I am ashamed of having a windows computer in my house, (that is in the living room) it runs MediaPortal and uses two DVB-S2 tuner cards (FloppyDTV-S2) with CI and CAM module,
I would like to run Kodi on Linux, - and I expect the need to purchase two new DVB-S2 cards/devices.
The question is, which devices is best supported/integrated with Kodi ?
The question is really "what cards are best supported by your chosen back end operating system and/or software". Kodi itself doesn't handle any TV signal processing, instead leaving that to MediaPortal, MythTV, Tvheadend, VDR and the like.
So, I suppose you need to start with questions such as:
1. Dedicated TV server back end, or running Kodi and the TV/PVR software on the same box?
2. Any reason to dump MediaPortal if you could keep this as a dedicated TV server?
3. Any NAS in the mix? Does that support any TV tuners?
After that, you head into personal choice for the backend (e.g. both Myth and tvheadend have their strengths and weaknesses) - but it's the OS choice that determines card support.
If you want to go down the Linux road, then this is a decent place to start:
https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/H...nformation
My experience is that PCTV devices work well and are well supported, although the general rule on Linux is "older hardware == more likely to work properly without drivers". Newer kit needs add-on drivers if it works at all. The DigitalDevices hardware comes highly recommended as well, but it's expensive. Internal cards seem to be better for bandwidth reasons, although perhaps have marginally worse OS support.
Thanks for a great answer.
1: Yes, running all on same box would be preferred, after all, it's already integrated into old furniture, and the coax cables end up there.
2: MP have worked fine but it's windows only, the windows is a nasty security risk I always need to DMZ, and then give some access to local media - then it's the worst pile of bloat I maintain.
3: the HTPC if I can call it that, have sufficient SSD for caching and recording, but additional SAMBA share based storage is a part of the setup.
Thank you for an very informative reply.
My DigitalEverywhere tuners are supported according to the link you posted, so I'll give mythbuntu a go, and build on it if it looks good.
I feel the same way you do about Windows, and actually briefly used MediaPortal, it's a decent program but I just REALLY hate having to run Windows for the exact same reasons you gave. I have also tried Mythbuntu but had problems getting it to recognize my DVB-S2 cards, and never could get it to work (YMMV). I've had the best luck with TVHeadEnd running on Ubuntu Server, but then I run a separate backend (it is used ONLY as a backend, not as a frontend and not for any other function besides a satellite TV backend). If I also wanted to run Kodi I'd choose standard Ubuntu. I am still running Ubuntu 14.04; I don't think I'll upgrade to 16.04 until it's been out for a while longer and people aren't reporting problems.
Regarding tuners, there are good ones and cheap ones.
TBS Technologies makes both consumer grade and professional grade cards, and the professional grade ones cost a significant amount more than the consumer grade, but the consumer grade ones work fine for many people. But there is one issue, you need to compile their drivers on your Linux box, and you have to do it again every time you install a Linux kernel update. There is a
bash script that makes that easier. Just recently someone told me that there are now
open source drivers available for some of their cards; previously they were all closed source, but for now I'm personally sticking with the old drivers because I know they work and because the open source ones don't yet support my card. If you are in North America it's a lot easier and less expensive to get the TBS cards than most other brands. I don't disagree that other brands might be better than their consumer grade cards but in North America they are probably cost about the same price as the TBS professional cards or maybe even more, especially if you have to import them from Europe. Since you mentioned CI and CAM I assume you are NOT in North America, since we don't have that stuff here. So, you may have more choices for cards than we do.
Be careful of older cards that don't support newer formats such as 8PSK and 16APSK. 8PSK is widely used now and 16APSK may become more widely used, depending on where you are in the world.
One other thing to be aware of is that not all motherboards play well with satellite cards, so don't buy a new motherboard unless you can exchange it if it doesn't work. And even the ones that do work might have an issue with conflicting interrupts; you can see
this article about that problem (and the fix for TBS cards).
You could also look to Open/LibreElec as an alternative. That has tvheadend as an installable add-on, so it's about as slim a Linux distro as you can get while still being fully-functional for Kodi/PVR. I don't know if it also support ther other Linux backends, but it may do.
(2016-07-19, 13:44)Prof Yaffle Wrote: [ -> ]You could also look to Open/LibreElec as an alternative. That has tvheadend as an installable add-on, so it's about as slim a Linux distro as you can get while still being fully-functional for Kodi/PVR. I don't know if it also support ther other Linux backends, but it may do.
I deliberately avoided mentioning that in my reply because if you know anything at all about Linux (or want to), OpenElec will frustrate the hell out of you because it tries very hard to keep you away from anything Linux-y. Which may sound good at first glance, but sooner or later you may find the need to add some piece of software to solve a problem and while that would be a piece of cake under Ubuntu, it may be impossible (or nearly so) under OpenElec.
It appears to me that the developers of OpenElec are like the parents who would put a plate of liver and lima beans in front of their kids and say "you'll eat what I give you and like it!" A few kids may actually like it (who are those weirdos?) but many others will either have no enthusiasm at all for such a meal, or hate it with a passion. I fall into the latter camp when it comes to OpenElec - I may not be a Linux guru, but I don't want a system that will try and fight me when I want to add a piece of software. In other words, if I have to eat your disgusting liver and lima beans, I at least want to have dessert!
For me the best way to go is to install a basic distribution such as Ubuntu (Server Edition if you do not need a desktop), then add TVHeadEnd (and Kodi if you want to use the same box for watching TV). But if you are the sort of person that never wants to have to deal with Linux at all, and will just accept what the developers give you (with all its features and limitations) and like it, then OpenElec may be for you. But to me, my system is MY system, and I'm not yielding nearly total control of it to something like OpenElec.
(By the way, kids, if your parents ever feed you a revolting meal like that, just walk out into the living room after dinner and puke it up all over their new carpet. You'll never get fed that again!
)
Complaining about Openelec / Libreelec not being a full linux distribution is like saying Ferrari convertibles are rubbish because the boot's too small and you can't fit a roof rack.
I imagine you could be a little more condescending towards ELEC users if you really try.
You might also like to note that LibreELEC now has docker support, so the range of software you can add has expanded greatly.
Also bear in mind that LE and OE were never designed as servers, or to do anything other than run XBMC and now KODI.
TBS6985 (4 x DVB-S2 tuners in a PCIE 1x slot)
Using open source drivers, works a treat.
Yes bit annoying having to rebuild drivers on kernel upgrade but hardly a big deal, takes all of 10 minutes.
Thanks, - what are you using to interface the TBS6985 ? - I guess there is no Kodi plugin for it, so you still need mythTV ?
I tried MythTV with my DigitalEverywhere S2 tuners, unfortunately it somehow never enabled the channel scan feature..
(2016-07-25, 20:14)AKjell Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks, - what are you using to interface the TBS6985 ? - I guess there is no Kodi plugin for it, so you still need mythTV ?
I tried MythTV with my DigitalEverywhere S2 tuners, unfortunately it somehow never enabled the channel scan feature..
I'm using tvheadend works like a charm, a ridiculous amount of options I don't use mind but all the easy stuff is there in full view.
There's no Kodi plugin for any tuner, they will all need a "backend" to work as well as the front end addon plus the driver...
What are you using fro CAM module with TBS6985 or the USB tuner ?
Is there maybe a well-integrated standalone tuner that can stream on demand - so kodi can be the only needed interface ?
