[FrostyFruit]

Hi all,

I am moving away from Win7 + WMC

and going to Kodi for my media + PVR.

At this stage I am running a HD home run connected to my antenna and am in the process of doing a basic setup for Kodi Krypton.

I wanted to ask what is the most popular PVR back end being used in Australia. At this stage all my research suggest I should go with NextPVR + Schedule direct.

From a design perspective I was thinking of running the PVR backend on the same box as Kodi front end, however I am worried about sleep issues effecting the PVR backend. Are most people running their PVR backend on dedicated boxes?

Thanks!

[bilgepump]

Are most people running their PVR backend on dedicated boxes?

I'm not, I just installed it on the same computer as Kodi.

[elsmandino]

If you definitely want to stick with Windows, I would second NextPVR with Schedules Direct (which I am currently using).

I have tried all the Windows backends and found it to be, by far the best - it is very simple to set up and use, never crashes, has regular updates, the forum is very helpful/friendly/quick to react and you also have the choice of using the X-Newa plugin (which I highly recommend).

One thing to watch though - see the last comment on this page:

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=309602

I am pretty sure that you Aussies use the same DVB-T system as us Brits and I am not sure that your HDHR will work with NPVR (yet).

[sub3]

Is Schedules Direct available in Australia? I know they trialled a service there, but I thought there wasn't enough takers so Australia is no longer offered.

That said, you should be fine just using the broadcast DVB EPG with NextPVR in that part of the world. (Schedules Direct is pretty much required in North America, where there very very limited broadcast EPG)

[bilgepump]

That said, you should be fine just using the broadcast DVB EPG

That's all I have, it has worked fine in my limited use of nextpvr. The only thing is that it does not capture the program description when it records a show, which Windows Media Centre does. Otherwise, you can just select a program to view or record from the epg.

[sub3]

That's all I have, it has worked fine in my limited use of nextpvr. The only thing is that it does not capture the program description when it records a show, which Windows Media Centre does. Otherwise, you can just select a program to view or record from the epg.

With the DVB EPG you'll typically get the title, description and genre for a show. You don't get a subtitle, season/episode numbers etc.

[teeedubb]

Mythtv works wonderfully here. Bit of a pita to setup, but once its going its rock solid and doesnt need any attention. Heaps of features that make it really powerful, like silence comskip, mythshutdown and automated user jobs.

For XML EPG there's shepherd, but I've switched to using OTA EPG because the XML grabbers don't reflect sudden changes in programming as well as OTA.

[bilgepump]

With the DVB EPG you'll typically get the title, description and genre for a show.

Yes, you get all of the information in the EPG. When you record a show with Windows Media Centre, it captures the "program description" with the file. Nextpvr recordings are empty in the "program description" field.

[sub3]

With the DVB EPG you'll typically get the title, description and genre for a show.

Yes, you get all of the information in the EPG. When you record a show with Windows Media Centre, it captures the "program description" with the file. Nextpvr recordings are empty in the "program description" field.

My understanding was that WMC doesn't use the broadcast EPG, but instead downloads listings from Microsoft's servers somewhere. (or some people use utilities to feed listing to WMC from xmltv etc)

You centainly get descriptions in New Zealand and the UK. If you want to supply your npvr.db3, I'm happy to look exactly what information you are receiving, and work with you to fix it if there is something you're not receiving in Oz.

[bilgepump]

My understanding was that WMC doesn't use the broadcast EPG, but instead downloads listings from Microsoft's servers somewhere. (or some people use utilities to feed listing to WMC from xmltv etc)

You centainly get descriptions in New Zealand and the UK. If you want to supply your npvr.db3, I'm happy to look exactly what information you are receiving, and work with you to fix it if there is something you're not receiving in Oz.

I don't have an internet connection. All of the EPG data I get from any program is in-band EPG information. I think Microsoft does also provide information somehow (perhaps only overseas? I don't know), but WMC can certainly function without it.

I'm not sure you understand what I'm saying. We receive program description information, there's nothing missing. It's in the EPG - but NextPVR doesn't capture it if you record a tv program, WMC does.

[sub3]

We receive program description information, there's nothing missing. It's in the EPG - but NextPVR doesn't capture it if you record a tv program, WMC does.

Ah - I misunderstood.

The same EPG details are stored with the recording, but I guess it depends where you want to see it. ie, NextPVR UI should show this info when browsing the Recordings screen. You should also see it in Kodi's list of recordings. Is this where you're not seeing it? or are you looking for the information in the properties of the file or something else?

[noggin]

Windows Media Center has two sources of EPG data for DVB channels in many territories.

1. Downloaded EPG. This is provided via Microsoft in some, but not all, regions, and is subcontracted to a listings provider (in some areas this has changed quite recently). This can have more information in it than other EPG sources.
2. In-Band EPG. This is the DVB EIT data broadcast over-the-air along with the DVB signal. This works well on some platforms, but less well on others. (In the UK Freeview SD EPG EIT stuff is good, but the Freeview HD stuff is compressed using a proprietary scheme that MS can't offer) However DVB EPG stuff can update very quickly if broadcasters support this, so can be more accurate in terms of re-scheduled shows, but the metadata may be less 'rich'.

Somewhere in the WMC set-up options you can select whether the EPG is in-band or downloaded, I think on a channel-by-channel basis.

If you live in a region where MS doesn't provide listings information then 2. is your only source. If you are using a platorm that only provides Now+Next in an open manner, then 1. is more useful.

[FrostyFruit]

Hi all,

Some great information here about EPG, I had no idea!

Can you setup Myth TV on Windows or is it a linux only flavour?

I want to make my PVR wife friendly so being able to change channels quickly and have close to instant playback is really important. WMC has set the bar for this.

I am thinking of trying NextPVR and see if I am happy before I go down a path such as mythTV.

Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated with this.

Thanks for all the support

[teeedubb]

Myth is Linux only.

To help with channel change speed I configured the ch+/- to bring up the channel osd, so you get a list of channels and you select which one. Doesn't speed up channel change but prevents having to do several to get to the one you want.

[bilgepump]

The same EPG details are stored with the recording, but I guess it depends where you want to see it. ie, NextPVR UI should show this info when browsing the Recordings screen. You should also see it in Kodi's list of recordings. Is this where you're not seeing it? or are you looking for the information in the properties of the file or something else?

Ah, thank you. It's in windows explorer that the information does not display (in addition to the file properties tabs where it shows in media centre recordings).

I want to make my PVR wife friendly so being able to change channels quickly and have close to instant playback is really important. WMC has set the bar for this.

I am a long-time WMC user and I don't have any plans to stop using win 7, so no imperative to change to something else. I tried to install some PVRs and successfully installed nextpvr, to have a look at it, see what it's like. The only thing that has stopped me using it all the time is the lack of program description in the files in windows explorer. I've just put on the tv using it in kodi, and changed a couple of channels. Perfectly acceptable as far as I'm concerned, although it showed "buffering" for about 8 seconds. I've got a digital tv (name brand) which is much slower than my computer tuner using nextpvr through kodi (my other brand is better, I was amazed at how slow the other one is, I don't think digital is as quick as analogue used to be).

If I were you, I'd go ahead and install it and have a look. It doesn't wreck any of your WMC settings, you can disable it if you don't want to use it, it is easy to figure out and use. Give it a try and make up your own minds about it. If I was wanting not to use win 7 any more, I'd find it acceptable to switch to.

EDIT: as for changing channels on live tv, the display in kodi has "epg" which shows what's on the channel you're on and "tv" which lets you scroll through all the other channels' programs showing now. You can just pick a show from that list. Pressing the numbers on my remote control also worked to change the channel. I haven't fiddled with any of this, it's all a standard installation and it works. You can bring up the full epg, it's all coloured for different types of shows. It's good, all of it. Give it a go.