Channels DVR vs Window Media Center Interface

Channels DVR Server
#1

I’ve been using Channels DVR for a couple of weeks within the 30 day trial period and still getting familiar with all of the features, the interface has been the Apple TV device. My analysis and comparison are based on my current whole-house DVR system which is a Windows Media Center setup that has worked well for many years with few issues. Windows Media Center with the HD Homerun configuration allows you to view all of your subscribe channels including the recording of DRM channels.

I’m not sure if I’m missing something in my configuration with Channels but is there not a way that you can continue to watch live TV when you select the guide to view other channels or your recordings? I’ve noticed that when you are watching a broadcast and want to access the guide the current channel stops until you select a new channel or go back to what you were watching. I tried searching the channel forum but could not find a clear answer. Within the WMC environment, you can access the guide, view your list of recordings and other areas while the show your watching or music your listening to continues to play until a selection is made.

There are other features that WMC still outshines Channels DVR however, I do give major Kudos to the developers of the Channels DVR application. I’m sure if Channels DVR had the monetary resource’s that Microsoft had to develop Windows Media Center Channels DVR would be a much more advanced application. Not sure if I will keep the Channels DVR before my trial expires currently I have 117 DRM that I cannot access which is also not available on the TV Everywhere side as well. I will continue to monitor the forum and I can provide feedback if needed.

I've attached some screen shots of the Windows Media Center environment for point of reference

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IMG_20210901_224506
IMG_20210901_2245062976×3968 1.98 MB

1 Like
#2

You can do this with Channels DVR. Search for the PIP feature on the forum.

#3

Mike

Thanks, I finally found the feature and that made a huge difference with navigating around Channels.

#4

Channels DVR on Apple TV + Windows Media Center - A Winning Cinematic Combo

I too have been a very long time Windows Media Center user, but I use WMC for personal photos/videos and for ripped DVD/Blu-ray movies & ripped music DVDs. This way I can listen to a playlist of music DVD chapters (aka tracks) in 5.1 surround sound AND watch my favorite family photos at the same time.

On the other hand, we were using a TiVo Edge with some ad-skipping & with some streaming apps for our LTV/DVR. Recently, like you, I evaluated Channels DVR. And in parallel, I was deeply evaluating TV viewing history/tracking apps including ReelGood, JustWatch, SeriesGuide & TV Time.

Luckily I tripped across both the Apple TV Top Shelf feature as well as the cross-streaming app aggregator/tracker Apple TV App (and thus a competitor to ReelGood, JustWatch, et al). Adding Channels DVR client to the Apple TV for our LTV/DVR content and using the Apple TV App for all of our steaming content was A GAME CHANGER!!!

We now get the following game changing capabilities:

  • All recording/streaming content ad-free
  • TV Tracking easily visible by highlighting either Channels or Apple TV App on ATV
  • One device, one remote for all of our TV viewing
  • Mobile access to our LTV/DVR recordings
  • Listening to 5.1 surround music while viewing either personal photos or TV with subtitles on

And our one remote is a Harmony universal remote, so that its easy to switch from watching TV on the Apple TV to watching our favorite family photos while listening to our favorite 5.1 surround music on our Windows Media Center PC.

Here are 2 Top Shelf screen grabs, 1 Channels DVR & 1 Apple TV app

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A couple of notes:

  • I was known as the Silicon Valley Gadget Guru for many years, and thus one needs to be a bit of a techie to mirror our setup.
  • For the 5.1 music tracks we had to buy 10's of music DVD/Blu-ray disks and rip them by 'chapter' to our PC hard drive. Then we used WMC to create the playlists. Took some time to do this but well worth it.
  • We have a dedicated 'cinema room' for our TV watching (in the past, we actually had a reference level 'home theater' with 104" screen). Thus we have a 75" TV which we sit 7.5 feet from to gain cinematic viewing aka a 40 degree viewing angle. Our front 5.1 surround speakers are at 80 degree viewing angle AND that makes a huge difference in sound experience instead of having the front speakers near the TV. Of course, the 5.1 side/rear speakers are at 110 degrees behind us.
  • Lastly, I run Channels DVR Server on the same PC with Windows Media Center - a great two-fer :slight_smile: Thus our setup has 5 devices: 1) a 4K TV, a Yamaha DSP AVR w/5.1 speakers, a Apple TV 4K, a Windows PC NUC w/1TB SSD and a Harmony Hub.
1 Like
#5

Hello Barry

Thanks for sharing I'm a bit of a techie so I understood must of the details. I also run Channels on the same PC as Windows Media Center the part I didn't quite get are you saying you also have the following apps installed ReelGood, JustWatch, SeriesGuide & TV Time. On a side note I hear the Windows 11 that's being released Oct 5th will allow or incorporate Windows Media Center not sure if that's just internet rumor or fact?

#6

Delighted you too are a bit of a techie :slight_smile:

So for the confusion about ReelGood, et al. The point is that TV Tracking is splintered across each device/app we use. For instance, we are use to a DVR with a list of recordings, we are use to Netflix tracking what we are watching, Prime Video tracking what we are watching, Hulu tracking what we are watching, HBOmax, et al tracking what we are watching on their service.

BUT THESE ARE NOT ACROSS DEVICE/SEVICE TV TRACKING CAPABILITIES :frowning:

Therefore I evaluated those that do this to some extent. This includes ReelGood, JustWatch, et al. You also have to evaluate each one of these of each platform because their respective User Interfaces (UIs) are slightly different with various limitations per platform. And some don't work on all platforms.

The platforms I evaluated each one of them on were Roku, Fire TV, TiVo Stream 4K, Android TV/Google TV, Apple TV, IOS & Android. And each platform also has its ways of TV Tracking to some extent. Lots of variations to evaluate which resulted in a very detailed XLS of my evals. Note: some apps, like Channels, isn't available on Roku.

After weeks of evaluations over a few months time, I tripped across the Apple TV App on the Apple TV AND Apple TV's Top Shelf feature. So the Apple TV App & Top Shelf was added to my lists. AND IT SOON BECAME OUR TV TRACKING SOLUTION :slight_smile:

APPLE TV WITH CHANNELS & APPLE TV APP IS THE TV TRACKING SOLUTION :slight_smile:

So on our Apple TV, I have the Channels DVR client installed for our LTV/DVR viewing along with the Apple TV app for our streaming media viewing with its 'connection' to the Prime Video, Hulu, HBOmax, Peacock, Apple TV+, Acorn TV and Disney+ apps. And the Top Shelf shows our TV Tracking across Channels & Apple TV App.

Regarding the WMC on Win 11, I assume they are just rumors that one can install WMC on Win 11 just as we did on Win 10. Still needs to verified by the early adopters of Win 11 (I won't be one, even thought I was actually on stage with Bill Gates at the initial Microsoft Windows announcement at the World Trade Center back in 09-10-2001 aka 20 years ago in 8 days time....)