(2016-06-01, 22:06)ClayMontgomery Wrote: I did not know about Perc Data, interesting.
Yes, SchedulesDirect only supports open source projects, like MediaPortal and Kodi, and MediaPortal is Windows only.
The choices we have in America for EPG for Kodi are more limited than for Europe. I think the original question of "What is the Best PVR back-end" really has to be qualified with Windows/Linux and paid verses completely free EPG, as well as which continent you are on.
Actually, I feel the more important question when selecting a backend is "What is your source for TV?".
Most every backend supports DVB and ATSC. A few less support IPTV streams. Because of the way drivers are done, most Windows backends support CableCard; on the Linux front CableCard tuners (either SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime or Ceton InfiniTV) are only supported natively by MythTV—Tvheadend requires an IPTV source of some sort the handle these tuners.
After your tuner/driver issues are resolved, then the backend OS can be addressed. Basically anything that runs Windows can also run Linux, however if you have some software that needs to run on your backend in addition to your DVR software, then that may determine which OS you choose for your system.
After your OS is decided, then you can select your backend.
After your backend is selected, then you can decide how you are going to get your guide information. Most DVB and ATSC sources transmit guide data, and you can usually use your backend's grabber for the OTA data. However, if the guide data is not as robust as your like, or is not transmitted OTA, then you need to look for third-party sources. Most every backend can consume XMLTV data for the EPG source. Some (such as MythTV) can also use a JSON source; depending on how your backend stores the data, you may also get your data from elsewhere and be able to use a script to manipulate the data into a form your backend expects or even insert the guide data directly into the backend from your script. (MythTV maintains its guide data in a Mysql database; I am unsure how the various Windows backends store their data.)
So, instead of just asking what the best backend is, I think that breaking down where your TV signal is coming from and what platforms you need to have supported are questions that need to be answered before the *best* backend can be determined: what is best for me may not be best for you.
