New to HTPCs and Have a Few Question on the TV Software Side of Things (1 Viewer)

Talguy

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As the title states I am taking the plunge into building a HTPC to replace my comcast DVR with something that is more robust. I had my mind set on going full XBMC with a NextPVR backend but then I discovered MediaPortal this weekend and have been reading up on it liked crazy. Overall I don't see that much difference between the two. I've read that XBMC is easier to setup and is quicker when loading up the software neither I really care about cause once its setup and loaded I won't touch it. What I really care about is replacing hopefully all the functionality that my Comcast box gave me. This is where I was doing a lot of research on how to integrate Live TV in XBMC. Its great they have the PVR interface built in to the main software but there still seems like there is a lot of work around to really get it functioning like a set top box you get from your provider and integrate recordings from a TV backend (like NPVR) into the XBMC library.

This weekend I dsicovered MediaPortal when googlin about setting up a client-server multiseat based "HTPC System". What I loved was that MediaPortal's TV Server is already setup for what I want, distribution of TV through out the house and MP2 is going to make this even easier when setting up the rest of the software. I love the documentation in MP's wiki and I really like the Titan skin. Some say MP is not as atractive as XBMC but that skin has really caught my eye.

Now that you're sick of my ramblings I'll ask my question. I really feel this question will be the make it or break it deal for me and will determine which software package I go with. I love TV, probably more than Movies. I usually record TV and watch my favorite shows on the weekends or late at night. From all my research on XBMC and Live TV PVR, It was near impossible or a huge effort to take my record shows and integrate them automatically into the XBMC Library for playback later. So can MediaPortal take the record shows and load them into the media library allowing me to play them back from the TV Show listing at a later date? I don't normal save TV Show recordings permenately on my DVR. I do intend to delete these shows after I have watched them. Sometimes I record random things like Nature Shows, Documentaries, Concerts from Paladia. I know the scraper probably won't be able to find info on these records from the internet but will MP save the info from the EPG about the recording and integrate that into the library as well?

So is this possible? My whole decision on building this HTPC is becuase I really hate the software on my comcast DVR. It just doesn't look nice on a HDTV. and I am sick of turning on the PS3Media Server and the PS3 to watch my movie collection. I just want to toggle a menu to get to my collection now.
 

tony72

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    Since nobody more knowledgable has replied, I'll say that I think the answer is mostly yes. You can configure the TV server to put various EPG data items into the filenames of the recording (see here, and if you intend to us the tv series plug-in, you can therefore generate filenames that the plugin can handle, add the recording folder to the list of folders the plugin watches. I'm not too sure about items that aren't going to be found by the tv series scraper though.

    I don't actually do this myself. Accessing recordings via the standard mediaportal recorded tv section does keep EPG show info etc intact, and for me that's more than good enough for programmes I don't intend to keep permanently, so that's all I use.
     

    FreakyJ

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    I think MP will fit your needs ;)
    You hast have to take care which version you choose (MP1 vs. MP2) these two are completely different products :)
    I think for the beginning MP1 will fit your needs much better (except you want PiP). But you just can try both and make your decision.
    Also you have take into account that MP2 uses a really Alpha version of your next TV-Engine.

    So to put all into a nutshell: Take MP1 if you want watch/record Tv the most :)

    What I can't recommend is to use XBMC with our Tv Server, there are a lot of problems (which we are not responsible for).

    P.S.
    TVE also supporst CableCards (only copy freely channels) ;)
     

    Talguy

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    I think MP will fit your needs ;)
    You hast have to take care which version you choose (MP1 vs. MP2) these two are completely different products :)
    I think for the beginning MP1 will fit your needs much better (except you want PiP). But you just can try both and make your decision.
    Also you have take into account that MP2 uses a really Alpha version of your next TV-Engine.

    So to put all into a nutshell: Take MP1 if you want watch/record Tv the most :)

    What I can't recommend is to use XBMC with our Tv Server, there are a lot of problems (which we are not responsible for).

    P.S.
    TVE also supporst CableCards (only copy freely channels) ;)

    Yea I don't plan on using MP2 cause its still really being worked. I've read up on it and it has pretty much all the features I need for a Multi-seat setup (except MadVR but everyone wants that). I don't need PiP, I rather watch and listen to a show at a time. It would be nice for sporting events if I want to check a quick score without having to leave the main game I was watching. The CableCard support is a big one for me and I'm happy with watching copy freely channels.

    Overall I think I have made my decision to go with MediaPortal after all the reading I have done since I posted this thread a few days ago. So quick question about TVServer and recording Live TV. Based on the EPG data can TVSever determine if I am recording a movie or not fromm genre data? I know my comcast DVR can't do this but it's EPG will color code programs purple telling you its a movie that is airing in that time on that channel. Also can TVServer excute a custom made script once a recording has finished?


    Yea I wasn't planning on using your TV server with XBMC as I heard there are a lot of problems. The best one I heard to use is NextPVR.
     

    FreakyJ

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    So quick question about TVServer and recording Live TV. Based on the EPG data can TVSever determine if I am recording a movie or not fromm genre data? I know my comcast DVR can't do this but it's EPG will color code programs purple telling you its a movie that is airing in that time on that channel. Also can TVServer excute a custom made script once a recording has finished?
    I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, sorry :(
    MP can mark different genres in EPG with different colors:
    http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...Server_Configuration/05_DVB_EPG/EPG_Genre_Map
    MP also has a conflict management, so if you have only one tuner, but you want to record 2 programs on two different muxes at the same time MP will tell you that this won't work. MP also will mark the recorded program red in the EPG.
    Recordings also have a higher priority than a normal watching user, so a recording can kick you (you can configure this, but thats the default).

    For launching a script you can probably abuse this plugin: http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...ver_Configuration/13_Plugins/ComSkip_Launcher

    Hope I could help you and I'm happy to see a new user here :p
     

    kiwijunglist

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    Agree with above, I have used comskip launcher to launch a script for my tv recordings.

    The ability for your tv recordings to be automatically imported into my tv series (Thus gaining internet sourced metadata + artwork) is entirely dependent on the quality of the epg data.

    In my country the epg data would not be sufficent to allow tv series to automatically identify recordings, but that doesn't matter as I *cough* *cough* get my tv series from other sources...

    If you are looking at scripts for automatic moving and renaming then you can't go past "FileBot" there is also another popular automatic program/script but I can't recall the name at the moment.[DOUBLEPOST=1382734728][/DOUBLEPOST]
    So quick question about TVServer and recording Live TV. Based on the EPG data can TVSever determine if I am recording a movie or not fromm genre data?

    AFAIK It can not guess a movie from genre, but it can treat single recordings differently to repeat schedule recordings, and generally this can differentiate between movies vs' regular tv series.

    http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...guration/TV-Server_Configuration/07_Recording

    =tv-server-recording-paths.png
    [DOUBLEPOST=1382734935][/DOUBLEPOST]
    I am taking the plunge into building a HTPC to replace my comcast DVR with something that is more robust.

    The main thing to remember is MediaPortal has higher hardware requirements than more simple htpc software, so make sure you build a fast enough htpc. The minimum specs listed in the wiki are not fast enough to build a robust good quality htpc.

    For cheap htpc client I'd recommend (as a minimum)
    amd a6-5400k
    cheapest amd fm2 motherboard you can find
    intergrated gpu
    2x2gb ddr3 1600 - cheapest you can find, must be dual channel (consider using 2x4gb, to allow a ram-disk if going for tv-server as well, especially if you have SSD in your tv-server, you should probably run a ram disk)
    small ssd / or 7200rpm system hdd
     
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    Talguy

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    Thanks for all the help. I did some digging and found that Recording file renamer built in the TV server configuration. Didn't really know what it could do but that clears things up.

    The only way to boot a computer now a days is via SSD, no wuestion about it. Yea I'm planning to rock a setup with atleast 16GBs of memory with a TBD size RAM Disk for Time Shifting.

    Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm still testing out mediaportal on my daily driver desktop.
     

    ngergely

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    So, why do you need dual channel ram?

    Sorry for the tangent from the original topic.
     

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