TV Server Question (1 Viewer)

[<><]

Hey, i just started using Media Portal and loving it so far, just trying to get my head around the TV Server part of it.

Now, I use Dish Network here in USA, so all my feeds are going to be s-video and will require an IR blaster of some sorts, and although currently I do subscribe to DISH HD, I don't think HD-PVR is fully supported by MB yet.

I want to use atleast 3, if not 4, tuners in my TV Server (along with 3-4 single tuner Set Top Boxes, since dual tuners won't really work b/c the 2nd tuner is RF controlled and won't be able to change channels).

- My understanding is that TV server will use whichever tuner is currently free for the tuning, so if I have 3 tuners installed, but 4 clients, the 4th client will not be able to receive live TV feed if the 3 tuners are busy....what exactly happens in this situation?

- What exactly would I need to get this functioning the way I want, with the IR blasters controlling each of the Set Top Boxes for channel changing?

- If I buy Dual Tuners (analog/digital), would I be able to connect an ATSC antenna also and get HD local channels in the guide, would it be able to differentiate?

- What TV tuners would you recommend? I'm guessing ones that come w/ a blaster connector built into the card.

- Can i have TV server and a Client running on the same machine?

Anything i'm missing or miss understanding? Maybe there's another method that might suit me better?


Edit: ah, there is a TV Server forum, A mod can move this if they feel the urge.


Thanks

 

[bazzz]

- My understanding is that TV server will use whichever tuner is currently free for the tuning, so if I have 3 tuners installed, but 4 clients, the 4th client will not be able to receive live TV feed if the 3 tuners are busy....what exactly happens in this situation?

The 4th client will just get a "no free card available message".

- What exactly would I need to get this functioning the way I want, with the IR blasters controlling each of the Set Top Boxes for channel changing?

A lot of patience. You probably want to use the IR server suite to control the blasters. The blasters that come with your card may or may not be appropriate. I know my Hauppauge PVR-150 blaster isn't supported by certain OSs or IRSS. (There is a plugin for that, but I think it only handles a single blaster).

- If I buy Dual Tuners (analog/digital), would I be able to connect an ATSC antenna also and get HD local channels in the guide, would it be able to differentiate?

Should do, there's support for hybrid cards.

- Can i have TV server and a Client running on the same machine?

Yep.

 

[<><]

Thanks for your reply, that IRSS for TV Server looks exactly like what i was looking for to change channels!

- In regards to the "no free card available" message, lets say all 3 cards are busy, but 2 of those cards are just recording and is not being used by a client, would I then have the ability to either a) watch one of those streams live while it's recording? b) choose which recording i want to stop to free up a tuner and watch live tv?

- Is there a list of cards that it supports (cards that have built in ir blasting capabilities)?

- Can I just install 2 of the MS IR Receiver (which has 2 blaster connectors behind it, receiver won't be used) and use that for blasting/changing chans thru IRSS?

- I will have 3-4 cards in there, so will it be able to control basting individually for each card?

Thanks

 

[funkstar]

- In regards to the "no free card available" message, lets say all 3 cards are busy, but 2 of those cards are just recording and is not being used by a client, would I then have the ability to either a) watch one of those streams live while it's recording? b) choose which recording i want to stop to free up a tuner and watch live tv?

Regardless of whether a tuner is being used by another client or just recording to disk, these streams are available to any other client too. So if one client is watching something, any other client can also connect to that stream. Same goes for when tuners are recording rather than just timeshifting, you can watch from the start of the show being recorded, or jump in at the live point. You can also then jump about within that stream as well.

You can also get access to all the previously recorded material at any time from any of the clients. So if you have each of the first three clients watching seperate channels, the fourth can either watch one of those shows, or watch a recording.

I've never played about with IR blasting, so I can't answer any of those questions.