Do any stb's use different IR frequencies?

kippa. · 17-05-2004, 21:03

Pondering getting a second box in my room just for the TiVo, but it would change the channel on both as they would be the same kind. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a box that doesn't respond the standard frequency?

philquinney · 18-05-2004, 00:04

Hey kippa,

I'm not 100% sure on this, but you may have problems because your set top box uses the IRDA standard for i/r control, whilst your Tivo will use the more standard consumer based ir control. Have a look at http://www.redremote.co.uk/ for more information about this. It depends on which model you have.

I don't know much about the red eye device though - and don't endorse it in any way.

Phil.

kippa. · 18-05-2004, 00:19

not got a problem with it controlling one box. but I may want a second box just for the tivo. only problem with that is it would change the channel on both boxes when it started to record. so what I would need is one that didn't respond when it changed the channel on the box it was connected to

Tristan · 18-05-2004, 00:37

This is a difficult one. There is a front-panel key combination that will switch off the remote sensor, but I don't think this will really help, as presumably you don't want to have to get up to change channel...

I'll put my thinking cap on...

**Paul** · 18-05-2004, 01:11

Are you using the IR blaster funtion in Tivo ? - mine came with a plug in low power IR xmitter that you stick on the stb in front of the IR receiver - and shouldn't interfere with a second box - unfortunately this won't stop you changing the channel on the Tivo linked box if you use the remote control.

I solved the problem in a totally different way that is probably not open to you - my Tivo is linked to a dedicated sky box, while my normal viewing is via my NTL box.

Mike Harrison · 18-05-2004, 01:16

If the box is just for Tivo use, then it wouldn't be too hard to optically shield it from IR signals from the remote & vice versa - stick the TIVO emitter (via IRDA adapter or Red-Eye if it's an IRDA STB) to the front, with foil tape to shield the IR sensor.
If you want 2 STBs responding independently to 2 different remotes, then it can't be done with either of NTL's remote systems - IRDA (1000,1010,2000,4000 STB) or RC5 (4001), as there is no a/b code switching (as used on many VCRs) supported.
For IRDA boxes, it could be done using either A Red-Eye Translator plus some foil tape to shield the STB's IR receiver from IR from the IRDA remote, or for the 'ultimate' method, a Red-Eye on each STB - Red-Eye supports two A/B code sets and so two of them can respond independently to two remotes.

spiderplant · 18-05-2004, 09:00

kippa: Where in the country are you, and what model STB do you have?

kippa. · 18-05-2004, 10:12

I'm in coventry and I currently have a 4010.

Thinking about it, it would probably be easier to connect the old sky digibox up just for the basic channels.

Tristan · 18-05-2004, 12:49

Spiderplant: Will the 4010 respond to enough instructions from a grey Bromley remote for everyday use? If kippa gets a 4001 as his TiVo box, and uses Mike's method of ensuring no TiVo RC5 signals get near the 4010, then this could be a solution.

spiderplant · 18-05-2004, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Spiderplant: Will the 4010 respond to enough instructions from a grey Bromley remote for everyday use? If kippa gets a 4001 as his TiVo box, and uses Mike's method of ensuring no TiVo RC5 signals get near the 4010, then this could be a solution.

No, that's the sort of thing I had in mind when I asked, but the 4010 software no longer includes the TWTV IR driver. (If kippa had been a Bromley user with a 1000 or 2000, I'd've recommended a Samsung second box).

I think shielding is the way to go. Or separate rooms?

Tristan · 18-05-2004, 23:47

Obviously this only applies to the Bromley software, but could you include something in the settings to specify that the box should only respond to a particular remote "colour"? It would be the perfect solution to a problem like this, and the new remotes seem ideal for it...

Mike Harrison · 19-05-2004, 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

Obviously this only applies to the Bromley software, but could you include something in the settings to specify that the box should only respond to a particular remote "colour"? It would be the perfect solution to a problem like this, and the new remotes seem ideal for it...

It would be entirely possible for them to implement this, but I suspect this is just one of many possible useful enhacements that we are unlikely to ever see.