[doveman2]

I've just got a RPI v2 which I'll be using for XBMC/OpenElec and I want to re-purpose my RPi B as a TVheadend backend only.

I presume there's no benefit in running a stripped down install just for TVH and should just install OE as normal on the RPi B and configure TVH from there? Ultimately I'm not going to have a remote control on the B though, so I need to be able to configure it remotely from my PC using Putty, etc.

I know the USB dual-tuner I've got works with the RPi as I tried it a long time ago but gave up due to some problems I ran into, although I don't recall the details.

So is there a guide to setting up the tuner and TVH backend on the RPi somewhere that I can follow? I think the front-end setup will be relatively easy after that.

EDIT: Just wanted to add that if using two RPis for this is pointless and it would be better to run everything on the one v2, please say so!

[negge]

If you're only going to use it as a backend, just install your favorite Linux distribution on the Pi, then install tvheadend to it. tvheadend.org has instructions on how to install it.

[doveman2]

If you're only going to use it as a backend, just install your favorite Linux distribution on the Pi, then install tvheadend to it. tvheadend.org has instructions on how to install it.

Thanks but what advantage does that have over installing OpenElec and then TVH from there?

I'm also wondering if it makes sense to use a separate RPi B as a backend or just run TVH on my main RPi v2 running OpenElec?

I'm not sure what else I'd use the RPi B for but I'm sure I'll find something, or just keep it running OpenElec and give it to a friend.

[negge]

You can use Openelec, but since you're likely not going to have it connected to a display it will just use unnecessary resources. If you install a standard Linux distribution on it you can adjust the GPU memory amount to your liking so that applications have more memory available.

[doveman2]

You can use Openelec, but since you're likely not going to have it connected to a display it will just use unnecessary resources. If you install a standard Linux distribution on it you can adjust the GPU memory amount to your liking so that applications have more memory available.

True but maybe it's possible to prevent XBMC booting to avoid wasting resources but still there to be enabled if needs change (i.e. deciding to connect it to a TV and use XBMC as well as letting it serve as a backend to another RPI) and perhaps that's less complicated than installing a linux distro and setting up TVH in that?

It's a moot point if I can just use the RPI v2 to run both OpenElec and TVH for recording and LiveTV/timeshifting without any problems.

[noggin]

One real advantage of OpenElec is that the devs sometimes add patches for new DVB tuners more quickly than they appear in the standard kernel.

One real advantage to using Raspbian or similar is that you can compile your own TV Headend to be more up to date than the version in the OpenElec Unofficial addons repo - but this is obviously at your own risk.

[doveman2]

Yeah, compile my own TV Headend is probably too much for me, so I think I'll stick with OE.

It took me a while to find out that I had to install the unofficial repo and install TVH from there. Now I just need to get my tuner working. It worked when I tried it a while ago so I know it's compatible with the RPi/OE, although I seem to recall it was the Raspbmc guys who found the driver for me first back then.

When I go to the Web GUI, there's nothing listed under TV Adapters and no drop-down, so it doesn't seem to have the drivers installed.

It's a K-World dual tuner, I think maybe a 299U. From dmesg, it seems to be dvb_usb_af9035. I've pasted the output here if someone could take a look please:

http://pastebin.com/NsAdPsMQ

[noggin]

Do you have any adapters and then frontends in /dev/dvb?

[doveman2]

Do you have any adapters and then frontends in /dev/dvb?

I SSH'd in and using ls it seems there is no /dev/dvb at all , with the only thing in /dev starting with d being disk.