Does Channels Need Internet Access?

Channels DVR Server
#1

I live out of range of cable for internet or TV. I've found something that works better than old fashioned satellite and, in a year, I'm hoping I can use Starlink (and that Starlink will work as well as expected). But, until then, there are times when I can't be sure I'll have a steady internet connection. There can also be bandwidth issues. (Trust me, current satellite systems suck in major ways!)

I don't intend to use remote access for Channels, whether it's to set up recordings, or to view any recordings. With that in mind, does Channels require access to the internet to work?

I realize Channels needs to download guide information, but that's not something it has to download every time a recording starts or each time use a browser to access Channels. I would think that, if Channels doesn't get guide data when it wants to download it, it can always get it later. (I'm subscribing, so I don't have to worry about having only 24 hours of guide data online.)

One of several reasons I dumped Plex rather quickly was because I saw that whenever I tried to go to my local Plex server, it always kicked me back to their internet site, so I doubted it could work without a continual internet connection.

(Yes, one day I may set things up in my firewalls so I can set up recordings remotely, but, with bandwidth issues, I can't imagine viewing videos remotely. But I don't want to address either of those possibilities now.)

DVR operation when Internet is out
#2

That is a very interesting use case you have there. I think what you are wanting to do is definitely doable with Channels. You are right that it only needs to get guide updates to my knowledge so you should be good to try. You just need a LAN (Local Area Network) for your smart devices and HDHomeRuns to connect to Channels.

#3

You are correct about Channels' internet needs. Daily guide updates and occasional software updates (and confirming subscription status) are really the only things the software needs connectivity for.

(WRT Plex needing internet access: you can directly connect to your server at http://ipaddress:32400/web, and use that direct connection in your local clients, too. Internet access and routing through their server is only needed if you are managing multiple servers, or using a Plex Pass and the additional features that go with their subscription.)

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#4

Thank you. I had been watching the URLs in my browser, but, without something like Wireshark (and I have that - just had not fired it up at this point), it looked like Channels was all local (other than the guide data and, as you point out, subscriptions). I did try connecting to Plex with http://:32400/web/index.html and I found that even when I did that, it still redirected to a URL on the Plex site sometimes.

True, I've got an interesting situation, but there are many people who are stuck with satellite and it doesn't take long, with satellite, to learn how iffy their connections are. (When storms are on their way, I try to check weather sites for radar tracking and can't because I'm offline. Storms here come from the south and the satellite is toward the south - so we lose the connection before we get storms.)

I'm a retired programmer, but self-trained, so I admit that there's a lot I don't know about, but it seems to me it's sloppy programming for a computer/server of any type, on a LAN, to force a connection to the "mothership." I know most people use cable for internet these days, but there are still times there are outages and it's absurd to force a connection when it's not necessary.

(It looked to me like Plex was basically using their website when I first started, but one time I saw that it was still using the URL for their site even when I was looking over what had recorded on my DVR.)

Where I used to live, in Richmond, VA (the state capital), I was in the city, but still could not get anything more than dial-up until 2001! (Long story behind that one.) Once I got internet, it was problematical. (Later it turned out there were old HBO/Cinemax filters on the line that they never removed that kept causing troubles for many years!) Now, I'm out in the boonies. I've been able to find a service that resells cell data, which is great, but I've learned, through my experiences, to never count on a program always being able to get an internet connection.

#5

The DVR downloads guide data for the next 14 days every morning between 9-11AM. It can survive a week or more without internet access, although the guide data might not be as accurate the longer it goes without refresh.

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#6

Thank you for the timing on that. Generally I shouldn't be without internet that long. We do have a whole-house generator, in case of storms, and even when we have a hurricane go over us, it's never overhead more than 48 hours. (If it were to sit over us, I'd have FAR more serious issues than dealing with my DVR!)

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#7

It also uses the internet to get guide images. While it's not a lot of data, if you were to be without internet for a period, you may notice guide images missing, but everything will work as intended.

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