[Maverickz]

What do you guys consider the best back end server for live TV for Kodi front ends?

I have a Hauppauge Dual Channel Tuner connected to a Windows Server. I prefer free/open source solutions, but would be OK with 1 time licensing fees. Not even going to consider something that requires monthly subs.
Bonus points if there is also a Linux variant of the same software as I may be switching from Windows Server to Linux in the next year when LTS for Server 2012R2 runs out.

[Jönke]

Tvheadend

[emveepee]

NextPVR as a netcore app runs pretty much the same software on Windows and Linux (including Docker, LibreElec and CoreElec).   It's not open source but it is free for personal use.  For Windows Server I assume you have already run the hack to get BDA drivers running.

Martin

[Maverickz]

NextPVR as a netcore app runs pretty much the same software on Windows and Linux (including Docker, LibreElec and CoreElec).   It's not open source but it is free for personal use.  For Windows Server I assume you have already run the hack to get BDA drivers running.

Martin

Yes, I have been using Mosaic for a good while, but with them shuttering their doors, I have been looking for a replacement. I had been using the Mosaic Client on the front end on a V2 Fire TV Box that is many years old and starting to get glitchy. I got a new Fire Cube and the install for the Mosaic Client worked fine but the icon doesn't show up anywhere, you have to run it from Settings/Apps. I then tried to install the Mosaic PVR plugin for Kodi (18.5) and it wouldn't install at all. Thus began the search for a new server/client combo. I just figured I would use Kodi for the front end and that would be one less thing to install.

I do know Mosaic has gone Open Source but they have not updated the Android client which is where this all started.

I had tried NextPVR a while back, but had interlacing issues with that. I was using their client as well though, so not sure if the issue was client or server side.

[Maverickz]

Tvheadend

I will look into that one thanks.

[emveepee]

I had tried NextPVR a while back, but had interlacing issues with that. I was using their client as well though, so not sure if the issue was client or server side.

Digital tuners from any backend will receive and store the same ts stream so that would be a client issue.  If your issue was in Kodi it will be the same no matter which client you use.  If you are talking the NextPVR client the recommended decoder needs to be LAV.

Martin

[Maverickz]

I had tried NextPVR a while back, but had interlacing issues with that. I was using their client as well though, so not sure if the issue was client or server side.

Digital tuners from any backend will receive and store the same ts stream so that would be a client issue.  If your issue was in Kodi it will be the same no matter which client you use.  If you are talking the NextPVR client the recommended decoder needs to be LAV.

Martin

Honestly it was years ago. I don't recall if it was just the NextPVR android client or Kodi as well. I do know that switching to TVMosiac back then fixed the issue and was using it ever since. Still would be if I could get the dang icon to show up on this new Fire Cube.
I think maybe my issue with Kodi was (and still is) that it lists live channels by name instead of by channel number.

[Atreyu]

I have used tvmosaic for many years because of its stability, but since it's not maintained anymore (did not find a working version of the FE addon for nexus either) i moved to tvheadend. I consider it the Rolls Royce of pvr solutions, even though it's configuration is... less intuitive

There are many and there's no one 'best solution', so you might have to explore it a bit.

[emveepee]

I think maybe my issue with Kodi was (and still is) that it lists live channels by name instead of by channel number.

Unfortunately the default order in Kodi is by Kodi channel number which causes a lot of confusion but you can change the setting in Kodi PVR Setup to use the backend channel number.  Name would be a user choice.

Martin

[Atreyu]

Was just adding almost exactly Martin's reply, so i just left it out, but it's just as true

[Maverickz]

I have used tvmosaic for many years because of its stability, but since it's not maintained anymore (did not find a working version of the FE addon for nexus either) i moved to tvheadend. I consider it the Rolls Royce of pvr solutions, even though it's configuration is... less intuitive

There are many and there's no one 'best solution', so you might have to explore it a bit.

As I mentioned earlier, TVMosaic did go Open Source, not sure what the community will do with it, if anything, but I found a way to stick with it for now. I was able to get a working icon on the FTV Cube using bookmark icon/apk.