HDHomeRun Prime required in all cases for TVE?

Channels DVR Server TV Everywhere
#1

Hi,

Been using HDHomeRun Prime (with a cable card, of course) just fine, but only ran a free trial of Channels DVR to test things out a while ago (it was lovely, excellent product!). At the moment I don't need Channels DVR because I have an Xfinity account and my favorite channel (TCM) is not DRM'd.

But looking to the future, I'm likely not going to be in an Xfinity service area (instead likely to be Spectrum). Further, cable cards seem to be going away.

So what I'm wondering is, if my intent is to only capture streaming TVE content with Channels DVR, do I need an HDHomeRun Prime? I'm figuring .. maybe wrongly .. that I'm capturing an internet stream, not a cable signal. So maybe I don't need a cable card + Prime? If that's the case, what HDHomeRun device would be sufficient?

Thanks!
Mark M.

#2

For only TVE, just omit the HDHomeRun out of the equation, TVE doesn't need a tuner.

1 Like
#3

Yes you would need an Hdhomerun for all locals unless you can get Locast. I'd be careful with TCM some content can't be streamed over the internet.

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#4

Really? Wow, that's surprising! So just install the Channels DVR app and let her rip, doesn't need access to any sort of tuner? That makes sense from the point of view that I'm not tuning anything .. just pulling off the internet thru Ethernet. But I thought it was a requirement to have an HDHomeRun device.

This is perfect!

#5

You've made a couple good points, thanks!

I wasn't planning on pulling any local content, but on second thought my 2 exclusive channels are TCM and PBS. So Locast might be a good solution for PBS, and still not need an HDHomeRun.

You're right about streaming rights to some TCM content. The content that's most important to me is Noir Alley, and Eddie Muller (the host) is aware of this and will try to avoid programming that doesn't also have streaming rights in the future.

#6

You might not need Locast for PBS, in some areas they have live streams

1 Like
#7

Even better!

#8

You can get pbs streams from here, its 135 different pbs's so I guess you'll have to find yours.

https://i.mjh.nz/PBS/

I'm confused about TCM, I'm getting that through xfinity TVE. Spectrum doesn't offer it?

Screenshot_20210219-080014_Chrome
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Edit - I get pbs by checking the 'TV everywhere' checkbox at the very bottom of the DVR ui.

#9

Thanks for the tips re PBS, I'll file that for the future.

Sorry, I'm confused about your TCM confusion. Currently I'm using Xfinity, I pull content using my HDHomeRun Prime and a cable card. No DRM, no problem, so no Channels DVR needed. In my trial of Channels DVR a while back, I was able to capture TCM content (TVE = WatchTCM), no problem.

In the future I will likely have Spectrum, and it's my understanding that they do DRM TCM (as does every cable provider except Xfinity), and that TCM is capturable with Channels DVR. I'll have to use Channels DVR in that situation.

#10

OK. Yea, think I just confused myself for some reason.

Idk your area, or how much money you want to invest, but right here, I can unhook my hdhomerun and still have pbs (locals over TVE checkbox in the ui) and TCM (xfininty TVE), and if the pbs didn't come in I could add that pbs m3u and hide the unwanted ones.

Ideally, it will work out like that for you with spectrum, and I don't see why it wouldn't.

Someone with spectrum needs to read this and be so kind as to check if they get pbs checking the locals over TVE box, and check TCM.

#11

Right now I've kicked off yet another 30 day trial of Channels DVR just to verify I can make it work without an HDHomeRun. So far it insists on finding the HDHomeRun, even after I've disconnected it from the network and unplugged it. Hah-hah!! Must be using old information from prior trials, I guess. I'll see if I can somehow wipe out what it knows and start over.

Also I noticed there's a Beta source = TV Everywhere, which seems to be exactly what I will need in future. But it's calling for a different Docker container than I'm currently using for Channels DVR, so I'll play around with that as well.

beta source
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error

#12

You'll have to remove it from your sources. That will destroy your current config for the hdhr

#13

Every time I 'remove provider' for the HDHomeRun it instantly adds it back in! Ha-hah!

#14

You can easily restore an old backup from your previous version, and everything will be back as it originally was; nothing is lost.

HDHR tuners are added back because they’re found on the network. If you truly don’t want it to appear in the UI, then you need to physically disconnect the device from the network and/or power.

#15

The HDHomeRun device is:

  1. Unplugged from power.
  2. Unplugged from Ethernet.
  3. Unplugged from Cable.

I think it must be looking at saved data. I'm going to try removing the Docker container and installing the new tve container referenced earlier in its place.

#16

Have you restarted the DVR process? The scan for tuners is run at startup, subsequent scans while running are additive only. To remove a tuner in my experience, it needs to be removed from the network, and then the DVR process restarted.

#17

You are correct!

After restarting the container, the UI shows no sources found. Setup won't proceed past 3. Setup Guide Data. It demands a source, of course ;->

But that's okay, I'm hoping the new required container will work with the Beta TV Everywhere source mentioned earlier.

Thanks for your help!

#18

If you use the Restore option, you can get access to all your previous recordings, even if the Prime is no longer attached.

#19

That's interesting, thanks. I'm not concerned about retaining recordings. But maybe you're suggesting that I can set up my Channels DVR to use the Prime as its source, as in the past, then when I switch to Spectrum I can Restore and get back my channels without actually having an HDHomeRun hooked up or using the Beta TV Everywhere source.

No, you can't be suggesting that because the source would be wrong. The channel mapping would be for a defunct Xfinity account rather than the new Spectrum account.

#20

No, I was talking about restoring the DVR and its settings/library/rules. But if you don't care about those things, then it's moot. Just go ahead and set it up as new.