Recommendations for USB to IR to DirecTV?

[tegwilym]

I'm building a MythTV box and found I seem to have a dead serial port. I found out that a USB to Serial to IRBlaster won't work since there are issues with the blaster at the end of the cable not working with the serial part of it.

Anyway, since I'm planning on building a dedicated box eventually, a lot of computers now don't have serial ports. Anyone suggest a good USB to IR device that could change channels on a DirecTV box?

Thanks.

Tom

[volkswagner]

If you don't already have a remote, most people will recommend the mce usb remote. It works out of the box when setup in mythbuntu. It should come with one ir blaster for your set top box.

[tegwilym]

If you don't already have a remote, most people will recommend the mce usb remote. It works out of the box when setup in mythbuntu. It should come with one ir blaster for your set top box.


Looks like a good cheap thing to try. I'm not really worried about controlling the computer/Directv box remotely yet though. Right now I just want to get the computer to change channels on the satellite box (RCA) with the Computer-->IR emitter-->DirecTV box.

My idea after that is to get a Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse to control the computer - which then controls the Directv box.

I'll have to try getting the serial port emitter working on another computer first, then I'll know how to do it and can build something that does have a serial port I guess...

Tom