Up to now, I have only ever used a combination of internal DVB-S2 and DVB-T tuners (1 x DVB-S2 and 3X DVB-T, to be precise).
Ideally, I have always wanted to drop either Freesat or Freeview, as it makes keeping channel updates that much easier.
Another reason for dropping one of the formats would be because it would allow me to use a IP Server instead, which would save me dragging various coax cables around my house, like I currently have (plus it gets rid of potential driver issues that can occur from using a Linux Server). I also get the flexibility of moving my server to anywhere on the network.
My first choice would have been to stick with Freeview only and use an HD Homerun but I didn't like that for two main reasons - they only have fast Ethernet and only come with two TV tuners, where as I really want four.
The other option was to go with Freesat only and use one of the various SAT>IP boxes that come with four tuners and gigabit Ethernet. The problem with Freesat was that two of my favourite channels (Quest and Dave) were only available on Freeview until now.
As Freeview and Freesat essentially have the same channels now, do you think I should just go for a SAT>IP box and be done with it?
If so:
1. If I switch from internal tv tuners to a SAT>IP box, will bandwidth on my Gigabit switch be an issue? Might I have to get a second Gigabit network card for my server?
2. I currently have a single coax running from satellite dish to my TV tuner card. I am not too keen on having four cables running through my wall - should I consider swapping the satellite dish for one with a unicable lnb?
Does your backend support SAT>IP?
I don't think you need 2*gigabit since most broadcasts are <20mbit/s, with non-HD frequently <2mbit/s. So you could record a lot of concurrent programmes on one gigabit connection.
Freesat does not have as many "quality" HD channels as Freeview, but is usually higher bitrate.
You don't necessarily need a hardware SAT>IP, you could run software such as minisatip or tvheadend or satpi if you need to relocate a noisy machine elsewhere.
I don't know much about unicable, it's something I'd been trying to find more info on wiring and compatibility. The alternative is a quattro LNB (rather than a quad-LNB) since that can simultaneously tune all channel combinations if you decide to add another tuner, but I read that you may need a new dish depending on where you live and current type of dish.
Another forum I read mentioned the Digibit R1 box is good.
I think a lot depends on your backend, your budget, existing hardware, and how your use it. Does your B/E schedule across T/S without any work from you? Does your dish support quad tuner? Does your family watch different live tv in multiple rooms concurrently? Do you get a good tv reception?
My experience suggests that SAT>IP fails more frequently than direct access, partly because it's all a bit more complicated and the code is currently a little less mature. But, your experience could be different if your existing tv cards are badly supported.
Thank you for your help - you have a much better knowledge of this than me.
By way of background, I have a server case in my livingroom, with a G1840 CPU, 12 Gigs of RAM and 10TB of storage, from 6 HDDs. I am running Openmediavault and using TVHeadend for PVR purposes.
The TV tuners are a Hauppauge HVR-2200 and a Hauppauge NovaHDS2.
The satellite and aerial feeds come in though the livingroom wall, which is why I have had to keep the server in there.
I also read that the Digibit R1 was a decent bit of equipment but was slightly worried by the fact that is does not have gigabit ethernet.
In terms of tv reception, I get a very good signal on both the satellite and the aerial, so I am not really forced into choosing one of the other from that respect.
Ideally, I really want to move my server into my office. Do you think it might just be easier to put either a quad DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 directly in my server and move the outlets to the office instead?
I had not really come across SAT>IP software before - really interesting.
So an alternative might be to build my own SAT>IP box and run minisatip/TVHeadend/satpi on that?
I've tried a few different combinations of hardware and locations over the years.
I'm guessing you are using tvheadend.
Tvheadend can talk to one or more sat>ip servers (such as minisatip) running on the
same or (multiple) different machines.
Before spending money, I'd probably try running minisatip or satpi on the existing box just to get familiarity. So, you'd disable the adapters inside tvheadend, start the sat>ip server and then in tvheadend you'd search for server and then configure the (new) sat>ip adapters. I'm not familiar with the Openmediavault and installing s/w on it so can't help with that aspect.
I'd guess 100mbps should be about enough for a quad tuner for most uses. This site
KingOfSat suggests a satellite mux has up to 50mbps, but typically 30mbps shared between all those channels, and a sat>ip server typically sends just the one specific channel rather than the whole mux and you'd rarely be recording all the channels.
By outlets, I assume you mean the aerial connections/sat connection and that your office has no existing aerial.
I think it depends on what other h/w you have for actually viewing the recordings. For example, if your existing server is the one that is running kodi?
Assuming you have a good network from the office to the living room, then I'd consider moving the noisier machine there and putting a small machine in the living room. That machine could be very stripped down, even just boot off a usb key and just use the disks from the office (via nfs) so it would be relatively quiet and can also be used to run kodi.
As you say, the alternative would be to get cables down to the office and then just some small machine in the living room.
Personally, I prefer usb for tv rather than pci, purely because you can easily move them to lower spec machines/laptops in the future. But, I have heard people say the pci ones are better quality.
I have one of those booster splitters and a few different makes of usb tuners (DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S2) since I read several dual tuners have had problems.
If you move your server and have a tv outlet put in the office then you can also run minisatip on a server in the living room to get extra dvb-t and dvb-s2 tuners.
Sorry - I should have clarified that my server runs headless and connects to multiple Raspberry Pi clients, via Gigabit Ethernet.
I have to say, your last post has slightly blown my mind in terms of the further possibilities that are available.
So, rather than buying a network tuners, such as an HD Homerun, Digibit R1, Megasat etc, you can build one yourself and just run the SAT>IP server on it?
Just out of interest, what is the main difference between minisatip, TVHeadend, satpi?
Furthermore, would it be possible to run TVHeadend as both a PVR and SAT>IP server on the same PC?
I can definitely see how, now, USB tuners and a RPi could be potentially used as a DIY network server. I wonder what the lowest-powered server you could make with PCI-e card and Gigabit ethernet.
That's correct, you can build it all yourself. Since you have multiple Pi clients you could theoretically connect a cheap Chinese usb dvb-t2 tuner to each of them (search MN88473 for well supported ones, which should work on Pi too), run a sat>ip on each and then combine them all together on your main server. However, the R1 (to me) seems cheap for quad dvb-s2.
The main difference between minisatip, tvh, and satpi seems to mainly be how you configure them. Some people say they can't get one or the other to work so drift to the one that they first get working. For example, tvh didn't export one of my dvb-t2 tuner, and I think satpi didn't handle my mixed dvb-t/t2 tuner, whereas minisatip exported everything. I'm sure if I bothered investigating a lot then all of them would work fine.
There are more differences, of course, using tvh as a server requires configuring it with muxes and scanning, whereas minisatip requires no config and just exports all tuners. I'm sure in advanced environments things differ. And each will have their own problems.
Yes, you can run tvh as a PVR and sat>ip server on the same PC. Configuration->General->SatIP Server>Export. The options might not exist if you run an early version of the software. Or you can run minisatip and tvh on the same machine.
Not sure the cheapest PCI server. If you figure it out, let us all know!
My Digibit R1 works perfect with Tvheadend and channel change is fast
Thanks Joenke.
Out of interest, what is your current set up at the moment?
The Digibit R1 seems to be not only the cheapest but also (from the various forums I have visited) the most popular too.
The other two are more expensive, which I would be happy to pay if they offered something more than the Digibit (e.g. more features, better power consumption etc).
I do like the way that the Megast and Triax have easy mounting brackets, which the Digibit doesn't seem to have. However, they both seem to lack USB ports.
2 quad set up with 2 sat. Tvh server running on HP microserver with Openelec as OS . Clients is Rpi , nuc , Amlogic sx05 with Libreelec
Very interesting,
I had never considered using Openelec as the OS for a server - how is that working for you, compared to something like Ubuntu Server, Openmediavault etc?
2 quads and 2 satellites - does that mean you have two Digibit R1s?
No, only one R1, i use diseq.
Works good for my use
- ftpserver
-torrent
-smb server
-tvh server with 4 tuners
Right - I see, now.
Based upon this:
https://translate.google.co.uk/translate...rev=search
I thought that the R1 had no Diseqc support. I have read lots of other reviews that the D1 does not have a gigabit speed ethernet port, either.
So, if you are using Diseqc, does that mean that you can only use one satellite at a time or are you using a Diseqc switch for each tuner?
Yes right , one / tuner so i have 4 of them
In your case I would consider a Unicable/Unicable II LNB on a suitable dish.
They would give access to many tuners ..... from 8 to 32 depending on LNB.
One coax cable to the Gibabit R 1 to get four Sat channels, and if more are required then use a suitable splitter on the cable and get access to more tuners.
I have my Gigabit outputting to the LAN and from there my 'management server' running tvheadend picks up the data and sends it to the LAN using HTSP. It also manages the EPG and recording etc etc.
Client devices are R-Pi & NUC as well as PCs, tablets, laptops and phones. All run Kodi or other suitable client software.
My fixed clients (R-Pi, NUC) and the management server all run Libreelec.
Running the same software on all ensures I have an easy time updating etc.
All recordings and other media is available to all clients.
I have no problem viewing 8 or 9 TV channels from a 100Mb/s NIC in the management server.
The wiring is 1Gb/s as are the network switches involved.
As you are already using tvheadend, if you add the R1 to the network you will see it appear under TV Adapters in the tvheadend configuration.
Just set up the four tuners and they are available!
I am very happy with the R1 ...... replacing a TBS PCI-e tuner card.
Good luck.