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XBMC PVR Client & For The Record: Argus TV-Server
#1
Lightbulb 
Hi!

I think we should have a big thread here regarding XBMC and Argus TV-server.

We need some clarity of which clients and methods that are the newest, best and most stable.

I know that there are a lot of people waiting for the possibility of replacing MediaPortal client/server with XBMC as front-end, and FTR Argus as their TV back-end.

How far away is this? Is it possible now to get live TV from Argus in XBMC?

I'm in no way any expert on this, but I'm doing my best to contribute to this project. I know there are a lot of people who is confused with which client is the newest etc.

Finally dushmaniac is trying to clear this up, which really is a good initiative. I think this will make it easier to cooperate to get a working front-end for the different TV-servers.

So to all users/developers experienced in the Argus TV-server, and the development of a XBMC-PVR/FTR plugin, please post your progress here, and help the community gather information in one place.

Also it will be easier for the users to see the development, and easier to donate some money to the brilliant developers, who make our wishes come true! Nod
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#2
I think this thread will just be over-run. We need a sticky post showing a list of current backends and their status. That's all.
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#3
NorDemoniac Wrote:I think we should have a big thread here regarding XBMC and Argus TV-server.
there's no argus tv server add-on available. you could create a thread (or use this one) for development purposes.

Quote:We need some clarity of which clients and methods that are the newest, best and most stable.
my repository (check my sig) is the main development repository for PVR. pvr-ppa is the stable release branch and master is the development branch. the tvheadend add-on will always contain the latest changes and should be the most stable one around. vdr/vnsi usually follows changes pretty quickly too.

Quote:I know that there are a lot of people waiting for the possibility of replacing MediaPortal client/server with XBMC as front-end, and FTR Argus as their TV back-end.
if you say so Smile never heard anyone ask something about that backend here.

Quote:How far away is this? Is it possible now to get live TV from Argus in XBMC?
0. nobody started working on an add-on for that backend yet.

Quote:I'm in no way any expert on this, but I'm doing my best to contribute to this project. I know there are a lot of people who is confused with which client is the newest etc.
again, tvheadend is the only one that's always up to date and vnsi is up to date too most of the time. until PVR support is fully integrated in mainline XBMC (and the API is 100% stable), the tvheadend add-on will also be the only add-on that we (team XBMC) focus on and fully test.

so if you are to start a new add-on, take the tvheadend one as an example.

Quote:Finally dushmaniac is trying to clear this up, which really is a good initiative. I think this will make it easier to cooperate to get a working front-end for the different TV-servers.
that thread is mainly about changes to the earlier API from pvr-testing2. if you got questions about the API, you're free to ask ofcourse.
opdenkamp / dushmaniac

xbmc-pvr [Eden-PVR builds] [now included in mainline XBMC, so no more source link here :)]
personal website: [link]

Found a problem with PVR? Report it on Trac, under "PVR - core components". Please attach the full debug log.

If you like my work, please consider donating to me and/or Team XBMC.
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#4
loggio Wrote:I think this thread will just be over-run. We need a sticky post showing a list of current backends and their status. That's all.
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HOW...BMC-PVR%29
opdenkamp / dushmaniac

xbmc-pvr [Eden-PVR builds] [now included in mainline XBMC, so no more source link here :)]
personal website: [link]

Found a problem with PVR? Report it on Trac, under "PVR - core components". Please attach the full debug log.

If you like my work, please consider donating to me and/or Team XBMC.
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#5
Dushmaniac,

Margro has a fortherecord (argus) plugin in his builds (windows only) that currently a user by the name of Red F (located at the 4therecord forums) is working on as we speak... The wiki link ( http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title...ka_XBMC-PVR%29 ) you sent me above even has it listed as number 5 in the list of backends... Argus is the name of ForTheRecords tvserver backend. The plugin has been in the making for a while now and works quite well for viewing tv in its current state using the XBMC PVR addon API... I've used it several times, i thought you would have known this??

Available in Margro's Binary builds.

Info @: http://www.4therecord.eu/forum/viewtopic...=20&t=1600

Margro's WINDOWS binary builds, here: http://www.scintilla.utwente.nl/~marcelg...build.html

Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Loggio.
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#6
Dushmaniac knows about the plugin only under the name ForTheRecord Big Grin.

I've updated the wiki to make it more clear that Argus = ForTheRecord TV tuner.

As already explained by loggio, Live TV/Radio is working fine (windows only, frontend and backend must be on the same PC) and playback of recordings is also functional. Channel swithing is a bit faster than with Mediaportal.

EPG support is still work in progress. Timer support is limited/unavailable due to a mismatch between the timer API and the advanced schedule possibilities of ForTheRecord.
Developer of the MediaPortal PVR addon and retired developer of the Argus-TV PVR-addon.
http://www.scintilla.utwente.nl/~marcelg/xbmc
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#7
right, names names Smile
opdenkamp / dushmaniac

xbmc-pvr [Eden-PVR builds] [now included in mainline XBMC, so no more source link here :)]
personal website: [link]

Found a problem with PVR? Report it on Trac, under "PVR - core components". Please attach the full debug log.

If you like my work, please consider donating to me and/or Team XBMC.
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#8
Really? So the XBMC-PVR can actually connect to Argus?!

Can I install XBMC and XBMC-PVR side by side? I don't want to break my current XBMC, but I want to test the PVR, just to see where we're at.

Thank you all for your responses!
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#9
Will the ForTheRecord/Argus plug-in eventually have Linux support?

(I'm just wondering but why is it limited to Windows right now only?)
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#10
@sofang:
The ForTheRecord plugin and the (new) MediaPortal (TSReader) share the code that reads the Live TV stream directly from the timeshift buffer. I borrowed this code from MediaPortal itself. Unfortunately, the TSReader code from MediaPortal is heavily based on MFC code. Rewriting it to make it cross platform is just a lot of work, so it will take some time. The largest part of the work is to add direct access to the timeshift buffer via a Windows SMB share under Linux.
Because PVR addons are plugins, I can't simply access the existing SMB code from XBMC within the plugin.

Since FTR 1.6.0.0, we can also use RTSP streaming, which does not require the TSReader code. It should not be too much work to add this to the FTR addon similar to the (cross platform) MediaPortal (ffmpeg) PVR addon. With RTSP streaming (via ffmpeg) added, we can build a functional Linux/OSX version.
Developer of the MediaPortal PVR addon and retired developer of the Argus-TV PVR-addon.
http://www.scintilla.utwente.nl/~marcelg/xbmc
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#11
sofakng Wrote:Will the ForTheRecord/Argus plug-in eventually have Linux support?

(I'm just wondering but why is it limited to Windows right now only?)

It is limited to Windows now because my main development environment is Windows based. Also, since the PVR support within XBMC has been in 'a state of constant flux' my focus has been on getting functionality proper for one platform before addressing cross-platform issues.

That said, it is my intention to eventually try to get it working on an AppleTV2. Simply because that nice little box deserves connectivity to ForTheRecord Smile. This implies (I guess) that at that point I will get it working on Linux, OS X and iOS too.

But do not expect that to happen soon. Many times after updating my working repository with new commits from the main stream development I find that new 'challenges' have been introduced. Functionality that was working for weeks is suddenly broken, other stuff unexpectedly starts working. Most of that is outside the scope of the ForTheRecord addon.

All this is not unusual and simply part of the development process. It requires some perseverance from those developing, and a lot of patience. Especially for those anxiously waiting to use it.

The ForTheRecord addon has this week seen a large improvement in channel switching while viewing Live TV (read: it changed from not working at all to working Wink). Adding a manual timer from the Timers display allows you to enter data that may not match an actual show on the FTR server, the addon can not distinguish this from 'valid input' when you add a timer on the EPG display. I'm working on a solution for that now.

There are still lots of small issues left.

The first step towards cross-platform support will be the usage of RTSP. Although this has its drawbacks too (eg. slower channel switching).

And -with only 24 hours in a day, a job, wife, kids and two cats- development of the FTR addon for XBMC does not always come first :cool2:.

Cheers,
Fred
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#12
Any News for the Linux addon from fortherecord ??
I have test fortherecord with a Windows xbmc Client and it works very well !!!!
But i hate xbmc with Windows ;-)
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#13
i would be happy to know!! Smile
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#14
TheZepter Wrote:Any News for the Linux addon from fortherecord ??
I have test fortherecord with a Windows xbmc Client and it works very well !!!!
But i hate xbmc with Windows ;-)

Yes, there is news. Smile

The addon currently works on the following platforms:
  • Windows
  • Linux (Ubuntu 32-bit)
  • OSX
  • iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod...)
  • Apple TV 2
  • Apple TV 1 (Crystalbuntu)

BUT, I have no binaries available to install off-the-shelf. All the sources are available on github, and I'm trying to get it merged in the official PVR repo.

You are probable best off following the thread in the ForTheRecord forum:

http://www.4therecord.eu/forum/viewtopic...&start=196

Cheers,
Fred
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#15
I'm searchin the net for almost 2 hours now. Smile I've no idea how to install the for the record pvr addon.

I've found http://www.scintilla.utwente.nl/~marcelg...build.html
and installed the eden build - but I can't enable the ForTheRecord Addon. Neither I can enable one of the other VDR Addons (if no idea where they come from)

tell us how to install or where to copy which files. Smile

thanks
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XBMC PVR Client & For The Record: Argus TV-Server2