick Jr Arrow red button goes bye bye!

Cheers Occitan!


----------



## occitan

The first post in this thread now has version 1.2 attatched, and has some instructions updated.

I think I covered most requests so far :

o included corrected Blast files for Sky+

o added a Blast_20031 file for Tompson, Grundig and Ferguson FreeView users

o added option skychanneldelay=n

Modifies the delay from the start of a Sky recording until the digits are sent to set the channel. If n is 0, then no channel digits are sent. By default, n is 2

o added option freeviewchanneldelay=n

Modifies the delay from the start of a FreeView recording until the digits are sent to set the channel. If n is 0, then no channel digits are sent. By default, n is 2

o added option skylivepoweroff

This will send the sequence SkyKey, PowerKey to a Sky box after a recording is finished, to power down the box. Use IR code 20014 to ensure the box is woken up again by the TiVo for the next recording.

o added option skylivetv

This will continue to send the backup key when the TiVo is on a sky channel in live tv, even if it is not recording.

o The channel change sequence for Sky is now SkyKey, Backup, Backup, digits, Backup.

This will wake up the sky box if it is off, delete any digits hanging from a failed channel change, and clear the red dot after the channel change.

o The process can now be suspended from the TiVo remote. 

Press 0 Clear Clear to suspend the program

Press 1 Clear Clear to restart sending keys


I've tested it this afternoon, and I hope there are no glitches.

Note, following the unpack instructions will overwrite any files with the same names. If you've modified the blast files, and you want to keep them, make a backup before unpacking v1.2. However, the mods you may have made may now be covered by some of the above options.

Have fun.


----------



## 10203

1.2 looking good here.  Thanks! :up:


----------



## tivo_boj

Not loaded this yetr, have to wait till tomorrow, but the options I wanted seem to be covered, putting sky into standby after a recording, and ability to halt the script during a recording. If this works as planned this will be only secound to Sandersons Endpad.

What about a program that puts all your funtionalility and endpad in one


----------



## leejordan

> _Originally posted by occitan _
> *Hi Lee, the code looks correct (I guess the missing curly braces around the procedure code was just a cut/paste glitch). Is there anything special about the Pace unit, does it need an enter key after the channel digits, or do you need to send another key first before entering the digits ?
> 
> What do you see in /var/log/irblast.log when recording ? (You can see the file via TivoWeb if you have that installed)
> 
> Do you see the digits being sent one by one ? irblast waits one second between each digit, is that too slow perhaps ? *


Hi Occitan,

I've managed to do a bit of testing with my NTL Cable Pace 1000 box and it does look like the delay of 1 second between digits is too long for the Pace box.

I then edited irblast.tcl and changed the delay in the SendIR routine to 300. This now seems to work perfectly . Was that the right thing to do?

Without knowing too much about TCL perhaps it would be possible to set a global timer variable in the Blast__ircode_.itcl that altered the delay dependant on the type of box?

Now that the channel changing is working I can see that irblast is sending the channel digits every 2 mins, causing a blank spot in the recording. Obviously I just need to change my Blast_20035.tcl module to only change channel if it is the first time it has run for a recording based on the arguments that you pass to it.

Sadly my TCL isn't up to a complicated IF statement (make note to buy TCL book tomorrow), so would you be so kind as to suggest something suitable?

This is a great routine that could finally overcome the channel changing problem that some of us cable users have been suffering from for ages!

Thanks.

Lee.


----------



## occitan

> _Originally posted by leejordan _
> *Hi Occitan,
> 
> I've managed to do a bit of testing with my NTL Cable Pace 1000 box and it does look like the delay of 1 second between digits is too long for the Pace box.
> 
> I then edited irblast.tcl and changed the delay in the SendIR routine to 300. This now seems to work perfectly . Was that the right thing to do?
> 
> Without knowing too much about TCL perhaps it would be possible to set a global timer variable in the Blast_ircode.itcl that altered the delay dependant on the type of box?
> 
> Now that the channel changing is working I can see that irblast is sending the channel digits every 2 mins, causing a blank spot in the recording. Obviously I just need to change my Blast_20035.tcl module to only change channel if it is the first time it has run for a recording based on the arguments that you pass to it.
> 
> Sadly my TCL isn't up to a complicated IF statement (make note to buy TCL book tomorrow), so would you be so kind as to suggest something suitable?
> 
> This is a great routine that could finally overcome the channel changing problem that some of us cable users have been suffering from for ages!
> 
> *


Congrats Lee !

I'll make the interdigit delay available to the Blast_ functions, so this can be set on a per box basis.

Are there any other buttons other than the digits that need to be sent ? A Key to wake the unit up, or a return key to validate the digits ?

What about red dots ? Do you have that problem on NTL ?

I have added a Blast file for FreeView 20031 in v1.2 which will be a good model for NTL. I have adapted that, and attached it for 20035. Let me know if it works for you and I'll include it in the next version. The interdigit delay is not yet included, but it does have the option ntlchanneldelay to control how many minutes into a program that it should send the channel digits.

Cheers,
Guy


----------



## leejordan

Thanks Occitan I'll give it a try tonight (it really is a pain being a wage slave).

I can only speak for my NTL Pace 1000 box which doesn't need any extra codes sent either before or after the channel digits.

We don't have the Red Dot problem either as Cable is pretty lacking in terms of sophistication compared to Sky.

Thanks again.

Lee.


----------



## iankb

I normally use Grundig 20016 fast for my Sky digibox. I have started getting double-digits on channel changes from version 1.1 of IRBlast, presumably because of the slow speed of transmission.

I have only just installed version 1.2, but would like to see a parameter to change the delay between digits, or the automatic use of the same speed as the TiVo normally uses.


----------



## 10203

*I normally use Grundig 20016 fast for my Sky digibox.*

<aol>

*...would like to see a parameter to change the delay between digits, or the automatic use of the same speed as the TiVo normally uses. *

That would be cool too. Note TiVo increases the delay between digits if it is the same as the previous one.

I noticed a problem (problems! problems!) with the backup key that's sent following the extra channel change. It seems to be a bit too soon for the digibox to have redisplayed the red dot, so the dot stays on screen until the next minute.


----------



## tivo_boj

Just tried with Sky power button (standby) at the end of a recording and worked OK. Need a few more recording to see if any problems


----------



## leejordan

> _Originally posted by occitan _
> *
> I have added a Blast file for FreeView 20031 in v1.2 which will be a good model for NTL. I have adapted that, and attached it for 20035. Let me know if it works for you and I'll include it in the next version. The interdigit delay is not yet included, but it does have the option ntlchanneldelay to control how many minutes into a program that it should send the channel digits.
> 
> Cheers,
> Guy *


Guy,

That seems to work fine, well once I'd changed all the 'freeview's to 'NTL's 

I also changed the ntlchanneldelay value to 1 as that fits in better with the 1 minute start padding that is added by endpad.

My Tivo has just successfully started recording Alias on channel 104, which is a channel that it often fails to change to properly, so after a brief trial I can say that I'm a happy man!!

Lee


----------



## managerxxx

After the 20017 update from occitan v1.1 worked well. Now with 1.2 I'm seeing the following errors in irblast.err:

Starting irblast 1.2...
Monday 19:29:58 : Opening Log file /var/log/irblast.log
retrying after errTmActiveLockConflict ...
wrong # args: should be "set varName ?newValue?"
while compiling
"set irblast_option_skychanneldelay 2 # Delay from start of recording to send channel change"
(file "/var/hack/ir/Blast_SkyPlusDigiBox.itcl" line 12)
invoked from within
"source /var/hack/ir/Blast_SkyPlusDigiBox.itcl"
(file "/var/hack/ir/Blast_20017.itcl" line 5)
invoked from within
"source $blastfilename"
("foreach" body line 10)
invoked from within
"foreach source $sourceList {
set headend [dbobj [lindex $source 0] get Headend]
set cableBoxCodeNum [dbobj $source get CableBoxCodeNum]

lap..."
("uplevel" body line 4)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 5)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set setup [db $db open /Setup]
set sourceList [dbobj $setup get Source]
foreach source $sourceList {
set headend [dbobj [..."
(procedure "LoadIRCodes" line 17)
invoked from within
"LoadIRCodes"
(file "/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl" line 587)

I'm running irblast.tcl without any options.

Is anyone else seeing issues with 1.2 on Sky+?

Cheers


----------



## occitan

The first post in this thread now has version 1.2.1 attatched, and has some instructions updated.

I think I covered most requests so far :

o included new corrected Blast files for Sky+, now sends Sky, Backup, Backup, Digits, Backup

o added a Blast_20035 file for NTL Pace 1000 & 2000 with IR adaptor

o added option keydelay__boxid=ms

where ms is the number of milliseconds between keypresses. By default this is 1000, except for 20035 which defaults to 300.

o Add 1s pause before sending Sky digits, and 3s after, to avoid overlap with Backup

o When sending digits, if one digit is the same as previous digit, wait 1.5 * wait time_


----------



## occitan

> _Originally posted by LJ _
> 
> *...would like to see a parameter to change the delay between digits, or the automatic use of the same speed as the TiVo normally uses. *
> 
> That would be cool too. Note TiVo increases the delay between digits if it is the same as the previous one.


in v1.2.1 option keydelay__boxid_=ms

When sending channel, it waits 1.5 * ms between two identical digits



> I noticed a problem (problems! problems!) with the backup key that's sent following the extra channel change. It seems to be a bit too soon for the digibox to have redisplayed the red dot, so the dot stays on screen until the next minute. [/B]


I've added a 1s pause between the Backup and the first channel digit, and a 3s pause between the last channel digit and the last Backup.


----------



## occitan

> _Originally posted by leejordan _
> *Guy,
> 
> That seems to work fine, well once I'd changed all the 'freeview's to 'NTL's
> 
> I also changed the ntlchanneldelay value to 1 as that fits in better with the 1 minute start padding that is added by endpad.
> 
> My Tivo has just successfully started recording Alias on channel 104, which is a channel that it often fails to change to properly, so after a brief trial I can say that I'm a happy man!!
> 
> Lee *


Thanks, I've fixed all the NTLs and added the Blast file to 1.2.1. It also includes a default 300 ms pause between channel changes.

I might be overcautious, but I'm reluctant to make the default channeldelay 1 minute, in case it bumps into the TiVo sending channel changes, so I'd rather this was set at run time using the option, rather than hardcoding it in the file. (I've set my endpad to 2 mins pad before a program, so that's also why I'm less concerned perhaps)

I'm glad it's been of use !


----------



## occitan

> _Originally posted by managerxxx _
> *After the 20017 update from occitan v1.1 worked well. Now with 1.2 I'm seeing the following errors in irblast.err:
> 
> *


Whoops, that was a silly typo on my part. It should be fixed in 1.2.1
Cheers


----------



## threadkiller

cheers, just gets better & better. got to be joint first for anyone to install along with endpad


----------



## csansbury

I'm probably being really stupid here but when it says "Copy ir_1.2.1.tar to the TiVo using binary mode FTP then:", where in the TiVo am I copying the file to?

Also I assume "cpio -i -H tar -u -d <ir_1.2.1.tar" is a telnet command. Is this right?


----------



## iankb

> _Originally posted by occitan _
> *I might be overcautious, but I'm reluctant to make the default channeldelay 1 minute, in case it bumps into the TiVo sending channel changes ...*


Since the TiVo should always send channel changes on the minute, I assume that IRBlast sends all IR at a fixed number of seconds past the minute. e.g. 30 seconds past, or so.


----------



## sanderton

> _Originally posted by csansbury _
> *I'm probably being really stupid here but when it says "Copy ir_1.2.1.tar to the TiVo using binary mode FTP then:", where in the TiVo am I copying the file to?
> 
> Also I assume "cpio -i -H tar -u -d <ir_1.2.1.tar" is a telnet command. Is this right? *


Wherever you like. It's a bash command typed via telnet, yes.


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## iankb

The example assumes that it is copied to a new directory 'ir' beneath the '/hack/var' directory. But it's your choice.


----------



## sanderton

Actually, it creates "ir" when you untar the file.


----------



## kweller

I've installed 1.2 and it's working exactly as described. Excellent work, thanks very much.

Kevin


----------



## 10203

Not sure if it's related to IRBlast but I've started to get problems with changing channels in the last day or so. I put yesterday's one down to one of those things, but it's happening again today.

The overnight daily call also hung for several hours - it restarted when I took the TiVo out of standby this morning. When I did I noticed the 'remote command received' LED on the digibox flash quite a few times as if it was catching up on previous commands.

I had a quick look in the irblast log this morning but didn't see anything odd looking.

This lunchtime the TiVo sent out a whole load of IR commands when I turned it on to watch the news. The channel first changed to 853, which is five recordings ago for a programme that was on at 2:30am.

Haven't got time to look in detail now - will investigate this evening...


----------



## aerialplug

that's exactly the same behaviour I get when I run noreddot. It works fine for a while then suddenly it stops sending any channel changes. Then sometimes, after a few hours I get a whole slew of channel changes. It's been suggested that the TiVo is behaving as if it's detecting IR. Could these applications somehow leave the IR blaster lit?


----------



## tivo_boj

Using Sky, when on standby a recording wakes up the box but it misses the first 2 digits so get stuck on the last channel until 2 minute later when it resend the digits.

Anything I can do to make sure it wakes up and recieves the correct digits

using 1.2.1

Edit:- 

To confirm, it seems to get the first 2 digit then clears and then the last digit.


----------



## 10203

> _Originally posted by aerialplug _
> *that's exactly the same behaviour I get when I run noreddot. It works fine for a while then suddenly it stops sending any channel changes. Then sometimes, after a few hours I get a whole slew of channel changes. It's been suggested that the TiVo is behaving as if it's detecting IR.*


 I'm not seeing quite those symptoms. The programme recorded at 10pm last night is fine: TiVo changes channel; then resent by IRBlast again a minute later.

Same again at 12am.

Programme at 1am doesn't have the normal channel change at the start, nor the IRBlast change a minute later.

Programme at 2:30: no TiVo channel change, but IRBlast change succesful.

Daily call starts at 2:59:43 am. Gets stuck at 3:01:12 on "creating keyserver query".

Programme at 6am: no channel change at beginning, but has IRBlast change a minute in.

7:23 - I press the TiVo button on the remote - daily call carries on. Lots of remote keypresses sent. I put the TiVo back in standby.

Programme at 11am: channel starts on where it should have been for the 2:30am programme. No TiVo channel change at the start, but IRBlast changes successfully a minute in. Red dot appears and disappears several times.

Programme at 12:30: No TiVo channel change, but red dot disappears in first minute. IRBlast changes channel one minute in.

Programme at 1pm: as 12:30.

I watch most of the 1pm programme. TiVo back in standby afterwards.

4pm: TiVo channel change and IRBlast channel change.

5pm: Same as 4pm.

So it looks like something screwy happened between 12 and 1am. The IRBlast log got rotated at 1:31:16, so I don't have the log entries from 12am. The log does look a bit odd though with a negative count for elapsedmins:



Code:


Tuesday 00:31:16 : irblast 1.2 log file, log rotated
Tuesday 00:32:15 : elapsedmins -1408  newchannel 0  onstandby 1   Channel 113 
Tuesday 00:32:15 : isrecording 1  wasrecording 1  newrecording 0      ( 113 )
Tuesday 00:32:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox  Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Tuesday 00:33:15 : elapsedmins -1407  newchannel 0  onstandby 1   Channel 113 
Tuesday 00:33:15 : isrecording 1  wasrecording 1  newrecording 0      ( 113 )
Tuesday 00:33:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox  Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Tuesday 00:34:15 : elapsedmins -1406  newchannel 0  onstandby 1   Channel 113 
Tuesday 00:34:15 : isrecording 1  wasrecording 1  newrecording 0      ( 113 )
Tuesday 00:34:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox  Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.


----------



## occitan

I'm going to have to take a few days off this, my first daughter arrived a little earlier than expected, this morning at 5:23 am, 2.7kg - shes so cute ! Will get back to this at the weekend...

PS concerning the backup deleting the third key, try increasing the delays in the after statements either side of the channel digits in Blast_SkyDigiBox.itcl.


----------



## 10203

Congratulations! :up:


----------



## leejordan

> _Originally posted by occitan _
> *I'm going to have to take a few days off this, my first daughter arrived a little earlier than expected, this morning at 5:23 am, 2.7kg - shes so cute ! Will get back to this at the weekend...
> *


Congratulations to all three of you!

Lee


----------



## sanderton

On the contrary, now you'll get no sleep you may as well spend the night coding. 

Many congrats. When did babies go metric? What's 2.7kg in English?


----------



## kweller

He won't have time for coding, he'll be too busy changing nappies!

Congratulations.


----------



## 10203

> _Originally posted by sanderton _
> *What's 2.7kg in English? *


  My thoughts exactly! Errr... 5 pounds 15 ounces ?

...and IRBlast 1.2 seems to have worked flawlessly last night and today!


----------



## Adder

Congrats Guy!

I did though have a sequence somewhat similar to LJ this morning.

TiVo was due to record:

6am Breakfast News 24
7am WWE Classics Sky Sports 1
8am Breakfast News 24

I came into the room at about 8.30am and turned on the TV to find it was still on Sky Sports 1, so I pressed the right key to try and see what channel TiVo thought it was on and immediately TiVo sent the digits 4-0-1 and then 5-0-7. 

Both runs of digits were at the standard TiVo speed and not the IR blast speed which is much slower.

It would seem that as these were back to back recordings the 4-0-1 should have gone at 7am and the 5-0-7 at 8am.

So I checked the 6am Breakfast recording and all was fine including removing the red dot, then I rewound the 8am recording, there was no channel change at the start, but one minute in it got 5-7-Backup missing the 0 and then the backup clearing the channel change hence it staying on Sky Sports 1.

I am presuming the original 7am change failed as I got this at 8.30am, but the 7.01am IR blast of 4-0-1 must have actually successfully worked for me to be seeing Sky Sports 1 and not News 24.

According to the endpad log and the IR log the TiVo seemed to think it was recording WWE Classics at 7am and was sending backup throughout as expected, however the recording of WWE Classics was listed in recording history as "Not Recorded", due to "internal error: 4".

Any thoughts?

Not upset as Classics is repeated a couple more times this week, just odd, hopefully this is helpful.

Maybe the TiVo's own IR thread gave up due to IR interference delaying the 7am and 8am channel changes, but IRblast ignores sensitivity to IR?

Doesn't the explain the internal error 4, will head off and try and do a search on that.

BTW the irblast.err had a couple of TmActiveLock conflicts which may have occurred at the time as well.


----------



## tivo_boj

Just had a thought

Many moons ago some people wanted tivo to always return to a certain channel after recording, so theyalways had the live buffer on that channel. Using power off part of the prog, instead of sending a power command, send the digits of the channel you want it to default to.


----------



## gregh

hi all,

How stable is this mod? I'm running LJs reddot remover at the moment but this looks great, however I'm concerned by the few instances of it not changing channel.

regards,

greg


----------



## tivo_boj

Think I may have hit a problem. A few recordings from sky seem screwed now I using this program. I have noticed that a few recordings although showing as full recoreding (ie not partial), when playing them the green bar just show some or none of time., missing full programs or parts of. Attached is a screen shot of such a prog. Recording from TCM, it showed as 2hours 31 mins. When try to play get this screen and will not play.

irblst log shows this at the begining of the recording so all looks in order

Friday 13:37:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 4 
Friday 13:38:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 1 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 13:38:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 0 newrecording 1 ( 4 )
Friday 13:38:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:39:15 : elapsedmins 1 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 13:39:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 327 )
Friday 13:39:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:40:15 : elapsedmins 2 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 13:40:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 327 )
Friday 13:40:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:40:16 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "SkyKey" "Backup" "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Microcode version 00034.
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:40:21 : SendDigits Source 20016 Channel 327
Microcode version 00034.
Microcode version 00034.
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:40:29 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:41:15 : elapsedmins 3 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 13:41:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 327 )
Friday 13:41:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 13:42:15 : elapsedmins 4 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 13:42:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 327 )
Friday 13:42:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup


at the end showed thos


Friday 16:08:15 : elapsedmins 150 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 16:08:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 327 )
Friday 16:08:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 16:09:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 
Friday 16:09:15 : isrecording 0 wasrecording 1 newrecording 1 ( 327 )
Friday 16:09:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "SkyKey"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 16:09:18 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Power"
Microcode version 00034.
Friday 16:10:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 327 


so looks Ok also


----------



## kweller

Not that it helps you at all but I've had occasional failures like that since owning my first TiVo. I've never been able to pin down what causes it but it's been occurring since long before I installed IRBLast - I've just chalked them up to experience.

Kevin


----------



## Tiny Clanger

Would it be possible for IRBlast to detect when the TiVo is in AUX Bypass mode and not send Backup presses in that case? I'd like to watch the football in interactive mode so I can listen to the Fanzone commentary. (I know I can use the disable code, but I would be willing to bet a reasonable amount that I'll forget to turn IRBlast back on again afterwards )

Now, if someone can write a hack that detects when a recording's football with interactive material, and automatically switches the commentary track...


----------



## tivo_boj

Stopped irblast from sending backup evey minute but leaving then digit send 2 minutes into the recording, and power off at the end. So far I have not had problems I reported earlier in the thread.


----------



## healeydave

Historically, I always got perfect channel changes on my setup but since installing this latest version of noredot, on a scheduled recording tonight, the second channel change attempt (after 1 minute) went in wrong. 

Fortunately, the miskey didn't resut in a channel change (and I was watching anyway), but its made me weary of trying to fix something that wasn't broken?!

Also, reading back through the thread, I have just realised that this may expalin an earlier problem I had too (that I have never seen before). I set a program to record which was due to start around 5 mins later. Whilst I was watching, I noticed it getting nearer and nearer to the time it should have changed channel and it just never tried at all!

The recording started but the tivo just stayed on the channel I was on.


----------



## richard plumb

I've also never had a problem with channel changes. I have this module installed though, and am always a bit worried when the 2nd channel change starts appearing - its just so slow!

If the module lets Tivo do its normal channel change at the beginning, is it easy enough to disable the 2nd channel change?

All I really need is the backup sent (I don't think I've ever had the sky box lock up either, so no real need for the sky key.....oops, I've probably jinxed it now)


----------



## iankb

Version 1.2 added the parameter *skychanneldelay=0* to disable the second channel change.


----------



## richard plumb

aha! Time to adjust methinks...


----------



## healeydave

Yep, its done it again tonight, I get no problems with channel changes whats-so-ever normally, but ironically the 2nd channel change (which is supposed to make sure your on the right channel) screws up very frequently!

Tonight, the first channel change worked fine, recording started, 1 min later the second channel change screws up and changes to completely the wrong channel. To switch back, I have to stop recording!?!??!? 

Its just not worth the hassle.

Now, since LJ's noreddot was working fine before (apart from being able to start automatically), my dilemma is, do I use the switches on this module to disable 2nd channel change or just switch back to LJ's version??

I think LJ's is probably the answer as I also had a recording only partially record the other day for no apparent reason. Again this has never happened before and I haven't made any other changes to my system.


----------



## sanderton

Some people found that LJ's caused similar problems.


----------



## doogie

Yeah, I gave up using LJ's one ages ago because it was occasionally locking up all IR, and I installed this but stopped it running after reports of this happening with this too


----------



## gyre

As a completely useless datapoint, I've been using a t-link gadget for about 3 weeks. During that time I've had one duff channel change (due probably to the tivo backing off detecting IR from another remote) and no irritating red dots.

I was going to install this software to make sure channel changes happened... but so far that hasn't been necessary... especially on sky, where if I miss an episode of something, I can usually re-schedule another copy.

-- gyre --


----------



## kweller

> _Originally posted by doogie _
> *Yeah, I gave up using LJ's one ages ago because it was occasionally locking up all IR, and I installed this but stopped it running after reports of this happening with this too  *


I'm sure I'm tempting fate here but this module has been working perfectly on one of my machines - I'm experiencing no problems at all.

Kevin


----------



## Tiny Clanger

I find that the TiVo's channel change seems to get ignored completely, and irblast's channel change is now the only one that works - I've had to tell endpad to increase start padding by a minute to cover for it. It's amazing how many channels start early!


----------



## Podgy Dad

I finally got it working reliably last night, I changed the keydelay to 1500ms. I've had it recording in anger for 12 hours now without a single channel change failure, thats 10 seperate recordings.

On another note, if you have set it to auto start when TiVo is reset and you want to change the options do you simply send '/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart [options] >> /dev/null &
' again or do you have to delete rc.sysinit.author first?


----------



## healeydave

I think reliabilty depends on your configuration (sky box etc).

I have a Sony 760u digibox with one of pacelink dongles for reliable channel changes (using codes SkyDigital codes 20006-Slow). This has proved to be very reliable so hence I only have a requirement for getting rid of the Red Dot. 

With IRBlast running recently, I have experienced irratic behaviour and unless coincidence, things seem to be fine again now since removing it.

I would recommend people try it and see if you get a combination that works (becuase if it does its well worth it), but unfortunately I don't think it will work for everyone.


----------



## sanderton

Edit rc.sysinit.author to change the options. Install joe or vi if you don't have a TiVo side editor yet.


----------



## 10203

> _Originally posted by healeydave _
> *I think reliabilty depends on your configuration (sky box etc).
> 
> I have a Sony 760u digibox with one of pacelink dongles for reliable channel changes (using codes SkyDigital codes 20006-Slow).*


Maybe it's something to do with the make/model of Digibox - IRBlast was very erratic when I used it, but noreddot is working fine. I've got a Sony VTX-S760U too.


----------



## mbriody

I find your startup editor works well 



> _Originally posted by sanderton _
> *Edit rc.sysinit.author to change the options. Install joe or vi if you don't have a TiVo side editor yet. *


----------



## healeydave

LJ, is it possible to get your code to run at startup with the new knowledge from irblast?


----------



## 10203

Not directly: IRBlast runs a tcl script from rc.sysinit which uses 'exec' to launch irtest (which does the IR blasting). Noreddot launches a shell script from rc.sysinit which launches irtest directly. I guess I could try using exec in the tcl part of noreddot instead of from the shell script though......


----------



## sanderton

It's not the exec part which makes the difference (I tried that ages ago); the trick seems to be changing the process priorities.


----------



## iankb

In normal running, does IRBlast run at a higher priority than Noreddot? It's just that I seem to have more adverse effects using IRBlast than I did with Noreddot (e.g. the TiVo failing to respond to any IR for a short period).


----------



## 10203

> _Originally posted by sanderton _
> *It's not the exec part which makes the difference (I tried that ages ago)*


So much for that theory then!


----------



## 10203

> _Originally posted by iankb _
> *In normal running, does IRBlast run at a higher priority than Noreddot?*


Err, not sure... will check...


----------



## richard plumb

Now I'm getting the tivo not sending the initial channel change, and so I'm relying on the 2nd change 2 minutes later, which currently works. (but kind of makes endpad pointless)

Any solution to this yet? It was working fine up until last night. It seemed to break between Event Horizon on BBC1 (sent both channel changes OK) and Bridezillas on ITV1 (only 2nd forced change sent)

Tivo wasn't on standby (never is), and we weren't watching it at the time. Scheduled dialup took place at 2.49am. Don't know if its busy before then, but it was after Bridezillas already broke.

I don't understand why tivo wouldn't send its own channel changes, but does send the forced ones?

Everything else appears OK.


----------



## mbriody

Just another control point - irblast hasn't gone wrong on any channel change for me so far (touch wood!).


----------



## sanderton

I have had the "Stored up IR" issue once so far.


----------



## bradleyem

i had it a while ago with noreddot (when it was first released). It hasn't done it for ages though, so I'm hopeful it's a fixable bug.


----------



## kweller

I've now had just a couple of 'funnies'. On one occasion as others have reported the TiVo channel change doesn't seem to have happened at all but it changed channel when IRBlast sent it's version. On another we'd just settled in to 24 when, 2 minutes in, IRBlast changed the channel to something else!

Channel changes are usually fine using the rf2link so I'd like to turn that bit of IRBlast off but I don't seem to be having much luck. 

I originally set the command in rc.sysinit.author as - 

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart -skychanneldelay=0 -skylivetv >> /dev/null &

which didn't seem to work. I've now tried - 

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart skychanneldelay=0 >> /dev/null &

which is also failing miserably as you can see from the log extract below - 

Monday 04:10:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 0 newrecording 1 ( 113 )
Monday 04:10:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Monday 04:11:15 : elapsedmins 1 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 308 
Monday 04:11:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 308 )
Monday 04:11:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Monday 04:12:15 : elapsedmins 2 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 308 
Monday 04:12:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 308 )
Monday 04:12:15 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Monday 04:12:16 : SendButtons Source SkyDigiBox Buttons "SkyKey" "Backup" "Backup"
Microcode version 00034.
Microcode version 00034.
Microcode version 00034.
Monday 04:12:22 : SendDigits Source 20014 Channel 308

I'm obviously missing something obvious, can someone point it out to me please?

Thanks.

Kevin


----------



## sanderton

Beginning to have more problems now. 

I wonder if forcing an occasional change to Live TV will fluch them out - that seems to be when the "flood" of IR is released for me?


----------



## gregh

Hmm, still debating wether to try this or not, you still seeing issues with IR Stuart and others?

I'm just using noreddot.tcl without any problems.

regards,

Greg


----------



## iankb

I'm using it with the second channel change switched off. I didn't need it and I only wanted the red dot cancellation without the problems of restarting noreddot after each reboot. My IR problems seem to have gone away.


----------



## kweller

How did you do that Ian as I'm obviously missing something. My command line is as in my message above - 

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart skychanneldelay=0 >> /dev/null &

but it's still doing the second channel change.

Kevin


----------



## iankb

My command is ...


Code:


/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart skychanneldelay=0 skylivetv keydelay_20016=150 >> /dev/null &

With version 1.2, the skychanneldelay=0 should stop the second change, and the 'keydelay_20016' is leftover from when I did use it. Are you using the right version, and have you restarted your TiVo since you changed it?


----------



## kweller

Thanks. Yes I have the latest version. It's been rebooted several times since putting IRBLast on it as I installed the latest version of TWP recently. I just rebooted again and the IRB log shows - 

#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
Tuesday 05:54:20 : irblast 1.2.1 log file, starting up

Command line options: skychanneldelay=0
irblast_option_skychanneldelay:0

- so it is picking it up but then seems to be ignoring it.

Kevin


----------



## Podgy Dad

What changes would I need to make in the script to stop it sending the backup command every minute?


----------



## iankb

I don't think there is one - unless it slipped in unnoticed.


----------



## thepatrician

> _Originally posted by Podgy Dad _
> *What changes would I need to make in the script to stop it sending the backup command every minute? *


I made a simple change to Blast_SkyDigiBox.itcl to stop it doing this. Just comment out line 44: 'SendButtons "SkyDigiBox" {"Backup"}' by putting a '#' character before the text.

Hope that helps,
thepatrician.


----------



## iankb

I am now getting the occasional case where my TiVo does not respond to my remote for around a minute. I beginning to think that it is caused when I send a remote command at the same time as IRBlast sends a backup 'key' to my digibox, and may well be cleared when it sends it the next time.

I'm sure this problem started occurring at around the same time as I installed IRBlast.


----------



## alphabeta

I have had a similar experience to Ian - very occasionally my Tivo stops responding to the remote since I've installed IR blast.

I don't think this is due to sending at the same time as IR blast though.


----------



## gregh

Me third!! only seen it twice on consecutive days, the Tivo green light was flashing brighter so it was receiving the signal.


----------



## iankb

The lights on my TiVo did not flash, so I don't think that there's any consistency.


----------



## alphabeta

Yep, mine was in the "no lights flashing" mode too.


----------



## iankb

Managed to prove it this morning.

The TiVo stopped responding completely to the remote this morning (no lights flashing on the TiVo). One minute later, the light on my digibox flashed and the TiVo started responding immediately.

IRBlast is definitely causing the hang with its one minute backup, presumably because of an IR clash on the previous sending of the backup key.


----------



## gyre

I have a slightly unreliable channel change if I'm using a remote control at the same time as TiVo attempts to change the channel for a recording.

I'm wondering if either endpad or irblast could be used just to perform a second channel change. I don't need the noreddot stuff, as I have a gadget to do that.

Is there a way of telling TiVo NOT to back off when it detects IR during a channel change, or alternatively, having something like endpad or irblast JUST do the 2nd channel change?

-- gyre --


----------



## sanderton

It would be a trivial change to irblast.


----------



## gyre

It was 

I commented out the line in the Blast_SkyDigiBox.itcl that did a backup just before the logic that did a channel change.

This is the same change, I believe, that thepatrician mentioned above.

The only slight downside now is that the reddot can appear after the channel change until my SkyEye nukes it about 15s later.

I can see that irblast sends a backup 3s after the channel change, but that doesn't seem to clear it, so it is possible the red dot appears after the 3s on some programs perhaps.

-- gyre --


----------



## doubledrat

so is this utility something I should be using? or will it cause me problems?


----------



## sanderton

I've been using it since it was posted, and while it does very occasionally foul up the initial channel change, it corrects itself a minute later. As I run with EndPad start padding of 1 min, I have only missed a couple of title sequences. But red dot's are a thing of the past!


----------



## doubledrat

Okay, it sounds like it's worth a go. Has anybody established, what exactly causes it to occasionally foul up that Channel change?


----------



## doubledrat

I think I have established what events will cause the problem. Changing channels in live TV mode. I have been able to reproduce this 100%.

The problem seems to occur when you change from one channel to the same channel. I.e. when two recordings are back to back on the same channel. It's very easy to duplicate just punch in 101 wait for the channel change and punch in 101 again. Tivo will claim that it is not receiving a signal from the satellite receiver. As for why this is happening, I will leave that to the author


----------



## iankb

That is well-known standard functionality that was designed into the TiVo software.

Each channel entry for the same number will toggle between the two different inputs (e.g. aerial and SCART), so allowing selection where the same channel number exists on each. Unfortunately, it doesn't take into account whether the channel number does exist on both sources, and whether you even have two sources.


----------



## doubledrat

oops so it's nothing to do with this then. Or is it? It was certainly exhibiting the same symptoms as what people have described, i.e. not seeing the channel change come up...


----------



## sanderton

No, nothing to do with that.

It seems as though sometimes sending IR in code mucks up the "queue" of IR commands waiting to be sent.


----------



## wonderboy

I'd just like to say I've used this for over 2 weeks now and it's totally brilliant.

I've got rid of my old "dot zapper" which wasn't tivo friendly, and this does the business. 

THANKS.


----------



## dspreadbury

I installed irblast.tcl yonks ago, but to my annoyance I've never been able to get it to work.

I have a Pace Digibox and TiVo is quite happily able to change channels. But it never seems to be sending any "back up" commands, or indeed re-changing the channel two minutes in.

Can anybody shed any light on why?!

I've got the following in my rc.sysinit.author:

/var/hack/ir/irblast.tcl -forcestart >> /dev/null &

It's certainly running, because it shows up in the process list.

irblast.err shows:

--
Starting irblast 1.2.1...
Wednesday 15:30:05 : Opening Log file /var/log/irblast.log
Starting main loop...
Key 0 Clear Clear to disable
Key 1 Clear Clear to reenable
Key 8 Clear Clear or 'touch /tmp/blastquit' to quit.
--

which is OK, I think. irblast.log shows this kind of thing:

--
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
Wednesday 15:30:05 : irblast 1.2.1 log file, starting up

Command line options:
Wednesday 15:30:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 1 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:30:15 : isrecording 0 wasrecording 0 newrecording 0 ( -1 )
Wednesday 15:31:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:32:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:33:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:34:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:35:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:36:16 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:39:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:40:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604
Wednesday 15:41:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 604 
--

Does any of this shed any light for anybody? I'd appreciate any help! Those red dots are driving me mad, particularly since they're so bloody huge on The West Wing!


----------



## occitan

Hi,

first my apologies for being absent so long, since my daughters birth. I've not read all the posts on this thread since I downed tools, so I'm not sure yet if there are any major issues people have been having, but I hope that irblast has been useful to a few people.

My lovely daughter is now four months old, and doing very well. She's starting to sleep through most nights, so my wife and I are getting a bit more sleep these days !

I've been playing a little bit with irblast during the odd late night or exceptionally early mornings the odd weekend, and have managed to improve some of my IR codes for Sky, due to a much better understanding of the TiVo IR format. I've a few ideas of improving the reliability of the button presses, but it's not mature yet. One new feature I've added to my working version is the ability to access the 'additional channels' on the sky terminal. To get to these channels via Sky, you have to press 'Services', 6, OK, or 'Services', 6, Down, OK. Normally TiVo is not capable of accessing those channels, but irblast will now allow it to do this sequence for you on a user specified channel. I added this feature to be able to record from ITV regions that disappeared from channels 963 and 964 recently. I can't promise when I'll get around to tidying up the next release, but probably in the next couple of weeks.

dspreadbury:
you're log details are fine, though the irblast.log snippet you sent doesn't help very much because nothing is recording from sky at that moment. Could you post a few lines sent during a recording ?

Normally the Backup Key is sent if you have configured your TiVo to control your set top box with IR code 20006, 20016 (or 20010 or 20017 for Sky+). The default setting, the one you are using, only sends the backup key during recordings (hence the question above). If you want the backup key sent also when you are watching using liveTV, then add the option *skylivetv[\b] after '-forcestart'. Note that if the Tivo is not on 'live tv', and it's not recording from sky, then the backup key will still not be sent. The reason for this is that you may actually want to use the 'interactive tv' at some point, by switching to AUX mode for instance.

Please post back if you're still not getting the backup key sent, and we'll see what we can do.

Cheers*


----------



## dspreadbury

Hi Occitan -- thanks very much for your quick reply, particularly since you have a four-month old mouth to feed!

TiVo started recording Sex And The City (for the gf, you understand!) at 22:27 on Paramount tonight. Here's a chunk of log:

---
Wednesday 21:26:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 106
Wednesday 21:27:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 1 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:27:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 0 newrecording 1 ( 106 )
Wednesday 21:28:15 : elapsedmins 1 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:28:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:29:15 : elapsedmins 2 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:29:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:30:15 : elapsedmins 3 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:30:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:31:15 : elapsedmins 4 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:31:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:32:15 : elapsedmins 5 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:32:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:33:16 : elapsedmins 6 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:33:16 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:34:15 : elapsedmins 7 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:34:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:35:15 : elapsedmins 8 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:35:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:36:15 : elapsedmins 9 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:36:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:37:15 : elapsedmins 10 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:37:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
Wednesday 21:38:15 : elapsedmins 11 newchannel 0 onstandby 1 Channel 127
Wednesday 21:38:15 : isrecording 1 wasrecording 1 newrecording 0 ( 127 )
---

Does this still look right?

Ta!

Daniel


----------



## occitan

Hi Daniel,

this means that irblast is running fine, but simply that it doesn't think it needs to send anything. 

The only reason I can think of is that you are using a set top box code that I've not seen before. On your TiVo, if you go to Setup> Prefererences> IR Control (or something like that), what code have you set your TiVo too ? Is it 20016 ?

Cheers


----------



## dspreadbury

I couldn't find any place in the menus where TiVo told me what code it was using, so I went through the Set-top Box Control setup again. My box is now using '20014 - Fast'. Should this work? What should I be looking out for in the log files?

I'll stop and restart irblast.tcl just to be sure that it's picked up the change.


----------



## occitan

OK, that's why, I don't support 20014 as according to Gary's web page, it's obsolete, and replaced by 20016

http://www.garysargent.co.uk/tivo/stb.htm

If you change your setting to use code 20016, you'll get all the features or irblast. Check the first post on this thread for the available options.

Cheers


----------



## dspreadbury

Little light bulb has come on: I was making the mistake of using PACE as the box manufacturer instead of SKY DIGITAL. I've now set the box to use code 20016, as suggested.

However, the red dot removal doesn't seem to work, even though I restarted irblast.tcl with the -skylivetv option.

Here's a bit more log file from right now. We're watching Big Brother on Channel 4, and there's a big red dot in the top right corner.

--
Friday 21:10:15 : irblast 1.2.1 log file, log rotated
Friday 21:11:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 104
Friday 21:12:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 104
Friday 21:13:15 : elapsedmins 0 newchannel 0 onstandby 0 Channel 104 
--

I don't know what I'm looking for in the log files, but I can't see anything that suggests it's sending Back Up at all. Any further ideas?

Thanks so much for working through this with me!


----------



## dspreadbury

Actually, I take it all back: the red dot removal is now working fine -- and in time for this week's episode of The West Wing, too. Thanks, occitan!


----------



## pahunt

Managed to miss this thread somehow so I just wanted to say thanks to Occitan for a nice bit of work


----------



## mrtickle

I've read this whole thread and it sounds great. It went a bit quiet after people reported problems though - did the problems just go away? Have most people "defected" from LJ's script to this one because this one can be added to the startup sequence?


----------



## healeydave

No, I went back to LJ's due to issues using IRBlast and because there was no follow-up to the problems posted, I'm still using LJ's original version.

However I must add, due to having to remember to start LJ's, most of the time I forget and its not running at all. I guess I must have just got used to having the red dots there now.


----------



## sanderton

I'm using occitan's. It does cause the initial channel change to screw up about one time in 10, but it's built in resending of a second channel change always recovers it. As I run with Endpad adding 1 min start padding most of the time those 1 in 10 are fine, but I've had a few recordings come in in the middle of the title sequence. For no red dots, I can live with that!

I keep meaning to tweak the code to make the second change cut ina bit quicker.


----------



## mrtickle

Fair enough. 1 in 10 seems a little high for me to be honest so I think I'll stick with LJ's for the time being.


----------



## threadkiller

> _Originally posted by mrtickle _
> *Fair enough. 1 in 10 seems a little high for me to be honest so I think I'll stick with LJ's for the time being. *


 in saying that, I've been using it since the beginning, and never had a noticeable problem


----------



## kitschcamp

With these problems I don't know why more people don't just get the skylink thing - absolutely faultless in the couple of years I've been back with Sky.


----------



## poissony

I've also used Occitan's hack since the beginning and had no problems.


----------



## iankb

I've switched back to noreddot. I found I was getting too many odd problems when using irblast. I also noticed that irblast has quite a high processor usage compared to other hacks, and some of my problems I put down to processor contention.


----------



## poissony

How can you tell how much processor usage a hack/process is taking up?


----------



## iankb

My knowledge of Linux is purely guesswork but, if you run 'ps aux', it displays a 'Time' column. I assume that this is the accumulated processor time for each process.


----------



## mrtickle

There's also a utility "top" which sorts processes by % cpu usage (if you've seen "task manage" in MS windows NT/2000 or later, it's a bit like that). Attached is a version compiled for our series 1 TiVos - sorry I can't remember where it came from. FTP to the tivo, chmod 755 as normal. ctrl-c to quit.


----------



## mrtickle

Hmm well it was attached! But previewing my post before submitting wiped it 
2nd try:


----------



## sanjsanj

does irblast work with NTL stb's set on a remote frequency other than 20035? ...such as 20009 or 20020?

when i start the program do i have to enter the optional "ntlchannel=2" (or something like that) to the command line?

as it is it's getting more wrong channels than right ones but i haven't entered any options, also still need to tweak it i guess.


----------



## Benedict

Looks like the dreaded red dot may no longer be a problem (for longer than 30 seconds anyway) if this story about Sky's new software is true!


----------



## Wonder_lander

Can I get an update from people running this software?

I've suffered a few too many failed channel changes and so the ability to resend it again 1 min into the recording is something I'd like!


----------



## iankb

Wonder_lander said:


> ... the ability to resend it again 1 min into the recording is something I'd like


If the first channel change works, it will still try to send the second. If that fails, it may leave you no better off.


----------



## sanderton

Running it significantly increases the chance of a failed channel change. The 1 minute change almost always cataches it. I have been meaning to edit to code to send twice - at 30 secs and 1 min, but haven't got around to it yet.

The main problem is that the hack can cause several channel change commands to get stored up in the TiVo waiting to be sent. If you then use the TiVo remote it unblocks the jam and all get sent at once. So I do have some recordings where the Sky box changes channels and then changes straight back in the middle of a recording, because I picked up the remote at that point!

I hate the red dot enough to put up with this...


----------



## Wonder_lander

I don't hate the red dot but really want to make sure that my channel changes are 100%, is there an alternative to this hack?


----------



## kitschcamp

Yup, there is the rather fantastic IR-free add ons that send backup commands via the RF port on the Sky box. I've been using one for several years, trouble free. There should be a link for more details in my sig (Sky-eye t-link).


----------



## sanderton

I was thinking of those, but the effectively block you from using itneteractive stuff, yes?


----------



## Wonder_lander

sanderton said:


> I was thinking of those, but the effectively block you from using itneteractive stuff, yes?


The link in his sig suggests that you can turn it off by shutting off the power to the rf2


----------



## Wonder_lander

kitschcamp said:


> Yup, there is the rather fantastic IR-free add ons that send backup commands via the RF port on the Sky box. I've been using one for several years, trouble free. There should be a link for more details in my sig (Sky-eye t-link).


Steve does this work if you are already using the Rf2 on the sky box for a standard sky eye thingy in the bedroom?


----------



## kitschcamp

sanderton said:


> I was thinking of those, but the effectively block you from using itneteractive stuff, yes?


Yes, but I never use those services, so that's not really an issue for me.


----------



## kitschcamp

> Steve does this work if you are already using the Rf2 on the sky box for a standard sky eye thingy in the bedroom?


If you ask him, he can make a Sky Eye that has power pass through so it will work upstairs, too. By default he makes them so they don't pass on power.


----------



## the_hut

Not quite NO red dots, but it looks as though Sky are finally listening to reason and are going to allow you to set the red dot to go off after 30 seconds.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds19642.html


----------



## steveroe

Digital Spy now report the rollout of this software version for Sky boxes has now started.

(apologies for posting this to two threads, but they were both discussing this and people might be subscribed...)


----------



## kitschcamp

If you turn on this feature test it *very* carefully before leaving it.

My original issue one Pace 2200 box is reacting very badly to turning red dots off via the menus - it locks on a channel and doesn't respond to channel changes at all until the plug is pulled. I've started to see other reports of the same in other places, too.


----------



## sanderton

Been working fine on my Panasonic box for two days - touch wood!

irblast now disabled.


----------



## kitschcamp

It does seem to be specifically a problem for Pace 2200 - I guess Sky thought they'd all be broken by now.


----------



## gregh

ok how do I turn this off from my Sky digibox? I couldn't see anything obvious....

I'm running irblast at the moment....

regards,

greg


----------



## kitschcamp

It's off by default. You have to turn it on. It's in the Picture Settings menu.


----------



## gregh

..and I've just discovered not all Sky boxes have the update which enable this yet, which is probably why I cannot find it


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## sanderton

Hmm, checking back on some recordings last week *before* I enabled the red-dot-off oftion but *after * the upgrade, they were all of a locked up Sky box!


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## kitschcamp

Sorry!


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## sanderton

Good job I'm running MCE in parallel these days.


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## poissony

If/when my sky box has this update and it works with no lock-ups, is there a way of using irblast without sending backups? i.e just send the second channel change.


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## thepatrician

poissony said:


> If/when my sky box has this update and it works with no lock-ups, is there a way of using irblast without sending backups? i.e just send the second channel change.


See http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=1917635&&#post1917635

thepatrician


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## poissony

Thanks muchly :up:


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## lcsneil

Did a version of LJ's noredot ever appear that sent a 2nd channel change 1 minute into the recording?

Been searching around but can't find it.


Neil


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## 10203

</holiday>

No, didn't do a version that sends a 2nd channel change later. Given that $ky have updated their software to remove the red dot after a few seconds, noreddot is in "archive" status from my point of view. Feel free to grab the source and mod it yourself though!


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## lcsneil

OK thanks LJ. 

I still use your noreddot as it has the advantage that if the box resets whislt I am away at least the 'backup command' clears the initial message about phone lines and so I only miss the one recording rather than all recording until I get back. 

.. and if I can get the 2nd channel change to work then it should do a backup and then change channel so I wont miss that recording either. 

Now all I need to do is learn TCL  

Neil


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## threadkiller

just a quickie, I've got a second TiVo on my thompson freeview box, now while I know the No red dot won't work, is there anyway I can get the channel change to work? I've missed a couple of proggies through cocked up changes


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## stevebax

Installed this yesterday to try and clear up a problem with my Sony Freeview box. On some of the part time channels (eg ABC1, BBC3, BBC4) when the box stitches to them I either get a swirly grey picture or a text overlay telling me that if I can see this with the picture beneath I should tune away and back again - which is not much use when you want to record something. Previously I would create a short manual recording prior to the scheduled time. This recording would have the fault but the real one would be OK.

When I saw this script it occured to me that this might solve this problem (especially when combined with Endpad which would pad the start).

So I installed it and nothing happened. Go back and read instructions. Once I'd read them my first impression was I needed to capture my own codes. Then reread. Realised that if all I needed were digits 0 - 9 then there was nothing required. Just locate the code of my box (20034) copy the existing Freeview code file (20031) and rename to 20034. Run again but fell over. Checked inside file and realised there is a reference to the code set in there. Edit from 20031 to 20034 run again and all is fine.

Now works a treat. Two minutes into the recording the channel numbers are resent.

However I have noticed in the error log (irblast.err) this error message

retrying after errTmActiveLockConflict

Does this mean anything or can I just ignore it.


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## mbriody

I'm still using this, primarily for its ability to send the second channel change but it isn't working with the recent radio hack i.e. it doesn't send the leading zero on the second channel change for radio channels.

Anyone cleverer than me able to make a patch to fix this?


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