Additional product

Channels DVR Server TV Everywhere
#1

Since C-DVR is the only product with TVE, how about a new product that works with other products?

What I'm talking about is a software tuner using TVE. So I would I would add my Sling, Philo, or other service credentials, and then other apps could access the software like any other HDHR tuner and tune into the channels LEGALLY?

Because I'll be totally straight with you. This product has gotten worse, not better since I signed on. I'm kinda done with it. My next step is to just stop watching paid TV and move to total OTA. Because I'd much rather use a Jellyfin, Emby, or Plex than use this. I mean I'm going one way or the other, but I wouldn't mind paying the same fee to use TVE as a tuner within those other products.

Believe me, it would be totally worth it. Because none of the others seem to be interested in providing the service. Once you guys put it out there I doubt the rest of them would even bother developing, not that they seem to be bothering with it now. Think about it. Effectively you'd be reusing code from the DVR product, and front-ending it with code to make it a tuner for other products to access. But Channels DVR, your core product? It's terrible. Every time I load it up it's an exercise in frustration because of all it CAN'T do, or doesn't do well. Why bother fixing it? Make that TVE tuner and let the others do what they already do better.

1 Like
#2

What you're describing is already possible via M3U export. There are multiple threads here and on the Emby forum on how to set it up.

If you can expand on what you find frustrating and can be improved that would be helpful.

1 Like
#3

Not sure what you are expecting, but I could not disagree with you more. As a Tivo user for many many years, Channels DVR is the best platform for consuming TV content by far. If you are looking for something to view a library of ripped content, Plex is a lot better, but their Guide/DVR capabilities are not even close. The addition of TVE and M3U make Channels DVR the killer app for cord cutting.

Certainly there are many things that can be improved, but I have yet to see any other platform who's developers are as active and engaged with their customers. Sounds like you are looking for something different from what Channels DVR is.

6 Likes
#4

Right you are! @pdaphone
I have used Tivo, MythTV, Plex, and Emby. Channels DVR takes the cake.

2 Likes
#5

I use Channels to do all my recordings and watch my TV Shows ... but use EMBY to watch my Movies(better organized) + user profiles.. I use M3U from Channels as tuners into EMBY that way they share the same stream when watching or recording same channel.

2 Likes
#6

You disagree? Great. Didn't ask, and don't care.

FYI, I'm not here for the usual fanboy circle-jerk. Leave me out of it.

#7

The fact that both of you are Tivo subscribers speaks volumes.

#8

Right. Because Emby covers everything else where C-DVR fails. Maybe it's a generational thing, I don't know, but I'm not going to use multiple apps just to watch TV. One makes the cut, the others make the trash.

That was my whole point. The only thing that C-DVR offers that is unique and worth something is TVE. So rather than make us use this terrible app, create a software tuner so we can import it into something that does every else like Emby, Plex, of JF. I'm happy to pay the same amount. Anything to not have to use the CDVR app on the glass.

#9

Actually I don't use Tivo anymore.
Channels DVR fulfills all my TV/DVR needs.

2 Likes
#10

I have TVE in EMBY using M3U from Channels DVR.

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#11

Speaking of "jerk"....

You come on a support forum, trash the product, and then are a total jerk to everyone here.... If you hate the product so much, why are you asking for support?

I haven't used Tivo in years. I said I had in the past.

6 Likes
#12

This functionality already exist. Using two simple URLs you can use Channels DVR as a tuner for Emby. It's super simple and only takes a minute to setup.

#13

@tmm1 gave you your answer above. The product you’re looking for exists. It’s Channels DVR Server. You can export your lineup via M3U and import it to apps that support it. He even provided links on how to do it.

Our server does it. Creating another product doesn’t make sense because...our existing product already does it.

Just use that and ignore our client apps. They’re not required for the use case you’re describing.

2 Likes
#14

Alright, my apologies. I had no idea that existed. I just want to watch TV legally, lol.

BTW, someone asked about the issues I was experiencing in a post I saw via email. Seems to be gone. Here are the issues I'm seeing....

All the TVs are running either an Ematic AGT418 or 419 except one that runs an AirTV box. All have the same issues. All are connected via wired 1g, save one that's wifi. The DVR is a Docker on Unraid with less than 20% CPU and mem utilization at the time these issues occur. When I'm doing bulk Handbrake conversions I just stop Channels because the CPU gets killed.

  1. The delay when opening the app "Please wait while we...". Sometimes it just sits there for over a minute.

  2. If I sleep the box, and turn it back on, the guide is gone and so are the recordings. It requires stopping the app and restarting.

  3. The guide has some serious issues that are sporadic. It ranges from freezing when trying to go into the future a few days, or just crashing the app.

  4. The mp2 files are huge, and if you convert them to mp4 they're no longer associated with the TV series.

  5. Channels frequently disappear and then reappear. Nothing from the Quatro OTA box, but it happens with both the Prime box and TVE.

  6. The episode/movie info page coloring is ridiculous and could be used by an optomotrist to sell glasses. There's barely any contrast between the type and background.

  7. Sometimes it just disconnects from the server, can't "find" it, and then I need to re-enter the IP address to make the connection. Sometimes even that fails. The next step is to stop the app and restart it. At that point it usually connects right away.

  8. Commercial skip success is hit or miss. Mostly miss.

  9. Sometimes the DVR just hangs to the point where a CLI docker kill won't even stop it, thereby forcing me to hard reset my nas, sending me through a 24 hour parity check.

  10. Last but not least, when trying to forward through the guide sometimes it just stops less than a week in. It won't go any further for a minute or so, and then it goes when it feels like it if you hold the right arrow button.

...and just for giggles...

  1. Your forum needs a "block" feature. I've looked and looked for it, but it doesn't seem to exist. Your fanboys are annoying. When I voice a concern or a problem, I really don't need to play footsie with the terminally unhelpful.
#15

kudos to the devs who responded on this thread for their restraint.

13 Likes
#17

That's a problem with Handbrake and your server, unrelated to Channels.

Channels records the streams exactly as they are delivered. If you convert your streams, and replace the original file, they will play fine. Just don't change the filename. .mpg files are simply containers, and can hold MPEG-2/H.262 video content just as well as MPEG-4/H.264.

The vanishing channels from the Prime is long a sore point for users of this device. The root of that issue is SiliconDust's firmware, which regularly scans for channels. If it cannot quickly tune a channel, it is removed from the lineup. Users have been requesting the ability to modify this behavior for years, but SiliconDust tends to feel that their decisions are always right.

With regard the to TVE streams, that could be for a variety of reasons. Most often it is because of an error with the networks' streams; sometimes it is because of authentication issues. When issues with TVE streams happen, the developers have been quite quick to work on fixes. In some situations, the problem is with how the network sends their streams, which is not something they can fix. (This is the reason why Pop, MSG, NBA, and some others were removed.)

Both of those problems are not something happening with the Channels software. For the former, your issue is with SiliconDust. For the latter, I have found them quite responsive to issuing updates to fix the problems as they arise.

I happen to be in agreement on this point. But, that's not something I can change. However, if you so choose, you can use Channels as the backend, and feed it into myriad other software, such as Kodi (they've released a PVR client for Leia), Plex, NextPVR, Tvheadend, etc.

Commercial flagging is handled by a separate third-party program, and has always been hit-or-miss. It ultimately depends upon the source, and networks have been working hard to make it more difficult to automatically flag commercials in their streams.

If you'd like more information about the commercial detection, it's called Comskip. You can also check out their GitHub repository to file an issue.

The forum does have Mute and Ignore options. Click on a user's avatar to open their profile page. On the right is an option for Message, and below that is a button that says Normal. Select that button, and you can choose to either mute or ignore.

2 Likes
#18

Sounds like you could accomplish this with a cable TV subscription and associated hardware.

6 Likes
#19

Sounds like he needs DirecTV to me.

2 Likes
#20

Since you directed your first fanboy rant to me, I'll assume you want to mute me. Mute away. If you check the long history of my posts here, I have complained about some things and asked for a number of features, and also tried to be helpful to people having problems. My reason for posting what I did above was that a lot of new or prospective users come here, and I found your rant about the product and the developers to be totally the opposite of my experience with both.

I have experienced zero of the problems you listed. That doesn't meant that you aren't experiencing them, but your implication is that the product is a pile of crap and doesn't work, and that is not the case. I initially tried to run Channels on my two older NAS boxes with not much success, and then tried an old 2012 Mac Mini I had in the closet to it. It has run great on the Mac Mini. Perhaps some or your problems are related to your hardware... who knows? Its hard to get people to offer help when you come in blasting everyone and attack the first people that reply.

I agree that the developers deserve extra kudos for responding to you.

3 Likes
#21