I still use Windows XP, not Windows MCE or the awful VISTA. It happens that XP needs some tweaking to recognize the infrared receiver/sender (or blaster, if your prefer), that comes with most Hauppauge TV boards.

By default, XP won’t recognize the device. After searching for this issue on the Internet, using the string “USB\VID_0609&PID_0334\PA070813125743D”, I found many frustrated users and no easy solution.

So, here is one easy solution for that problematic USB\VID_0609&PID_0334\PA070813125743D device…

Edit c:\yourwindowsinstalldirectory\inf\irbus.inf
and, at the end of the [MicrosoftHw] section, add the line:

%USB\VID_045E&PID_006D.DeviceDesc%=IrBus_V2, USB\VID_0609&PID_0334 ; SMK RXX6000-0141E

You’ll probably end up with a file like this one:
irbus.inf

Now:
(1) rename c:\yourwindowsinstalldirectory\inf\irbus.inf to c:\yourwindowsinstalldirectory\inf\irbus.old
(2) save the new, modified, irbus.inf file to c:\yourwindowsinstalldirectory\inf\
(3) (re)insert the SMK RXX6000-0141E device on some USB port
(4) chose to auto install the device, searching for a driver on the windowsupdate Internet site.

That will do it.

Behind curtains, a muv3wuredir.cab file will be downloaded from
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v8/windowsupdate/redir/muv3wuredir.cab?0904141901

It contains nothing more that one single XML file (wuredir.xml) instructing how to install the device.

<?xml version=”1.0″ ?>
<WuRedir xmlns=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/msus/2002/12/wuredir” redirectorId=”1082″>
<Protocol elementVersion=”1″ clientServerUrl=”https://update.microsoft.com/v6” reportingServerUrl=”http://stats.update.microsoft.com” />
<SelfUpdate elementVersion=”1″ selfUpdateUrl=”http://update.microsoft.com/v8/windowsupdate” />
<UpdateServices elementVersion=”1″>
<Service ServiceID=”7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d” AuthorizationCabUrl=”http://update.microsoft.com/v8/microsoftupdate/redir/MUAuth.cab”/>
</UpdateServices>
</WuRedir>


After installing, the “found new hardware wizard” window will appear, stating that the “eHome Infrared Receiver” was installed.


20090414_ehome_ir_receiver


Now, what can be done with it? I’ll answer that on a future post.