ADBTuner: A "channel tuning" application for networked Google TV / Android TV devices

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#1633

Whenever I select the west coast version of a channel that runs through the NBC app, it ends up playing the east coast version. I am on the east coast. I'm using the onn devices.

When I login to NBC with TV provider on my PC web browser, the west coast channel plays fine. Is there a new deep link format that needs to be put into ADBTuner? Currently, for an east coast channel, I use the following format: nbctve://live/e and for west coast it would be: nbctve://live/e/e_west

I swear west coast played what it actually was supposed to play in the past but maybe I was mistaken and just didn't pay close enough attention. Appreciate any input as always. Thanks everyone!

#1634

So I've decided to try and get this working for me as well. I have a bunch of Tivo Stream (Android based) and a Google TV device at the house, so I figured it was something I could try and tackle along with my Channels DVR. This is probably a dumb question, but what exactly is the HDMI Receiver / Streaming Endpoint in the set up? It doesn't look like it's the android device (Stream, Google TV, Chromecast, fire stick, etc). I do have a Haugpauge Digital TV Tuner, but not sure if that's something which could be used as the streaming endpoint, and it doesn't look like the Channels DVR itself is the streaming endpoint based on what I thought I saw in the set up video since it looked like the Channels device was a completely different IP than the streaming endpoint.

Thanks for any suggestions, resources, or feedback which can help me. Cheers!

#1635

This project, and the ah4c project, both require HDMI encoders. The URayCoder 4K and the LinkPi are probably the most popular, though many will work. It's tempting to purchase a single port version, but you'll probably just end up buying a multi port version later -- so it tends to be cheaper in the long run to go with a 4 or 5 port unit.

I own both, and although I like the URayCoder slightly better, it's probably not worth the extra dollars. Either or both may be on sale during the upcoming Prime Days.

#1636

Thanks! That's what I needed!

#1637

One other question, could I use an actual Tivo for something like this? I have a Tivo Bolt with a lifetime sub on it and a Tivo Premier (along with some Tivo 2s and even an OG Tivo).

#1638

Not likely. For this project, you need streaming sticks you can control (Android devices via the Android Debug Bridge, aka adb) combined with an HDMI encoder to capture the output, and a "proxy" (ADBTuner or ah4c running in a Docker container).

CDVR requests the tuning, the proxy issues the tuning commands and then forwards the captured video output back to CDVR.

1 Like
#1639

@brinohm

@bnhf
With an item like this ( IR Control ) or maybe something with home assistant wouldn't he be able to output ir codes to control the Tivo boxes using ah4c?

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#1640

Maybe, but what would the content be you can capture off a TiVo box these days? If you're using it like a streaming stick, I think there are numerous better options. Better to use an HDHomeRun if we're talking OTA, and if it has an active CableCard it'd be better to move that card to an HDHomeRun Prime.

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#1641

Agreed...
I was thinking about it as a tuner, didn't realize/remember they also have apps.
Was just thinking if he already had them and they worked might be a fun project for him :grinning:

#1642

Honestly if you're already paying for Tivo, then just keep using that and if you want to get recordings on to a hard drive then use pyTivo or MCEBuddy.

Otherwise, just cancel that, get a HDHR Prime and use that with Channels. It seems redundant to have both a tivo and a channels subscription

#1643

Thanks for the info. LinkPi looks good, but it doesn't seem to support 1080/60 output (URayCoder does) which, I hear, is better for sports content. Can I ask why you switched from URayCoder? Re: provider, YouTubeTV does not have MSG+, a key channel for me. My intent is to leverage Optimum as provider and run the MSG+ and SNY apps on the Google TV device.

#1644

Not sure where you saw that. I have one of the 5 port ones and 1080/60 works fine.

#1645

I'm looking at their product page. No mention of 60. The docs of these products all seem to lack precision. So you are able to input 1080/60 from a device, through the LinkPi, and encode to disk at 1080/60 via Channels DVR?

Thanks very much for your info.

#1646

The Amazon listing has more information https://www.amazon.com/WayPonDEV-ENC5-V2-NDI-HDMI-Encoder/dp/B0CGM1Y56H

Yes, the inputs are HDMI 1.4 and are able to do 1080p/60 or 4K/30. I use four Chromecast 4K with Google TVs set to max out at 1080p/60 and I am able to capture the output in Channels DVR at full resolution and framerate.

However, sometimes content can vary in framerate (movies are 24 frames), so I have the LinkPi configured to match whatever framerate is output

#1647

Anyone have an Onn Pro set up with this? Asking because:

ADTH Announces NextGen TV USB and App for Android and Fire TV - Broadcast Beat

Of note:

the ADTH NextGen TV USB and App for Android and Fire TV is a tuner that enables hundreds of free ATSC 1 and ATSC 3 channels to be accessed and viewed on existing television sets, online streaming devices, and set-top boxes running Google Android or Amazon Fire TV. The new tuner and app are fully NextGen TV compliant and able to decrypt A3SA DRM encrypted channels. USB connectivity allows fast and easy connection, including to Walmart’s Onn 4K Pro.

I'm liking this combo.

#1648

I think there was a post a while back which pointed out that the LinkPi can do both 1080p/60 and 1080p/59.94 - under encode->video config enabling the "NTSC compatible" switch makes the frame rate 59.94 instead of 60 - I previously noticed that the URayCoder streams seemed to be 1080p60 and didn't have this capability - the main reason that I stopped using the URayCoders is that the LinkPi has 5 channels of encoding which is more than I need, plus the URay didn't seem to do 59.94 fps and it has an inferior web interface, less features (no mixer) and you have to email them to get firmware updates

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#1649

Great, thanks for the info. I ordered the LinkPi.

#1650

I've been trying all kinds of different link formats to no avail. What's even weirder is, I can manually go on my onn 4k pro, load the NBC app, and then select a west coast feed channel, and it actually plays the west coast feed. To me this says a deep link should work to pull up this feed but what exactly that link format is is the question? Is there some way you can physically check what the link format is when the app is playing a channel?

#1651

Have you tried nbctve://live/e/ephd for the west coast feed?

#1653

Yup...tried that too and still get the east coast feed.