controlling mutiple Directv receivers

[Zakdj27]

We are a South Florida sound and video installation company and we have venues that have 70 - 80 televisions and use 15 - 20 Directv receivers, model H10 and H20. All of the receivers are in one rack and we want to be able to control all the receivers through the USB ports to change channels and not have to use the remotes. Using the remote causes more than one receiver to change, instead of the one that the end users are trying to change. In the past, we have assigned individual remotes to receivers, but in cases where there are multiple receivers, this becomes confusing to the end users and remotes have been lost/misplaced. I have been told there is a software program and a special USB cable to a serial port that I can use through a Windows XP operating computer that will be able to control one receiver at a time where there are multiple receivers in the rack by inputting the serial numbers of each receiver. We have forty accounts with 15 - 20 receivers each and I need to find this software program so the end user can operate this system without using the remotes. Where can I get this software program? I was refered here by DTV, I've looked at myth TV and DTVcon, I need to know an easy way to do this so end users will not be confused. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

[Earl Bonovich]

I am moving your thread to the General Area... Simple to get more eyes on it...

It can be done, as the H20 can be controlled via the USB cable.

Now the question is, if there is already a software package built to do it...
Or does one need to be written to support that many systems.

Maybe this is a project that us "software" guys here at DBSTalk, could try to tackle..
Maybe as a group project.

[Levi]

I don't know of any software that will allow you to do that. We do several sports bars and would love to find a system like this. The only option we have come up with is an RF type remote with a signal router. AMX, Crestron and Xantech all make such beasts. The Xantech is the cheapest and runs about $2500.00 Installed.

Levi

[Earl Bonovich]

I don't know of any software that will allow you to do that. We do several sports bars and would love to find a system like this. The only option we have come up with is an RF type remote with a signal router. AMX, Crestron and Xantech all make such beasts. The Xantech is the cheapest and runs about $2500.00 Installed.

Levi

Now you all have my head running with ideas.


What if there was a simple computer, rackable (like a 1u server).
To some sort of USB hub... that could then hit up to the 120ish boxes, to control them....

Is that something the market is looking for?
Especially if the software was "freeware" or opensource...

[Levi]

patersontech.com/

This company has a serial->usb adapter that says it will work with windows "MC" and other DVR's.

I am not sure how it would work in a commercial establishment. These people want to pick up a remote and change the channel. The don't want to have to fumble with a computer, pick the right receiver and change to the proper channel.
Most of the bar employees can barely operate a remote.

All I want is for DirecTV to put back the funcionality that the Hughes receivers had. 8 individual remote codes. I still have about 40 of the Hughes that I salveged last year to use for sevice calls for the customers we had set up this way.

Levi

[Levi]

Now you all have my head running with ideas.


What if there was a simple computer, rackable (like a 1u server).
To some sort of USB hub... that could then hit up to the 120ish boxes, to control them....

Is that something the market is looking for?
Especially if the software was "freeware" or opensource...

Earl,

I didn't see this until after my other post. In the right instance it could work. The problem with "Freeware" Or opensource is support. There would have to be a 24/7 support line for the customers to call. The other problem like I said, is usability. What you and I consider usable most customers don't. It would have to be simple ie: Got to rack-> Enter receiver #-> Enter channel-> Done. No click on this icon open this window or that dropdown menu. It gets to complicated and would create a service nightmare.

I answer my phone 24/7 when a customer has a problem. I have had customers call at 2:30 a.m. because they changed the input on the T.V. and can't get it back.
I don't think I want to have to walk them through rebooting a computer and resarting a program when I am not thinking the clearest.

Levi

[Earl Bonovich]

I most definently understand the 'support' piece of opensource and free-ware.

Hmmmm...... so many ideas... not enough time.. :)

[Zakdj27]

Iv'e Emailed the peterson site with no reply, I've spoke to DTV and they refered me here (off The Record) as i mention before emitters fall off they are not reliable and remotes get lost. A simple computer that you could click on a radio button to select a receiver and tune to a channel the DTVCON software would be great if it had another set of buttons that would let you select the receiver. End users can understand this easy, I have software that routes the video inputs to the outputs it would be nice to have one computers doing all of this. Also, another problem we are experiencing is with clients that have a high volume of tvs, being the number of receivers stacked in a rack generates a lot of heat. So much so, in fact, that we have had to install special fans and/or ac ducts to reduce the amount of heat being generated. It is also bulky and cumbersome to work with so many receivers. Are there any plans to combine multiple receivers into one rack mountable unit so that these problems are elminated? That would greatly help us to install these large venues.

[Levi]

Iv'e Emailed the peterson site with no reply, I've spoke to DTV and they refered me here (off The Record) as i mention before emitters fall off they are not reliable and remotes get lost. A simple computer that you could click on a radio button to select a receiver and tune to a channel the DTVCON software would be great if it had another set of buttons that would let you select the receiver. End users can understand this easy, I have software that routes the video inputs to the outputs it would be nice to have one computers doing all of this. Also, another problem we are experiencing is with clients that have a high volume of tvs, being the number of receivers stacked in a rack generates a lot of heat. So much so, in fact, that we have had to install special fans and/or ac ducts to reduce the amount of heat being generated. It is also bulky and cumbersome to work with so many receivers. Are there any plans to combine multiple receivers into one rack mountable unit so that these problems are elminated? That would greatly help us to install these large venues.

There was talk about this a few years ago. I don't see t happening any time soon though. The main drawback was cost. DTV wanted cheap consumer grade products so that they would be free/ almost free to the customer. Up until a couple years ago we were still charging like 199/249 for each receiver. Now SD's are free and HD's are 99 bucks.

Levi

[veryoldschool]

not your answer but: each remote can control three H/HR-20s in RF mode. There are stickers [numbers] for each to tell which is which.
Not your answer but what can be done right now. Also multiple remotes can control the same receiver.

[DBordello]

Controlling the HR20 over USB is trivial (from the specs I read). Controlling multiple HR20s isn't much harder (the OS will map each USB device to a different virtual serial port). I am sure several people here could hack up a simple script that could do this, but no pretty GUI. Spend a little time with a GUI (select receiver, give image of remote, etc) and connect it to a touchscreen and I am sure you are in business.

The more I think about this the more I think I should do it :-)

[Zakdj27]

DBordello, Do It and I'll buy it as i'm sure many installers will. Check out DTVCON software if it was a little like that with the capability to select a receiver or many receivers, say you have 20 receivers H-20's and you want to put receivers 5, 10, 14 & 17 all on ESPN. Just CTRL click the radio buttons for the receivers and click a radio button for ESPN. Write some instructions on how to set it all up and presto Us big venue installers will be all over it. Remember end users cannot even work a remote most of the time.
Thanks
Zak

[AlbertZeroK]

A GUI is easy, I write in VB.NET and what you are talking about is pretty easy. If I had the specs and a working test system, I could likely write something in a day. It's pretty simple, setup an INI file you edit for the number of recievers and their port number. The screen layout is easy. Buttons are easy. Not much to it. But I don't have a test system. I thought you had to use USB to Serial converters. I didn't know you could plug the H20 into a computer and have the computer install a virtual serial port, I though you had to use a USB to serial converter and connect that output to a serial port on the PC.

It's more about like you said, support and cost. It's a day project, in our shop it's $500 / day. You might be able to get it cheaper on Rent-A-Coder, but you need to be very careful there. Of course, I might do it for an HR20 and H20 and the hook up hardware. PM me if you are interested.