[pvrusb2] Where to buy plus MCE info

[Roger J. Allen]

On Thu, 9 Nov 2006, Mike Isely wrote:

> Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 10:25:09 -0600 (CST)
> From: Mike Isely <isely at isely.net>
> Reply-To: Communications nexus for pvrusb2 driver <pvrusb2 at isely.net>
> To: Communications nexus for pvrusb2 driver <pvrusb2 at isely.net>
> Subject: Re: [pvrusb2] Where to buy
> 
> On Thu, 9 Nov 2006, Santiago Almenara wrote:
>
>>> Specifically, you can't tell if you are getting a 24xxx device or a 29xxx device.  The packaging
>>> and official designation are the same.  There is simply no way to tell for sure unless you can
>>> open the box and look at the white sticker on the device itself.  However I imagine that the
>>> odds are you will end up with a 24xxx device since it is newer.  I haven't heard of the device
>>> being labeled with an "MCE" designator, but the rest of the name sounds correct.  The id
>>> "99016" sounds alien.
>>
>> There are two retail models for the PVR:
>>
>> - WinTV-PVR USB2 (model 941)
>> - WinTV-PVR USB2 MCE (model 99016)
>>
>> I think that the main difference is the model 941comes with a Hauppauge remote control, and the other one with a MCE (Windows Media Center Edition) remote control.
>>
>> However, I was thinking that model 941 might be 29xxx and MCE, 24xxx.
>>
>> I think I am wrong now.
>
> Right.  The 24xxx is basically a later spin from the 29xxx, as I understand
> it.  So your theory that the MCE version just lack the remote is probably
> correct.
>
>>
>> I hope that theses models doesn't have differences besides the remote control.
>> If not the case, do you think both are supported by your driver??
>>
>
> I have been told that there are 3 variants of the device now:
>
>  1. 29xxx
>  2. 24xxx
>  3. (something like 24xxx but with an IR blaster)
>
> The driver handles 29xxx and 24xxx just fine.  I don't know much about that
> third possibility because I've only just recently learned of it and I don't
> have a sample yet to test.  If that third device really is just the same as
> 24xxx but with the IR blaster added then odds are pretty good it will work
> with the existing driver.  But I can't be sure - and given what happened when
> the 24xxx device appeared, there were a lot of changes to the hardware and it
> took me a while to stabilize the driver for it.
>
> I do not know how the "MCE" version fits into this at all.  I know nothing
> about it and without a sample I can't be sure.  However given past history
> with other Hauppauge products, it probably is just a 24xxx device without the
> IR remote.  And if that is the case then it will probably work fine.  If you
> get one of these, immediately look at the white sticker on the device and tell
> me what it shows.  The pvrusb2 web documentation (main page, newar the top)
> describes how to identify the device.
>
>  -Mike
>

I purchased an MCE version earlier this year.  There was an email about it
on Feb 7, 2006 where I probably included too many details.

In summary,

My MCE version of the WinTV-PVR-USB2 model 99016 has a white sticker with
29032 Rev D2A3.  While this (nearly a year old) model is a 29xxx version,
Hauppauge could start shipping a newer version with the current MCE models.

In addition to the pvrusb2, the package included a 44-button MCE RC-6
remote (with the Windows logo button), and a "beanbag" MCE USB SMK eHome
transceiver with IR blaster.  The MCE remote also works with my Xbox 360.

http://www.hauppauge.com/images/mce_remote_with_beanbag_large.jpg

The SMK eHome transceiver works with the lirc_mceusb2 module.  I have
never gotten the IR Blaster attached to the SMK eHome transceiver to work
under linux.  Since I already had a serial IR Blaster, I didn't try very
hard to get the SMK eHome IR blaster to work.

The Feb 7, 2006 email also had an attachment with a lircd.conf
for the MCE remote which can replace the one that Mike Isely has.

It is working fine with Fedora Core 5 and mythtv from atrpms.

-- 
Roger J. Allen
Internet: rja at rogera.net