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DirecTV HR20/21 Control over RS-232

nhercnherc Posts: 34
in AMX General Discussion
Both the DirecTV HR20 and HR21 are RS-232 controllable via a USB to Serial converter. We have multiple systems with two way communications running in this configuration however we always seem to lose control despite even 'pinging' the DirecTV boxes constantly after a few days of usage and have to reboot the boxes to reset the system.

Is anyone else serially controlling DirecTV boxes via USB to Serial dongles? If so, what are your results and configuration?

Thanks for your assistance.

Comments

  • a_riot42a_riot42 Posts: 1,624
    Where did you find the protocol for the DirecTV boxes? Can you get channel info back from them?
    I don't know which serial-to-usb adapters you are using but many of them are very buggy. Which one are you using?
    Have you seen this?

    http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Controlling_DirectTV_D11_via_USB
  • TonyAngeloTonyAngelo Posts: 315
    nherc wrote: »
    Both the DirecTV HR20 and HR21 are RS-232 controllable via a USB to Serial converter. We have multiple systems with two way communications running in this configuration however we always seem to lose control despite even 'pinging' the DirecTV boxes constantly after a few days of usage and have to reboot the boxes to reset the system.

    Is anyone else serially controlling DirecTV boxes via USB to Serial dongles? If so, what are your results and configuration?

    Thanks for your assistance.

    I've had the same issue. A reboot has always worked for restoring control. You can't get any info from DirecTV about why this happens because they don't support the external control capabilities.
    Where did you find the protocol for the DirecTV boxes?

    http://www.sbcatest.com/Techupdates.htm
    Can you get channel info back from them?

    Yes.
    I don't know which serial-to-usb adapters you are using but many of them are very buggy. Which one are you using?

    The protocol documents list a few devices that will work. I've used this one: http://www.iogear.com/product/GUC232A/
  • TurnipTruckTurnipTruck Posts: 1,485
    I've been controlling an H20 for about a year and never lost any control requiring a reboot. I use the on/off, channel and menu commands regularly.
  • TonyAngeloTonyAngelo Posts: 315
    I've had the issue with a few different HR20's, but never with a H20.

    Basically the unit will stop responding to any and all serial commands. A hard reboot fixes the problem, but i haven't found any other way. I'm using the same usb/serial converter on the HR20's that have the problem as I am on the H20's that work fine.
  • nhercnherc Posts: 34
    Tony and Turnip,

    We're using the IOGear converter. We just ordered the other two converters specified in the docs: the ATEN and Buffalo Tech. I'll let you know if they work any better or worse.

    Interestingly rebooting every night on a schedule did not even fix our issue as it would still occur intermittently.

    Maybe we'll just have to start using H20's?

    Hmm...
  • Chip MoodyChip Moody Posts: 727
    I'm guessing this is particular to the HRs rather than the Hs. I've had an H20 running off a Tivo Series 2 using a serial <-> USB adapter since last November - no issues...

    - Chip
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