HDHR connect vs HDHR extend or both? And how? (1 Viewer)

[oscar615]

I very recently received the hdhr connect. Now I realize that it does not stream HD to wireless devices. Only to hardwired devices. But the extend sends HD to both types of connection.

If I understand, the hdhr extend compresses the files so that HD can stream over wireless, and the connect does not, correct? If this is the case then, at least on wired tv, the hdhr connect should have a better picture. Is this true? Or does the hdhr extend stream uncompressed to hardwired devices? If not would I even be able to tell the difference? I would like the best picture I can on the wired but also be able to get HD wirelessly.

So with the above being asked, can I use two hdhr, one connect and get an extend, and be able to have the wireless devices use the extend with compresses video stream, and the hard wired devices use the connect with uncompressed stream? How would I set that up?

Or should I exchange the hdhr connect for the hdhr extend and just be done with it? If the hdhr extend's picture is as good as the connect maybe I should exchange.

I am using mediaportal as a server, pc with mediaportal and xbmc hardwired at one tv, and one of those android boxes with xbmc wirelessly at the other.

I am still in the setup stage with all of the above. So I could exchange the connect for the exchange and go with one box.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome

First, I should say that the answers below reflect my understanding and opinions. You might get different answers if you were to ask somebody else. Better, ask Silicondust directly. They have a forum too: https://www.silicondust.com/forum/index.php

If I understand, the hdhr extend compresses the files so that HD can stream over wireless, and the connect does not, correct?

Sort of.

For a start, both the connect and the extend can stream over wireless. However, many peoples' wireless connections don't have enough bandwidth or reliability to handle HD streaming. That's where the extend comes in. The extend can transcode (not the same as compress - compress = no quality loss; encode/transcode = quality loss) streams to reduce the required bandwidth, thereby making it more likely that wireless streaming would be successful.

I'd like to emphasize that the "many peoples'..." is not everybody. Some peoples' wireless connections can handle HD just fine. In that case the benefit of the extend transcoding is that it may improve compatibility with mobile devices (phones, tablets etc.). If you don't intend to stream to mobile devices then that point is obviously irrelevant.

Note: the above question would probably be better asked over on the Silicondust forum.

Or does the hdhr extend stream uncompressed to hardwired devices?

The extend can stream "uncompressed" (actually, non-transcoded) to hardwired or wireless devices.
As I understand it, the choice to transcode or not depends on what the device requests. If the device requests a transcoded stream then it will get a transcoded stream; if the device requests a non-transcoded stream then it will get a non-transcoded stream. Note that this implies that the device has to know how to request transcoding. If the device doesn't know how to request transcoding (like MediaPortal's TV Server) then it will get an untranscoded stream.

Note: the above question would probably be better asked over on the Silicondust forum.

If not would I even be able to tell the difference?

Pass. I don't know. Probably depends a lot on your eyes and what transcode profile you were testing.

Note: the above question would probably be better asked over on the Silicondust forum.

So with the above being asked, can I use two hdhr, one connect and get an extend, and be able to have the wireless devices use the extend with compresses video stream, and the hard wired devices use the connect with uncompressed stream? How would I set that up?

Short answer: I think this is not possible with MediaPortal.

First, MediaPortal's TV Server doesn't support controlling the extend's transcode mode. That means I'd expect all streams would be non-transcoded, regardless of whether the tuner is an extend or connect. Therefore there'd be no point getting an extend if you intend to use it only with MediaPortal's TV Server.

Second, MediaPortal by itself doesn't support sending different streams to different devices. By that I mean: you can't send a transcoded stream to your wireless devices and a non-transcoded stream to your wired devices. Note I said "MediaPortal by itself...". MPExtended may be able to do this... but MPExtended's transcoding will be done by the server PC rather than the tuner.

Regards,
mm