Lirc and the USB-UIRT
The USB-UIRT is a usb serial InfraRed device. Support for it is built-in to the kernel via the ftdi_sio driver and usb-serial. In order to make use of it, however, you need to install lirc. To do so, you will need to have universe, and multiverse enabled. See Ubuntu documentation for more information on enabling these repositories.
Install Lirc
$ sudo apt-get install lirc
Verify the USB-UIRT is detected
Plug the usb-uirt device into an available usb port. Check dmesg to make sure it was detected and that the tty was created.:
$ dmesg | grep -i usb
You should see some output that looks like the following.:
[ 8.376358] usb 1-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3 [ 8.558634] usb 1-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice [ 14.943365] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial [ 14.943374] drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial support registered fo r generic [ 15.043231] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic [ 15.043234] drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial Driver core [ 15.045761] drivers/usb/serial/usb-serial.c: USB Serial support registered fo r FTDI USB Serial Device [ 15.045790] ftdi_sio 1-2:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected [ 15.045793] drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c: Detected FT232BM [ 15.045911] usb 1-2: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0 [ 15.045916] usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio [ 15.045918] drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c: v1.4.3:USB FTDI Serial Converters Driver
Note the tty that was created. You will use this in the next section. In the above example, it is ttyUSB0, which appears at /dev/ttyUSB0.
Configure Lirc hardware.conf
We need to edit the /etc/lirc/hardware.conf file, specifically, the LIRCD_ARGS, LOAD_MODULES and DRIVER variables. Set the LIRCD_ARGS to tell lircd where to find the serial device to use (you should know from the dmesg command in the previous step), set LOAD_MODULES to false and set the DRIVER to uirt2_raw. Like so:
# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf # # Arguments which will be used when launching lircd LIRCD_ARGS="-d /dev/ttyUSB0" #Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file #START_LIRCMD=false #Try to load appropriate kernel modules LOAD_MODULES=false # Run "lircd --driver=help" for a list of supported drivers. DRIVER="uirt2_raw" # If DEVICE is set to /dev/lirc and devfs is in use /dev/lirc/0 will be # automatically used instead DEVICE="" MODULES="" # Default configuration files for your hardware if any LIRCD_CONF="" LIRCMD_CONF=""
Start lircd
Now all you need to do is start lircd and configure remotes in the /etc/lirc/lircd.conf and /etc/lirc/lircrc files.
$ sudo /etc/init.d/lirc start
Don't forget to make sure lirc starts at boot, too.
This configuration allows you to both receive and transmit codes. Refer to the other LIRC documentation for instructions on how to test receiving with irw and transmitting with irsend.
Newer USB-UIRT Models
It has not been confirmed but some newer USB-UIRT Models may need the usb_uirt_raw driver instead of the uirt2_raw driver
# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf # # Arguments which will be used when launching lircd LIRCD_ARGS="-d /dev/ttyUSB0" #Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file #START_LIRCMD=false #Try to load appropriate kernel modules LOAD_MODULES=false # Run "lircd --driver=help" for a list of supported drivers. DRIVER="usb_uirt_raw" # If DEVICE is set to /dev/lirc and devfs is in use /dev/lirc/0 will be # automatically used instead DEVICE="" MODULES="" # Default configuration files for your hardware if any LIRCD_CONF="" LIRCMD_CONF=""
Specific to Mythbuntu 11.04
I had some troubles with this, as it did not work directly from the Mythbuntu Control Centre GUI setup. I had to modify some scripts to make it work, so I wanted to post my findings here such that it might help others.
When I installed the usbuirt, it would register and the drivers would give me access to /dev/ttyUSB0. I could even cat /dev/ttyUSB0 and see stuff happen when I hit a button on my remote. However the Mythbuntu Control Contre config scripts would not allow for the transmitter to work at all, and irw did not work reliably either. At this point I can reliably receive, and transmit worked, but may still have some bugs. I get some check sum error notes in my syslog, but I understand that's unimportant. Here's the basic steps I took to get where I am, then my config files. My setup is mythbuntu 11.04 64bit with a new usbuirt0038z. I have a HVR-1950, which receives video, but is not connected at the moment, as I want to get IR solid before adding other potential USB variables.
USBUIRT device physically plugged in to USB at boot. Check it installed with lsusb and/or lsmod. You should see something that indicates USB serial drivers are installed. Here's what mine looks like.
$ lsmod | grep usb usbserial 42908 3 ftdi_sio
See if you have /dev/ttyUSB0 or similar. Mine is USB0 so I next take a look to verify that data is making to the PC with this command, and pressing a button on the remote. (CTLR C to break when done.)
$ cat /dev/ttyUSB0 lB$ %��$ $��$ $�
Great, the PC knows this data is coming in, now we want mode2/irw/LIRC to work, it should produce something like this, however originality it did not. I would see the LED blink on the USBUIRT, but nothing in the IRW output.
With "sudo /etc/init.d/lirc stop" or "ps -A | grep ir" ensure that lirc isn't running. Once you know it's not running you can verify that data can make it to lirc by pressing a button on the remote, mode2 should generate the below
$ mode2 --driver=uirt2_raw --device=/dev/ttyUSB0 space 70500 pulse 950 space 750 pulse 1800 space 1650 pulse 950 space 750 pulse 950
Mine also generates some check sum error messages. I understand those are unimportant, as it tries version 1, which fails and generates the error message. Then it tries version 2, which does work.
If that wen't well, great. You can try firing off lirc like this. "sudo /etc/init.d/lirc start" Then you can try irw like this.
$ irw 0000000000001780 00 0 Hauppauge 0000000000001780 01 0 Hauppauge 0000000000001780 02 0 Hauppauge 0000000000001780 03 0 Hauppauge ^C $
You should see the LED blink and the above test scroll down the screen when you hit a button. If not then most likely your config scripts are broken. Info is getting to lirc, but the driver might be wrong, or the lircd.conf file might be wrong for your remote.
In my case I'm good to move onto the next step, transmitting. However I expect most that find this will first need to jump to the bottom and figure out the config scripts. For those folks, I recommend working from the bottom up, as you will likely want the echo script modifications first, then you can do your own diagnostics as you modify the other scripts.
Now that the above is receiving, I have a Dish 322 and I'm only DVRing the optical control channel. So I'll get it to do some basic tasks.
$ irsend SEND_ONCE dish info $
I saw the LED blink once briefly so it appears I'm good hardware wise. Also I saw the info overlay show up on the screen, so the dish appears to have received the signal.
Now I have to stress test this and see if I need dish, dish1, or one of the other dishes noted in the transmitter directory.
I got the above working with the below config files.
# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf # #Chosen Remote Control REMOTE="Hauppauge TV card" REMOTE_MODULES="" REMOTE_DRIVER="uirt2_raw" REMOTE_DEVICE="/dev/ttyUSB0" REMOTE_SOCKET="" REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF="hauppauge/lircd.conf.hauppauge" REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS="-l" #Chosen IR Transmitter TRANSMITTER="USB-UIRT2 : Dish Receiver" TRANSMITTER_MODULES="" TRANSMITTER_DRIVER="uirt2_raw" TRANSMITTER_DEVICE="/dev/ttyUSB0" TRANSMITTER_SOCKET="" TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF="dish/general.conf" TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS="" #Enable lircd START_LIRCD="true" #Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file #START_LIRCMD="false" #Try to load appropriate kernel modules #LOAD_MODULES="true" LOAD_MODULES="false" # Default configuration files for your hardware if any LIRCMD_CONF="" #Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration #If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application #that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive #frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER #It will then populate all other variables without any user input #If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure #to leave this set to "false" FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="false" #START_LIRCMD="" START_LIRCMD=""
I found two remotes named hauppauge, so I changed /etc/lirc/lircd.conf to be like this.
#Configuration for the Hauppauge TV card remote: #include "/usr/share/lirc/extras/more_remotes/hauppauge/lircd.conf.hauppauge" include "/usr/share/lirc/remotes/hauppauge/lircd.conf.hauppauge.mod" #Configuration for the USB-UIRT2 : Dish Receiver transmitter: include "/usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/dish/general.conf" #include "/home/jharvey/blah_usb_uirt_raw.conf"
Then I copied lircd.conf.hauppauge to this one, with .mod, and left in this one remote control. I found mine has the "toggle_bit_mask 0x800" by using this command "sudo irrecord -H usb_uirt_raw -d /dev/ttyUSB0 blah_usb_uirt_raw.conf"
#/usr/share/lirc/remotes/hauppauge/lircd.conf.hauppauge.mod
#
# this config file was automatically generated
# using lirc-0.8.3pre1(default) on Sat Jun 21 12:36:46 2008
#
# contributed by Matthew Wright
#
# brand: Hauppauge (HRV-1600 RT Remote)
# model no. of remote control: A415-HPG-A
# devices being controlled by this remote:
#
begin remote
name Hauppauge
bits 13
flags RC5|CONST_LENGTH
eps 30
aeps 100
one 919 852
zero 919 852
plead 930
gap 112908
toggle_bit_mask 0x800
begin codes
power 0x17BD
go 0x17BB
tv 0x179C
videos 0x1798
music 0x1799
pictures 0x179A
guide 0x179B
radio 0x178C
exit 0x179F
menu 0x178D
prevch 0x1792
mute 0x178F
up 0x1794
down 0x1795
left 0x1796
right 0x1797
ok 0x17A5
volup 0x1790
voldown 0x1791
chup 0x17A0
chdown 0x17A1
record 0x17B7
stop 0x17B6
rewind 0x17B2
fastfwd 0x17B4
play 0x17B5
replay 0x17A4
skip 0x179E
pause 0x17B0
1 0x1781
2 0x1782
3 0x1783
4 0x1784
5 0x1785
6 0x1786
7 0x1787
8 0x1788
9 0x1789
* 0x178A
0 0x1780
# 0x178E
red 0x178B
green 0x17AE
yellow 0x17B8
blue 0x17A9
sub/cc 0x178E
text 0x178A
home 0x17BB
end codes
end remoteI also modified /usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/dish/general.conf for 0 repeats. With the default 6 repeats, it would fail and generate messages. It also failed with 1 repeat.
I used my cell phone camera to verify my original remote was sending a signal, I then compared it to the uirt. I see the uirt has a much shorter pulse, than the original remote. The original remote will pulse as long as you hit the button. I found reliable transmission when I sent via this command
irsend SEND_ONCE dish up up
Basically the second up command will simulate a longer press on the button. I'll see if I can increase the pulse length in the config file, however for now, it work reliably.
Also here's a command that should show you what lirc has for drivers. You should see uirt2_raw.
irsend LIST "" ""
Also the hardware.conf tags don't match the terminology in the LIRC docs, so I added a couple echo lines to my /etc/init.d/lirc script.
if [ ! -z "$REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS" ]; then
start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --oknodo --exec /usr/sbin/lircd -- $REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS #< /dev/null
echo "R3" start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --oknodo --exec /usr/sbin/lircd -- $REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS #< /dev/null
log_end_msg $?
if [ -S "$REMOTE_SOCKET" -a "$OLD_SOCKET" != "$REMOTE_SOCKET" ]; then
rm -f $OLD_SOCKET && ln -s $REMOTE_SOCKET $OLD_SOCKET
fi
#now if we additionally have a transmitter defined, it is secondary process
if [ ! -z "$TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS" ]; then
/usr/sbin/lircd $TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS < /dev/null
echo "R4" /usr/sbin/lircd $TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS #< /dev/null
if [ -S "$TRANSMITTER_SOCKET" ]; then
rm -f ${OLD_SOCKET}1 && ln -s $TRANSMITTER_SOCKET ${OLD_SOCKET}1
fi
fi