2007-03-27, 18:25
Well this post is very old - obviously VDR isn't used by many XBOX owners!
(If you've not heard of it, read on..)
VDR being a very capable and long running DVB PVR application on Linux is perfect in bringing live TV / Time shifting / EPG based timed-recordings etc to the XBMC.
While the xstreamdev plugin gets us somewhere along the road - it's not seemed to have much work done on it recently and is sorely needing improvements, notably - live channel switching, support to pass remote codes onto VDR server, or preferably a direct stream of the VDR OSD.
Currently there are a few options for controlling a VDR box:
Xineliboutput whereby a stream of the output of VDR is channeled to the client - has support for remote control of VDR's menu, so you can record a channel being watched, browse the EPG, set Timers, view previous recordings etc. Obviously the hurdle with this option is there's no xine-lib DLL on XBMC... ;-)
VDR Streamdev-client: This is what's being used for the xstreamdev python script currently available, however it's never reached full maturity. It currently lacks support for streaming recordings from the server - though this could be achieved simply with a script parsing SVDRP output and Samba folders into one list. SVDRP - VDR's protocol should be improved soon and ideally would have support for all the main functions of VDR. Being able to cut out the adverts from your recordings while viewing them before instructing the vdr-burn plugin to archive the recordings would be fantastic.
I reckon VDR is ideal for people and only suffers from a lack of exposure - though it's massive in Germany, where the program originated. Because it's lightweight, under very active development, and can run on fairly limited hardware VDR, it's perfect for bolting onto your linux based file server - have one yet? ;-). Just plug in a couple of cheap DVB-T cards.
Running DVB software on a windows box doesn't make sense- people need an always on file & PVR server, and Windows is simply not an option for this. License issues aside - it's poor reliability, cost of ownership & terrible track record on security means I'll never again store the bulk of my files on a windows box.
While Mythtv has better support in XBMC than VDR, unless you've got another mythtv client in your house, I don't think there's any point having all the crossovers between XBMC and the PVR client. XBMC already handles music, video files, internet accessing plugins, very very well. Anyway, MythTV was designed around analogue capture cards, and though supports DVB very well these days still has many many strange things going on in it's design - X windows system? MYSQL backend??
As a client for a trusted & very functional bit of software handling the PVR side of things - *VDR*, the xbox would surely become the ultimate home accessory!
I'm keen on more work happening on this idea - I don't believe it's particularly hard work for a programmer with average skills, though I'm unable to program well enough at the moment. That's not to say I don't want to be involved with development, just more as a guinea-pig/opinionated user!
Maybe I need to convince some of the devs to give VDR a go.. try it - you'll like it and never want to watch normal TV again.
all the best
Alasdair
VDR here: http://www.cadsoft.de/vdr
(If you've not heard of it, read on..)
VDR being a very capable and long running DVB PVR application on Linux is perfect in bringing live TV / Time shifting / EPG based timed-recordings etc to the XBMC.
While the xstreamdev plugin gets us somewhere along the road - it's not seemed to have much work done on it recently and is sorely needing improvements, notably - live channel switching, support to pass remote codes onto VDR server, or preferably a direct stream of the VDR OSD.
Currently there are a few options for controlling a VDR box:
Xineliboutput whereby a stream of the output of VDR is channeled to the client - has support for remote control of VDR's menu, so you can record a channel being watched, browse the EPG, set Timers, view previous recordings etc. Obviously the hurdle with this option is there's no xine-lib DLL on XBMC... ;-)
VDR Streamdev-client: This is what's being used for the xstreamdev python script currently available, however it's never reached full maturity. It currently lacks support for streaming recordings from the server - though this could be achieved simply with a script parsing SVDRP output and Samba folders into one list. SVDRP - VDR's protocol should be improved soon and ideally would have support for all the main functions of VDR. Being able to cut out the adverts from your recordings while viewing them before instructing the vdr-burn plugin to archive the recordings would be fantastic.
I reckon VDR is ideal for people and only suffers from a lack of exposure - though it's massive in Germany, where the program originated. Because it's lightweight, under very active development, and can run on fairly limited hardware VDR, it's perfect for bolting onto your linux based file server - have one yet? ;-). Just plug in a couple of cheap DVB-T cards.
Running DVB software on a windows box doesn't make sense- people need an always on file & PVR server, and Windows is simply not an option for this. License issues aside - it's poor reliability, cost of ownership & terrible track record on security means I'll never again store the bulk of my files on a windows box.
While Mythtv has better support in XBMC than VDR, unless you've got another mythtv client in your house, I don't think there's any point having all the crossovers between XBMC and the PVR client. XBMC already handles music, video files, internet accessing plugins, very very well. Anyway, MythTV was designed around analogue capture cards, and though supports DVB very well these days still has many many strange things going on in it's design - X windows system? MYSQL backend??
As a client for a trusted & very functional bit of software handling the PVR side of things - *VDR*, the xbox would surely become the ultimate home accessory!
I'm keen on more work happening on this idea - I don't believe it's particularly hard work for a programmer with average skills, though I'm unable to program well enough at the moment. That's not to say I don't want to be involved with development, just more as a guinea-pig/opinionated user!
Maybe I need to convince some of the devs to give VDR a go.. try it - you'll like it and never want to watch normal TV again.
all the best
Alasdair
VDR here: http://www.cadsoft.de/vdr
)
