How to cut the cord and get virtually everything you want

General Discussion
81

Only Roku could add a DVR ability in and I doubt they would do that as some of the companies providing free channels may not want them to do that. Besides 99% of the stuff out there is streaming on demand so a DVR is not needed. Sling TV is the only reason that I can think of where you want a DVR (other than Tablo) but that's up to Sling to provide a solution. Their main solution was to have most of the channels auto record up to 3 days back but not everything works that way.

Now for ESPN, keep in mind you don't really need a DVR for that. If you install the Watch ESPN channel you can view previous sporting events on demand with ought the need of a DVR. This is part of your Sling TV package.

Roku would never add a DVR feature to their boxes for streaming content or their channel count drops quickly.

Watch ESPN is great, I love it and finally have access to it with DirecTV, but DVR features aren’t available. I’d like to be able to rewind and fast forward when using it, but can’t.

Anyway, adding apps like Watch ESPN and then offering DVR features wouldn’t be up to Tablo at all, that would be 100% up to the channel owner to decide to implement if Tablo ever went the app route. To me, one of the most intriguing things about Tablo is that they chose to fit in with the devices that people already have and use instead of bolting Netflix and Hulu+ onto their interface.


82
Someone has finally done it:


That is my video showing my PVR setup using my Android box with OpenELEC installed.  I took the cheap route to get a real DVR function from my OTA setup.

I now have ordered one of the newer Android sticks for $35.27 (http://www.geekbuying.com/item/MK808B-Plus-Amlogic-M805-Quad-Core-Android-4-4-Mini-TV-Dongle-1G-8G-WIFI-H-265-HW-Decode-Bluetooth-DLNA-Miracast---Black-337068.html).

I will install tvheadend server and use it as a dedicated DVR box.  Since it is so inexpensive, after I set it up, it will not be connected to a tv, only connected to my network.  I will change the box that I am using now as my DVR back to Android with Netflix, Hulu and others.  I will still have all the DVR functionality from any of my boxes running Kodi.  Each box will look exactly the same as the new box running the PVR back end.

It is really easy to create the DVR/PVR on these inexpensive Android boxes/sticks, and the cost is relatively inexpensive with NO monthy fees for the 14 days of guide data.

I am posting this just as an option for a DVR.




83
MythTV will run on any hardware that has a supported operating system.  As stated above.   

And Android TV box is just a MiniPC with an Android OS on it.  Pick any mini-PC you want and install MythBuntu on it and you are done.  So yes it runs as a single "appliance" device.  Connect your HomeRun HD, a USB hard drive (or internal) and start recording to your hearts content.

Or even better yet, buy a $30 RasperryPI install XBMC on it, connect a hard drived and it will front end your HomeRun HD, exactly the same way as that video shows.

There are literally half a dozen ways of doing what is shown in that video.

The RaspberryPi does not have enough power to be and effective backend for a PVR, the newer PI 2 does. And yes these Android boxes are just mini-PC's.  Converting them into a stand alone DVR is not for everyone, but is a very good option for someone like me that has more time than $$$.

84

Hey Everyone, my main topic is a bit derailed. I know there are tons of other more fancy options out there and I am in the IT field so its not a big deal.

But with that said 99% of the population is not savy. The purpose of this write up was to give them a simple way to get a setup so that someone who is not IT savy can cut the cord and you can explain to your grandpa (or father depending how old you are) that the old way of flipping through the channels is no longer relevant and you have this control that is much smaller and easier to use.

Having to explain to my father (69 years old) that to watch regular TV you need to switch to HDMI 1, to watch basic cable channels go to HDMI 2 and to use the ROKU to see Netflix use HDMI 3 and finally for the Blue Ray use HDMI 4 (which he does not do).

My goal was to say turn on the dam TV and use the Roku period! Move the arrows to what you want and read whats on the screen with the big pretty boxes. My father figured it out in less than 10 minutes and his IT saviness ends with playing Solitaire in Windows so if he can figure it out with that setup then most people can.

That was my goal, nothing more and nothing less. If people have a ways to add more stuff but keeping it simple using the ROKU I am all ears and would definitely fit in my original post write up.


Now I feel insulted I am 67 years old.  My daughter who can barely figure out how to turn on a light switch has no problem using my OpenELEC DVR that I made for her.


85
MythTV also does what that Kodi link above does. Nothing really new there. Lots of options if you are willing to tinker and maintain yourself.

I’ve given up on that and gone the appliance route fully knowing there will be limitations.

I guess I took the opposite direction.  I had a PalDVR for several years and it was awesome with a great guide, but last year they quit providing a TV guide.  It finally died a couple of months ago, so I did a lot of research to find a replacement.  I wanted a free or inexpensive guide, 14 days of guide data and above all inexpensive.

I looked at the Tivo, and an excellent device, but wayyyyyyyy out of my price range.  I looked at the other boxes like the channel master boxes, but they had problems.  I was ready to purchase the Tablo but it was also a little expensive, but I am sure it is a very nice device.  Since I already had several Android boxes that were using my PVR backend running on my older Synology NAS, I figured I would try to make one of my Android boxes into a PVR, at no cost at all to me since I already had all the hardware.  None of the Android boxes made before the last six months, had the power or capability to work as a front end for the HD channels coded in mpeg2 TS streams, much less as a server.

After loading OpenELEC onto my quad core Amlogic box, and installing tvheadend server, it greatly exceeded my expectations as a stand alone DVR, but also a DVR server for my other Android boxes running Kodi.  In other words, with this one box running a PVR backend, all my other boxes have the same capability and functionality of a DVR.

Kodi and OpenELEC have come a long way, and now it is just install it and forget it.