Sky IR

[Deleted User]

Hi,

New to this game but have bought myself a IRIS and have read all the ir codes for the remote but buttons like the backup, "i" and text wont work?

I have tried other peoples IR files but it still does the same - am i missing something - all the other buttons work fine??

Help!

Thanks

Dan

DHawthorne

Does the light on the IRIS flash when you try to learn it? If not, the remote isn't putting out any IR. There could be a couple reasons for that; broken button, needs a "shift" key, button is a shift key (doesn't do anything itself, but modifies the output of other buttons), button doesn't really do anything (placeholder for future feature, or a feature not available to that specific model).

If the light is flashing, and you just get a lot of errors, there are several tricks to try. Some IR sequences are hard to capture, no doubt to to some esoteric way they are formed. By far the easiest way to deal with weird IR is to capture them on something like a Philips Pronto, or one of the Marantz learning remotes, and then re-capture from that to your IRIS. It always boggled me how the capture chip on those things somehow is more discriminating and can figure out weird codes better than a dedicated capture box.

If that's not an option, press the UP and SEND buttons on the IRIS at the same time, and the display will show SP. It's now in "special" mode and will require you to verify every code five times before accepting it. Sometimes this mode will capture IR the normal mode won't, but sometimes it captures it wrong too. Other, less official tricks I have used successfully are:

1) Press the button while aimed at the IRIS Aim it away from the IRIS or cover it, and press again. Aim at IRIS a third time and press. Allow 3-5 seconds between each press for things to settle down. The upshot of this is only alternate presses get sent to the Iris. This is typically needed for Marantz remotes. Generally though, if it's needed for one button, it's needed for the whole remote, so I doubt htis will work in your case.
2) Make your button presses as short and you possibly can and still get a solid hit. Try to make certain your veriication press is as close in length as you can possibly get it to the start press. Warning: it's possible to successfuly capture a pulse that is actually too short to activate your device.
3) Press and hold your button while aiming at the IRIS , but block the IR with your hand or a piece of cardboard (I use a Post-It pad). Flip whatever you are using to block the IR up and down, like a camera shutter. Allow the Iris a few seconds to settle down, and flip it up again for the verification. You should be holding the button the entire time so the remote is sending a steady stream of IR, and your "shutter" is making it "pulse" for the IRIS.

[Deleted User]

Hi

Thanks for your response - i tired the short burst, but it hasnt done it, i tried it on the sp mode but for some reason it only verifies it twice? - its deffiantly in sp mode but its only asking for it twice?

Its only certian buttons aswell? Sky, "i", Backup, Text - the rest work fine???

Everything else works fine??? I can use the remote backup so its not the box or the batteries?

Anything other ideas - i dont have one of the other remotes to program onto?

Thanks

Dan

DHawthorne

I thought of another possibity - it could be those buttons actually fire IR macros, and not a single code. If that's the case, you are never going to capture them; the IRIS is looking for a single pulse in one of a few specific formats, a series is going to confuse the heck out of it. Perhaps a call to the manufacturer is in order.

SMCSI

I assume you are talking about the UK BSkyB satellite boxes? If so then they are very flaky on IR. I have stopped controlling then via IR and now use the 2nd RF output to change channels etc. The hardware is available from a really nice guy in the UK who will make these units to order. It wont take up a serial port as you can use it one way via IR/Serial.

http://www.skyeye.force9.co.uk/skyeyepc.htm

One of the biggest problems I have found with IR control of Sky boxes is the double number problem. I sat for hours trrying to stop the box responding to a single '1' from the controller being interpreted as '1' '1' by the box ... so I gave up.

Hope this helps. If you need anymore info then please PM me.

Murph

Sky IR

I'm not sure that your Sky is the same as ours, but I found that I could tap in to the work of the Philips Pronto forums on Remote Central. Beacuse these guys live and breathe IR they often have solutions that you can cut and paste via the HEX code feature in IR edit.

This has saved my bacon many a time, and I have also been able to obtain discrete OFF/ON codes for many devices.

Best John

[Deleted User]

Ok, my other option is i have a spare RS232 port on the NI2000 - where can i get hold of the commands - ive had a quick scan and cant find em?

Thanks

Dan

vincen

What version of Sky receiver do you use it ? Sony or Thomson ? or else ?

Vinc

[Deleted User]

Its a pace box - not sure what model - its just realyl doing my nut in now!!!!

Murph

We use Pace boxes here, the trick is to use very short IR pulses 0.2 or 0.3 sec max. Don't use the pulse operation. Set the CTON 2 and CTOF 4 parameters on the IR port and then use the send_command dSky,"'SP',some_command";

John

vincen

Yep if you setup correctly CTON and CTOF and use XCH/XCHM command when you need to recall a channel, it functions perfectly


Vinc`en

[Deleted User]

Ok i understand what your saying cause i have been breifly shown those commands for setting up shortcut to tv channels

Ive put this in my code

case 75: send_command Sky,"'SP',sky_backup"

and then the feedback is
[TP,75] = (0)

The TP is sending out the command and the NI box is flashing but nothing happens - all the normal buttons work fine???

sky_backup = 61 which corrisponds with the IR files

Any ideas?


Thanks

Dan