new sky box, anybody got it yet?

[divxmaster]

I was using 02112 as well. Not sure what was happening. Finally got it going by selecting arial and sat. Sky sat didn't seem to work. OK now so will try the codes again.

Hi Ray, any luck?

[Ray]

AT least I got TiVo working again but no luck with the IR yet. Didn't get any response. Trying to get the IR Slice program working on the Thomson but comes up with an error. Hopefully have time to have a play this weekend.

[Ray]

I am still working on getting the KAON NS1120 sky box working with my TiVo. What I have tried so far: -

• On USA Philips Series 1 used irSliceCreator to capture codes. No luck. Program kept crashing and could not test. Did get some bits of code however which may help error check later.

• On UK Thomson Series 1 could not get irSliceCreator to run. Get error “Failed to connect: No such file or directory”. Had a look through the code and could not track while file was the problem. PATH looked ok.

• Found SKY spec for the box suggesting 36kHz IR frequency.
o https://skytv.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3324/~/sky-box-hardware-specifications

• Found KAON NS1120 Pronto codes from http://www.chowmain.co.nz/mysky-driver.
o Converted these to TiVo codes using Pronto to tivo code conversion.xls
o Created a KAON1120.tcl file according to IRConversionAndSetup
o Set this as CableBoxCodeNum 29994
o Gave it a try – got occasional response to 3 and 5 but nothing repeatable

• There are some good tips on IR blaster placement here which I have yet to try. http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=106&topicid=199099

• I did have some success in that I could use my IR extender to retransmit from one room to another.

I have just ordered an old Pronto programmable remote to capture the IR codes both direct from the Sky box and also from TiVo to compare. That will arrive in a couple of weeks.

I will persevere perhaps at different frequencies as the data I captured suggested 36kHz was incorrect and may be much higher. Using some of the data I did capture from irSliceCreator.

Any further suggestions appreciated.

In the meantime I will post another note on my thoughts on using the Sky KAON NS1120 in another article.

[divxmaster]

Hi Ray,
awesome work. One thing I did read I think on the pronto sites is to put a bit of sellotape over
the ir receiver, to act as a uv filter. I doubt it would work, but worth a go.

Cheers,
Divxmaster

[Ray]

Well the Pronto arrived and 10 minutes later got it controlling the Sky box. So it can learn the codes and rebroadcast ok. Only issue I have is I need a serial connector cable and a serial port to get the data out. Got the soldering iron out and made one up but having issues connecting via my USB/COM port connector. Got some old PC's around which should have a serial port so will try and fire one of them up, not used in over 10 years so no guarantee.

Making progress though.

[divxmaster]

thanks Ray,
fingers crossed.
I might at some stage go back to an old system we had, which pulled the sky guide data from their website.
The guidedata coming from the Satellite is getting more and more inaccurate.

[Ray]

Well it has been a difficult journey but looks like I am nearly there.

Managed to find an old PC with COM port but had no USB so couldn't get ProntoEdit software across as no 3.5" floppy on my current PC's. Ended up burning a CD to do it and after a few false starts got it talking to the Pronto and then loading IR codes. Checking the KAONNS1120 codes against the ones from the www and they were close so corrected in TiVo and tried again. No luck. Spent a day or so confirming that I was changing the CableBoxCodeNum correct. Then fed the TiVo IR back into the Pronto to see the codes I was getting and they were different. Found the frequency conversion used in the Pronto to Tivo Code conversion spreadsheet was wrong. So putting in a number of random numbers and working out the relationship I got a correction and put this in and lo and behold TiVo is now controlling Sky again.

I did have to tape the transmitter to the front of the box but no shielding. I am getting some issues with multiple digits and I think 8 or 9 might not be working very well, but I am sure I can get these with some tweaking.

So I will see what it does over the weekend and see if I can fix the rest of the numbers but looks like there will be life in the old TiVo yet.

[divxmaster]

Hi Ray,
thanks for your great efforts. Much appreciated.
SKY still haven't scheduled me in for a box change yet!

Cheers,
Divxmaster

[mpnash]

Yikes, I've just received that dreaded 'upgrade letter'! Is it indeed dreaded?

Ray seems to have broken the back with the IR codes (great work!), and has provided a thorough comparison - but there still seems some doubt.
So I'm wondering if I should stall (the inevitable?) as long as possible, or bite the bullet and risk the wrath of family.

After two weeks with functional IR, how's it working out for you now, Ray?

Or anyone for that matter ... there seems to be about 20 trusty S1s still connected to the trusty mothership:
http://orac.caffeine.co.nz/stats/nzTiVo-usage.png

Cheers,
M.