I have the app on a 4th gen Apple TV and it can pause live TV. Note that I do NOT have a DVR setup with the app. It’s strictly just the app connected to a SiliconDust HDHomeRun Connect to the HDTV antenna and that’s it.
My question is: How is the app able to pause TV? Is it using the memory/hard drive of the Apple TV to do this? How much time can it pause for?
Thanks
Yes it uses the storage inside the Apple TV. It can pause 90-180min depending on how much free space you have and the bandwidth used by the channel you’re watching.
Thanks. But I can’t use the Apple TV for Channels’ DVR capabilities right?
Correct. The Apple TV cannot run apps in the background so it cannot act as a DVR. You need another computer or NAS.
Even if it could run services in the background like the Shield can (which can be both DVR server and client) the storage space on the ATV is unsuitable for a DVR. I remember my first DVR (White Sky+ DRX180) had 40GB of storage space for SD recording. You would need the 64GB ATV just to replicate that - and that would get you the amount of storage in 2006!! Unfortunately the ATV - again unlike the Shield - cannot just mount and use additional USB or network storage. It can - indirectly - use the storage on a networked device (NAS or PC) if the NAS/PC has the Channels DVR installed on it. Each DVR solution provider will use their own combination of client and server (Silicon Dust have their own combo for Android/PC/iOS/Mac but not for Apple TV) to generate subscription revenues.