IR Confusion

rleishman · **29th July 2008, 10:09 PM**

This is probably embarassingly noob, but:

I see HTPC cases with integrated IR ports, Hauppauge tuner cards with "remote control receiver" on the back; and then there are separate USB IR receivers.

How the heck does it all work?

My guess is that if you have a bog-standard case, you buy an IR receiver and it plug it into a spare external USB port. If you buy an HTPC case that includes an IR receiver instead, it probably plugs into an internal USB port. Am I right so far?

So what is the "remote control receiver" on the back of the tuner card all about?
And if I get two tuner cards, do I have to double-up on anything else?

TheRob · **30th July 2008, 10:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rleishman

My guess is that if you have a bog-standard case, you buy an IR receiver and it plug it into a spare external USB port. If you buy an HTPC case that includes an IR receiver instead, it probably plugs into an internal USB port. Am I right so far?

Bang on the money

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rleishman

So what is the "remote control receiver" on the back of the tuner card all about?

The USB based remotes control the card through its BDA drivers - BDA stands for Broadcast Driver Standard. Vista MC supports BDA. Some other programs don't. Therefore some tuner cards provide their own remote and receiver (that plugs directly into the card) and their own drivers for specific applications. If the card is also BDA compatible, then you don't need this remote and receiver when running in a BDA applicaton like VMC, you can use the USB ones.

These card-specific remotes are really a legacy thing. These days almost all apps and cards are BDA compliant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rleishman

And if I get two tuner cards, do I have to double-up on anything else?

No, as long as both cards have BDA drivers and you're using a BDA application. The one remote/receiver will control the application which, in turn, will control all installed tuners through the BDA drivers.

dwebkombi · **30th July 2008, 12:28 PM**

Hey TheRob, seems you know you stuff. Hopefully you can help me

How about if I have
- a 'bog std case'
- 2 off DTV1000 tuners
- a spare MS remote but no MS reciever (it's used in another machine with my Harmony remote).

Can i build or buy a reciver to work with my spare MS remote??

thanks

TheRob · **30th July 2008, 01:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwebkombi

Hey TheRob, seems you know you stuff. Hopefully you can help me

How about if I have
- a 'bog std case'
- 2 off DTV1000 tuners
- a spare MS remote but no MS reciever (it's used in another machine with my Harmony remote).

Can i build or buy a reciver to work with my spare MS remote??

thanks

Not generally. The MS receiver isn't sold separately. And ATM I don't know of any third party 'receiver only' products.

You could buy something like this and just use the receiver part with your spare MS remote - should work, but haven't test it personally! It's probably just as cheap as trying to buy a receiver only.

rleishman · **30th July 2008, 02:21 PM**

Couldn't be more clear now. Thanks TheRob