Cheap & Easy

Channels DVR Server
#1

TL;DR: want the cheapest, smallest, easiest to set up server hardware I can get that still allows me to stream to remote locations in HD.

Looking to defect from TiVo and gain the ability to stream TV to my second home, which doesn’t have Cable. Planning to use the Apple TV app as my primary client at all locations.

Bought an HDHR Prime and I’m looking to build a “starter” Channels DVR. I don’t want to spend a ton before I can see if it’s right for me. I’m looking for something easy to set up and relatively compact. I don’t care about redundancy, (I have lived with a TiVo, which has none.)

Previously, the Synology DS220+ was recommended to me, but it’s been stubbornly stuck at a $299 price point diskless. And from the pictures it looks quite a bit bigger than my TiVo Bolt+. If this is still truly the reference platform, let me know and I’ll bite the bullet and grab one. If there’s a slimmer, cheaper solution that has the transcoding horsepower needed to stream to a remote location, please let me know!

Also would love to know the budget SSD spec I should shoot for to make the system perform adequately.

#2

How about this? Load it up with Ubuntu Server and you are in business

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#3

That could work. If it comes with Win10 installed, is there a reason I would want to install Linux over just running Channels DVR on the prejnstalled Windows 10 image? And if so, for someone who doesn’t have any Linux experience, is there an Ubuntu image with Channels preinstalled similar to the one available for rPi?

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#4

Just a personal preference, with windows you have to deal with updates, reboots, overhead etc. Ubuntu server is 100% stable and pretty lightweight. Much more set it and forget unlike windows.

no pre-installed image but it's simple enough to install Linux in general with some youtube help.

Channels has a simple one line command to install it as well. If you got into trouble with Linux. myself or numerous others on the forum could help you as well. But if you don't feel like crossing that bridge then windows will work fine.

I have a similar setup with an Intel NUC with 15TB of storage and 3 appletv's. Everything hard wired. I have absolutely zero issues with channels

#5

Cheap Options for server:

  1. Raspberry Pi - Cheap, affordable and many ppl here use with no problem. Just add a USB drive for storage. But i don't know how it handles remote streaming. I am going from memory. But i recall a user saying it can do 1 remote stream at a time. Maybe someone can chime in. If you dont like channels. You can repurpose it into a pihole or many other projects.

  2. Nvidia shield pro. Can be both a server and/or client. Prior to recent shield upgrade debacle (which i believe has been mostly fixed). Some people on here say they have 0 problems. Some said they had issues. Personally i would rather not use shield as a server. I prefer dedicated devices for servers. But if you only want 1 device. This works.

  3. NAS - Synology is most common. I have a Asustor. It works great. Convient. I think everyone should have a nas. You can use it as just external storage or also as a server. My Asustor Nimbuster 4 had no problem running Channels DVR, docker containers, Plex and transcoding and a non-gui linux VM. I have since moved plex to my server (see below). But i still run on my nas. Onlybthings still on my nas are channels and bit torrent.

  4. Computer (Best option) - A cheap pc or laptop. I found a used 8 core laptop and now use this as my primary server. Benefit of laptop over desktop is build in battery backup, keyboard, display. Though i don't use the keyboard and display. I just remote in. Benefits of used desktop. Bang per buck on performance is better on desktop. With a pc you will have more power then any of above. If only thing your doing is channels its overkill. But there's so much u can do with a pc

Windows vs linux. Use what you know. Windows is fine for home server if you either don't know Linux or unwilling to learn. Linux is more stable. Ubuntu is one of the easier distros to learn. And KDE is brst desktop. Anyone who says gnome can go kick rocks. Ive been using kde since early 2000s. If your not familiar with linux. You should use gnome and be lame(supposidly gnome is easier). But if your awesome like me. You will use KDE. Also enable wobbly windows. It just makes u smile.

Clients

  1. Apple TV (devs preferred platform)- Gets the first features and updates. Its good and powerful. But you must agree to join a cult. But expensive.

  2. Nvidia Shield Pro - Most powerful android tv box. I love mine. Its streaming, web browsing, retro game console. But expensive

  3. Fire tv, onn, google tv - Cheaper android tv. The heavy lifting is done by the server. These work fine. Manybpeople use them. It's ONLY a streaming box. No playing N64 games on your streaming box with this. Advantage is their cheap

  4. Roku. (Edit: Roku not supported): Like many it was my very first streaming box. Its to cheap and under powered for channels. Do not get.

5 Likes
#6

For me cheap and easy don't usually go hand in hand. I always try to find what gives the best experience for the least amount. Example: AppleTV is hands down the best experience in my mind but are the most expensive client. I've tried the cheap TiVo Stream, Fire sticks, FireTV, Fire Cube. ATV is easy and works well. So I paid up for it.

I run my Channels DVR Server on my Synology 1019+ NAS. Not because its cheap but because it is truly set it and forget it. The NAS runs 24x7, runs multiple apps (Plex, Synology Photos, Chat, backups, cloud sync, etc) and it works easily. I tried running Channels on my Mac Mini (Which I may still do later) but I also used my Mac as my main computer. So if I ever accidentally did something that would freeze the Mac or force a reboot, I would cause a service disruption. Running on my NAS makes it easy so I don't do that anymore.

4 Likes
#7

I would not go too cheap on something I will use every day... How many remote streams do you think you will be using if 2 or more then the PI is not a good option. Better to get a good solid system up and running then a cheap one and then have buyer's remorse.

#8

Roku is unsupported for Channels. It's not an issue of being underpowered; there simply is no client for Roku.

#9

Ty for clarification. I edited original post. Im going purely off memory. I thought roku being underpowered is why they dont support it.

Regardless, roku=trash. Buy someone better.

Edit: from tmm1 long time ago.
"Unfortunately, Roku devices are too slow to both decode MPEG2 and deinterlace the video as well and cannot be useful as Channels clients."

#10

I agree with @Jay1987,

If you have an old computer or laptop laying around that's what to start with. Otherwise find a refurbished computer from a reputable vendor. It will probably had an SSD as the drive and you can use that for your OS. Then add a hard drive of the size you want.

My server runs on Windows 10 and I've had no issues with updates, even during the Olympics when I was recording close to 24x7. Windows found a quiet time to slip in an update. Channels uses very little CPU except for commercial skipping and it will use your video card for this if the computer has one. If you are know Linux then go that way, otherwise use Windows and be cozy.

Morris

#11

If you go the Linux route and you are a windows user, I reccomend Mint Liunux. It's based off of Ubuntu but uses the more traditional windows experience. Best beginner Linux Distro I've found and I've stuck with it after many attempts to switch previously (SUSE, PCLInuxOS, Kubuntu, etc).

It's not that hard, but the one thing I will caution you, don't mess with default permissions. Channels can be installed fairly simply. Biggest thing is if you go with an external HDD, make sure you have it automounted when the computer starts, I have a horror story of frustration my first attempt to install Channels on a Linux box.

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#12

Honestly if you are going to make the jump to Linux just go with Linux server and you will have the cleanest lightest weight server OS. Slight learning curve but nothing youtube can't cure... It's pretty much set and forget.. It's been months since I have had to ssh into it...

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#13

Slampman, i wish I could make the jump to a command line environment only. I need to immerse myself to do that and don't have the time, so a GUI Linux is my stepping stone.

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#14

Have some old, POS machine taking up dust in some closet somewhere? It will work beautifully!

Over a year in, home, remote, whatever, there is hardly a hiccup.

Also, you can also start with garbage and easily migrate over to better with time.

#15

I use a Raspberry Pi 4. It’s a little technical to set up, but the tutorials online are well written, and it only takes about 20 minutes.

My Pi is in a closet upstairs hooked to Ethernet (same Pi also running HomeBridge, so it’s not totally dedicated to Channels) and never have any issues with streaming local or remote.

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#16

Set up cost under £80 GBP. Channels DVR app installed on Firestick from appstore. Channels DVR Server app sideloaded to Android TV box. Best to connect broadband via ethernet though you can use WiFi. External hard drive connects via USB 2/3 to Android TV box.

SERVER (Amazon)
Android Tv Box T95 Android 10.0 Allwinner H616 Quadcore 2GB RAM 16GB ROM Support 6K 3D 1080P 2.4/5.0GHz WIFI BT5.0 10/100M Ethernet HDMI 2.0 H.265

HDD (Amazon)
WD 1 TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive - USB 3.0

#17

If you want it to be really simple use a shield tv. That’s what I have running the DVR. I can get up to 4 remote streams.

#18

+1 for the Raspberry Pi 4. I set one up for my parents about 18 months ago using the Channels image and it's "just worked" in my experience. You are limited to 1 remote stream if I remember correctly. But even if you switch to something more powerful, it's an inexpensive way to evaluate the software.

#19

IMO this recent issue disqualifies the Shield from remaining on the “really simple” list:

It also isn’t able to authenticate some TVE providers, like YouTube TV.

#20

I would love to run this on a rPi. But isn’t there a transcoding horsepower issue with that class of devices, especially if you want remote streaming? Primary use case is to stream DVR and live TV to a remote residence that has fiber but no cable.