Can we RS-232 control any DirecTV box with the USB port? Does anyone know which DirecTV models cannot be controlled with the USB-RS-232 converters?

AFAIK The usb ports have been disabled.  I used to use them to power a laptop cooler underneath the unit.

Yes with these
[Link: clubmac.com]

The USB ports on the H/HR21 and higher models are most definiately enabled. DirecTV sells the AM21 add-on OTA tuner that connects via the USB ports.

The DirecTV RS-232 protocol is here: [Link: dbstalk.com]

Depends on what you mean by DirecTV box. if you mean any directv receiver then no. Any directv brand receiver then I believe yes. Certainly any new directv receiver you can control RS232 including D, R and H series boxes.

Thanks, I did not realize that on the HR-21 and up, the only way to control is using a rs-232 to usb adaptor.

The HR21-Pro also has a dedicated RS-232 port.

With the issues I've had with usb to serial adaptors, this probably would be the better way to go.

Your logic in some of your posts is amusing. They can't be controlled via 232 because your laptop cooling fans no longer work and the Pro version is the only way to go since you've had issues with USB to serial adaptors? FWIW, I use the GUC232A for everything from Crestron to Lutron to old URC MX-850's and yes even DTV boxes...with zero issues.

It may also be that he has burned out a bunch of USB ports on DirecTV receivers. Many of those 'USB Fan coolers' draw a lot of power, causing problems even for some laptops, etc... And he's hooking this up to a CE device, that was NEVER meant to have such a thing attached.

Some advice Mr. MacrossZero: You may or may not be burning out USB ports on DirecTV receivers, but shouldn't you be using the 'proper' product for this application anyway = Active Thermal Management, Cool Components, Middle Atlantic, etc... Yes, they are a lot more expensive but it's the proper product. If you still want to hack something together, at least use a USB power supply to power the cooler, not the port on the DirecTV receiver.

When it works

i control almost every directv receiver we use exclusively with the guc232a from iogear. it has never failed. way way early on they changed the baud rate on the h series boxes without informing anyone from 115,200 to 9,600 bps. this was literaly months after they announced you could even control the boxes probably two years ago at least. also i use the guc232a for EVERYTHING, crestron, lutron, nuvo, universal, it has never failed.

this is the one we use for dtv and everything else. built on the iogear chipset


[Link: cablestogo.com]

Great, I am glad that this solution works for you.  I would rather have one less part to deal with and the peace of mind that a regular 9 pin RS-232 port on the back of the equipment.  BTW the usb on The HR-20 is the one that I would use, because the first generation of HD-DVR from DirecTV did not have a fan in it, and would overheat even in a well ventilated installation location.  The HR-21 has a fan inside, and larger standoffs on the bottom.  When I asked DirecTV about the usb, they confirmed that it was disabled on the HR-20 units.