This is awesome!

Channels DVR Server
#1

Everybody is quick to post a new thread topic with complaints and problems, but I guess no news is good news?!

Positive thread topics are helpful for developers too, hence why I created this.

I just wanted to say, 2 years ago we switched from TiVo to Tablo. We found pros and cons with Tablo, but liked how everything was integrated into the AppleTV. We sure missed features like Commercial-Skip and it was slower, but the good outweighed the bad. We had over $1000 worth of TiVo hardware…whatever.

When I proposed we try out Channels, my wife was all like “but just two years ago, we bought a Tablo box and lifetime subscription!”

It wasn’t too big of an argument…I made the switch anyway! LOL!

My wife proclaims Channels DVR as being better than TiVo and Tablo. Very beautiful setup!

Just wanted to say great job!

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#2

My wife proclaims Channels DVR as being better than TiVo and Tablo. Very beautiful setup!

That is the biggest hurdle (and not having Games of Thrones available to record in channels)

The SO buy in (or WAF) is always the hardest item to do. In my case we now use channels as well for everything EXEPT that I have to keep 1 DVR from the cable co, and one old WMC7 machine setup to record the DRM episodes needed from GoT since that is the ONLY item keeping us from going 100% channels. The SO does not care what equipment I use/buy/play with as long as when GoT comes on it is recorded. (and no using HBO anywhere or the likes is not enough. They want it recorded and available to watch even when the show/season is “not available” online.)

Thankfully channels is able to coexist with other “good behaving” clients/dvrs that use the SD system APIs through good logical tuner selection/sharing.

I know channels will not have DRM support any time soon… :frowning: but there is always hope…

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#3

This has been, and always will be, our most proud achievement. We’ve been in the HTPC game for a long time and understand how much this means. Spousal Acceptance Factor is a BIG deal in this space. When we want new toys (and to keep them) and they cross over to the whole household, it’s important that everyone is happy.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

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#4

Okay, it is important to take note of the fact that I am doing OTA, and not QAM (cable).

Cable companies have DRM control to the point to where non tech-Savy people hate on DVR providers (such as Channels).

Cord cutting is truly meant for people to strip down their cable service, to the point to where there is no TV or phone…internet only. With DRM issues out of the way, and an antenna…let Channels be your guide!

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#5

I second that. The support is great and Channels is great. I’m in the middle of spousal support efforts now. Made a leap forward today and put the Apple TV remote app on her iPad. much easier for her to use than the ATV remote. a big leap.

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#6

I have Channels, HD Antenna, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. Way more TV than I could ever watch. Will I miss a few shows on cable like The Americans or Better Call Saul, sure. But not to the point where I would have to pay $30+ a month and have a DVR service. All the other shows are basically reality or just not that good.

I used to appreciate cable TV for the news channels. Now, they are all just gossip!

I am fortunately enough not to have gotten hooked on sports, so if you do watch a lot of sports, I could imagine paying for the cable channels.

#7

I’m in a similar boat. I dropped cable in December 2015 and have Channels, Netflix, Prime. I have picked up CBS and Hulu on occasion for my wife, like to complete “the Good Wife” series. I also bought “Mr. Robot” from iTunes. I too have plenty of TV and don’t watch much sports except local football.

So DirectTV is having their “signup for 3 months and get an AppleTV 4K”, so I did that to see their service. Their app is pretty good, (except for all the “subscribe to watch” shows listed first). The have watchlists, favorite channels, grid guide and icon guide, AND A CLOCK ( hint,hint). But it doesn’t have all episodes ( generally around 5) or commercial skipping, so I moved on.

I thought I would try the ATV integrated view. I downloaded the 60 channel apps, and went through each and entered the cable provider info (on 3 AppleTVs. Thank goodness I got the small package, that was already 180 codes) what a mixed bag of unfriendly interfaces!

BTW, nothing Turner allows DirectTV NOW as the cable provider, what a rip.thats 10 Channels.

So then I tried using the AppleTV TV app. Well, the interface is still full of stuff on iTunes and channels that I didn’t subscribe. I actually prefer the DirectTV Now app.I know they want to make money but geez.

Not all episodes are available on most channels, so if you haven’t watched a series in years or at all, there will be holes in the story.

Then you have the slow launch of the app that has the show, yuck.

Finally, to add insult to injury, no commercial skipping!

Channels with DVR has me sooo spoiled. With its beautiful interface, fast action and commercial skipping I can’t imagine keeping DTV N after my 3 months. At least I got the ATV for that $105 bucks.

1 Like
#8

Try the Apple Watch remote app :wink:

#9

I’m pretty much doing the same thing you are doing. Only difference is I also buy season passes of my favorite cable shows on iTunes.

So I would pay about $35 for a season pass to The Walking Dead, for example.

I get the latest episode the morning after it airs, commercial-free. I would watch it at Starbucks, on my way to work.

$35 for a season pass, per show, does seem like a lot, but if you add up how many cable TV shows you want to keep up with, and multiply by $35, you will still come out paying MUCH LESS than you would annually for cableTV.

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#10

Not sure why the ATV remote gets such a bad rap. I actually like it. For example, if I am watching a late night talk show and I am not interested in a particular guest, I can easily scrub to the next segment since I can see the commercial break (they become like chapter markers).

I can also turn off both my ATV and TV just by holding the screen button. I can turn both on doing the same. (Just found this out!)

What do advantages do other remotes have that ATV remote doesn’t?

#11

True, but if you start paying for 2 or more shows, it can start to add up.

#12

I gave YouTube TV a try, not because I wanted to, but because my dad visited us for a few weeks and he wanted the golf channel.

I find YT TV interface quick clunky. If you want to skip forward, you have to press the button and the scroll up to the timeline and then scrub to the play you want. I would have though you could just right click the ATV remote and skip ahead 30 seconds. (They changed this in the Youtube app as well and I hate it.)

Also, there is no way to record only NEW episodes. And, when you travel, you switch to all local programming. No international way to view if you go overseas.

The only good thing is that you get a clear picture remotely and almost instantly because, of course, it is streaming from their servers. With Channels (or any home server for that matter), it takes a while to get the program started and even then, I get the occasional buffering. I have 30 megs up, so I would have thought that would be enough but I guess I don’t have the same pipes that Google has!

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#13

Even 7 shows is cheaper than cable.

More flexible too. Start watching in your living room, leave, finish up where you left off on your mobile device during your lunch break (does not require anything to be on or running at your house). And it features the only thing better than commercial-skip…not having them in the first place!

#14

I was paying roughly $60 for 140 channels + HBO + Showtime.

#15

Agree that the ATV remote is the closest to universal we can get with the ability to turn on and off both tv and the ATV. Also control volume as well. What both I and my wife struggle with is the fast forward and commercial skip. I can get my fat fingers to get the fast forward to work consistently and a double click to get the com skip to work almost never works. the only way com skip seems to work routinely is with the voice command.
the ate remote on the iPad or iPhone don’t handle the volume but the fast forward and com skip by double tapping work quite nicely.
I would prefer to use the atv remote, I must be doing something wrong cause it doesn’t work as well for me. I keep practicing though.

#16

I was paying roughly $60 for 140 channels + HBO + Showtime

and you probably only watched ~20 of those 140 regularly… I have over 300 watchable HD [ and we only watch ~30 of those channels… but the way the cable co structures them the only way to get the channels that the others want is to get the ~300 channel package [753 when counting total channels with SD duplicates and DRMed channels]

#17

But that didn’t include the cost of provider based DVR boxes. And if it did, it was most likely for a promotional rate good for the first two years.

Also, even if you had recorded everything you liked on CableTV, you still didn’t have the license to that very episode.

With an iTunes or Amazon season pass, you pay for a season pass, and 5 years later you can download it (to watch it offline), stream it, whatever. No commercials either.

I would gladly pay $3/show to not have commercials at all. Call me crazy

#18

Interesting. I have very little if any issue doing this. You might want to check the settings in ATV. Just a thought.

#19

I haven’t bit the bullet and got an Apple Watch yet. what is good about it?

#20

I mainly like the Apple Watch for keeping track of my glucose (I’m a type 1 diabetic).

But yes, the built in remote app works with the ATV. Swipe commands and all. Pretty slick being able to change a channel, turn on/off your TV and everything from your wrist