2017-06-21, 17:11
Hi,
since broadcasting is shifting more and more to IPTV or DVB-S to ethernet streaming (in LAN), I notice that the IPTV provider features are not possible to realize in kodi PVR code.
As far as I understood realizing anything as a Video Addon is easily possible (because python code?) for capable developers without changing anything in KODI code.
But including new features as a PVR-Client is not possible at all, because PVR-Addons apparently need to be a C-Code and they are also absolutely restricted to the LiveTV feature set, which is included in Kodis LiveTV code.
Example 1 - Re-Play:
Here in Europe we have IPTV providers like Zattoo and Teleboy, Magine TV etc. Most or every of those services include a Re-Play feature which offers the entire Television program of the past 7 days. Usually you would simply open your EPG, list some days back and start (e.g.) Big Bang Theory from two days ago, which you missed because of a Birthday Party or so.
Well... In kodis PVR/LiveTV section respectively code, there is no such possibility to realize this feature. It is simply not meant to start shows from past days or times. You would need to patch resp. alter the code of kodi and then Patch your entire kodi with it to get these features working with one particular PVR-Client (some developers do these hacks in german kodinerds forum already). However these additions most probably break compatibility with other PVR-Clients, which are meant to comply with original Kodi code.
Example 2 - Currently playing mosaik preview:
Again zattoo IPTV. Zattoo provides a feature like current playing guide mosaik preview as static thumbnails:
It's an overview of every show, which is now playing. Simply navigate to the static thumbnail and tune the channel by clicking on it. The thumbnails are requested from the zattoo server (a feature) when opening this preview view. The screenshot is from a zattoo kodi video add-on, which has this feature realized, as well as the Re-Play feature. Unfortunately it is not possible to include such things as PVR-Client add-on because of mentioned restrictions.
Example 3:
PVR-Clients are not supposed to be working with inputstream add-on. Hence no DASH stream support is present, which is becoming the standard format for streaming content now. Also future DRM stuff won't be possible this way.
Well, one could always use the full-featured Video Add-on or so, but there the Recordings and channels are not connected to kodis LiveTV-Api, so controls, timer overviews and Yatse PVR Integration is not present, because it is simply a video add-on and not a cool pvr-addon.
I know, that this might be hard to achieve, but perhaps there is a way to discuss and think about how to make the Kodi PVR-Integration open for these kinds of features and for new ones which might come up in the future.
since broadcasting is shifting more and more to IPTV or DVB-S to ethernet streaming (in LAN), I notice that the IPTV provider features are not possible to realize in kodi PVR code.
As far as I understood realizing anything as a Video Addon is easily possible (because python code?) for capable developers without changing anything in KODI code.
But including new features as a PVR-Client is not possible at all, because PVR-Addons apparently need to be a C-Code and they are also absolutely restricted to the LiveTV feature set, which is included in Kodis LiveTV code.
Example 1 - Re-Play:
Here in Europe we have IPTV providers like Zattoo and Teleboy, Magine TV etc. Most or every of those services include a Re-Play feature which offers the entire Television program of the past 7 days. Usually you would simply open your EPG, list some days back and start (e.g.) Big Bang Theory from two days ago, which you missed because of a Birthday Party or so.
Well... In kodis PVR/LiveTV section respectively code, there is no such possibility to realize this feature. It is simply not meant to start shows from past days or times. You would need to patch resp. alter the code of kodi and then Patch your entire kodi with it to get these features working with one particular PVR-Client (some developers do these hacks in german kodinerds forum already). However these additions most probably break compatibility with other PVR-Clients, which are meant to comply with original Kodi code.
Example 2 - Currently playing mosaik preview:
Again zattoo IPTV. Zattoo provides a feature like current playing guide mosaik preview as static thumbnails:
It's an overview of every show, which is now playing. Simply navigate to the static thumbnail and tune the channel by clicking on it. The thumbnails are requested from the zattoo server (a feature) when opening this preview view. The screenshot is from a zattoo kodi video add-on, which has this feature realized, as well as the Re-Play feature. Unfortunately it is not possible to include such things as PVR-Client add-on because of mentioned restrictions.
Example 3:
PVR-Clients are not supposed to be working with inputstream add-on. Hence no DASH stream support is present, which is becoming the standard format for streaming content now. Also future DRM stuff won't be possible this way.
Well, one could always use the full-featured Video Add-on or so, but there the Recordings and channels are not connected to kodis LiveTV-Api, so controls, timer overviews and Yatse PVR Integration is not present, because it is simply a video add-on and not a cool pvr-addon.
I know, that this might be hard to achieve, but perhaps there is a way to discuss and think about how to make the Kodi PVR-Integration open for these kinds of features and for new ones which might come up in the future.
