Hi!

I removed refereence to /dev/lirc from hardware.conf as suggested and rebooted.

> ps ax | grep blaster
3944 ? Ss 0:00 /usr/sbin/irblasterd --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf
5194 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
5195 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
5197 ? R 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1

irblasterd appears to be running

> irsend -d /dev/irblasterd SEND_ONCE DCT2000 1

no message

> ps ax | grep blaster
5212 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
5213 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
5215 ? S 0:00 grep blaster

irblasterd died, so restart

> /etc/init.d/irblaster restart
Stopping irblaster daemon: irblasterdNo process in pidfile `/var/run/irblasterd.pid' found running; none killed.
.
Starting irblaster daemon:.
> ps ax | grep blaster
5274 ? Ss 0:00 /usr/sbin/irblasterd --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf
5281 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
5282 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
5284 ? R 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1

what does /dev show when irblasterd is running?
> ls -la /dev/irblaster*
crw-r--r-- 1 root root 61, 1 Apr 27 06:13 /dev/irblaster
srw-rw-rw- 1 root root 0 Apr 27 06:13 /dev/irblasterd

wierd. so irblasterd is crashing when you try to send. are you sure that your irblasterd.conf file is ok? Try running the daemon interactively and see if it says anything before crashing. type "man irblasterd" to find the option to run it interactively (i.e not daemonised) and supply that option along with the other options it normally gets started with. Also, remove the /dev/irblasterd file (or more correctly referred to as a socket). It should be recreated by the daemon when you run it.

Thanks for your patience! Since I know that this works for other people, I can only assume that I have made some stupid error or overlooked something simple.

I looked at the irblasterd.conf file again and noted that it was one that was listed on one of the posts on the forum and it can also be found one the LIRc list of remotes.

I tried the one listed at the top of this topic and it did not seem to make any difference.

I copied the irblasterd from the sticky again just to make sure that it was OK.

End results are more of the same. I could not find the command to run the irblaster interactively.

I am using a homebuilt irblaster on com2. Could the problem be with the blaster itself or the com port? I was thinking that the failure was at the software level and not at the hardware level. Is this an incorrect assumption?

If you had a problem with the blaster, it would not cause irblaster to crash. You just wouldnt get the ir signals you are trying to send. Not sure about the com port. There is probably potential for problems there I guess.

You could try switching to com1. All you should need to do is change the hardware.conf and reboot.

You don't have dos style line endings (instead of unix style) in your irblasterd.conf do you? This can happen depending on how you create the file by cut and pasting (did it come from a windows machine?)

To run interactively (i forgot it is actually lircd thta runs, so you needed to look at the lircd man page):

> ps ax | grep blaster
6387 ? S 0:00 sh -c (/usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf) 2>&1
6388 ? S 0:00 /usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf
6393 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
6394 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
6396 ? S 0:00 grep blaster

> change_chan.sh 10
changing to 10
/usr/bin/irsend: could not connect to socket
/usr/bin/irsend: Connection refused
/usr/bin/irsend: could not connect to socket
/usr/bin/irsend: Connection refused

> ps ax | grep blaster
6423 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
6424 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
6426 ? S 0:00 grep blaster

> /usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf
lircd: there seems to already be a lircd process with pid 6434
lircd: otherwise delete stale lockfile /var/run/irblasterd.pid

> ps ax | grep blaster
6433 ? S 0:00 sh -c (/usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf) 2>&1
6434 ? S 0:00 /usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf
6454 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
6455 ? S 0:00 sh -c (ps ax | grep blaster) 2>&1
6457 ? S 0:00 grep blaster

I do cut and paste when possible to prevent typos. I use my main system (Linux also). I cut and paste to file with kedit and upload to the mythbox with webmin and check permissions and file with the webmin filemanager. Konqueror identifies the irblasterd.conf as plain text unix format. I also find the Webmin command shell great for doing all the repetitive commands for testing.

It really looks seem the irblasterd.conf is the culprit doesn't it? I have used the one from this thread and the one from the sticky for the DCT2000. I am not sure what else to try.

Perhaps it is time to reinstall and try again?

I think you misunderstood what I meant by running it interactively. I meant actually run that blaster command from a command prompt rather than starting it using the init.d script. Something like this:

Code:

/etc/init.d/irblaster restart
killall irblasterd
/usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf

Then see what happens in the command window you ran it from when it crashes. Might give some clues, but im just guessing. A re-install may be in order.

The result is the same as above.

> /etc/init.d/irblaster restart
Stopping irblaster daemon: irblasterd.
Starting irblaster daemon:.
> killall irblasterd
> /usr/sbin/irblasterd -n --driver=default --device=/dev/irblaster --pidfile=/var/run/irblasterd.pid --output=/dev/irblasterd /etc/irblaster/irblasterd.conf
lircd: there seems to already be a lircd process with pid 7086
lircd: otherwise delete stale lockfile /var/run/irblasterd.pid

I will reinstall and start over!
To be continued in a new thread.....

Thanks for all the help!

If the install fixes things, be sure to post back here.

Like I said, it was bound to be something stupid!

The re-install fixed it! That is the re-install and turning on the com ports on the motherboard!

Thanks for all the help! I am really good at installing the software for the irblaster now!

I am really looking forward to using my mythbox again! I have been looking over all the improvements in R5b7 and now that I can change the channel on the cable box I am ready to enjoy.

It really looks like this could be an out of the box thing. All I really had to do was change the startup order, copy the new irblaster script, make a small edit in the hardware.conf and copy the change_chan script found here.

Thanks

Good to hear. The next version should do all of that stuff automatically including copying the irblasterd.conf file which you will be able to select from a list.