Time-shifted playback for DVR recordings

Channels DVR Server
#1

Okay, I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time searching the forums for this topic. If I missed it somewhere, and my question is a duplicate that has been asked/answered several times, I sincerely apologize.

With Channels DVR, is it possible to start watching recorded shows while the show is still recording? You know, like the DVR solutions from my cable company used to let me do?

There are only a few shows that my family prefers to watch the night of first airings (i.e. The Amazing Race and Dancing With The Stars). With our schedules, we usually can’t sit down to watch these shows until they are already about halfway through the episode. I used to use the Plex DVR beta to record shows off my HDHR tuner. However, it wouldn’t allow you to start watching the shows until after they were finished recording. And with Plex set up to mark commercials and transcode (on a slightly older PC), new episodes usually weren’t ready to watch on ATV until the next day. Since Hulu always has new episodes of these shows available the next day anyway, I stopped using Plex DVR altogether.

If Channels DVR will allow us to start watching our shows while they are still recording, that would be perfect. I just can’t seem to find any information on this for some reason. Thanks.

#2

Yes, of-course. This is considered a very basic feature and has been possible in Channels DVR since day one.

#3

Thank you so much for your lightning fast answer!! I was hoping this was the case. Unfortunately, I got so burned out on the deficiencies and constant fiddling of Plex’s DVR beta that I stopped using it altogether and vowed to not waste any more time on a DVR solution until one came out that was fully functional like the DVRs my family was used to using when we had cable.

If Channels DVR is now that fully-functional solution, I will likely be pulling the trigger on subscribing. I just need to find the right NAS I want to purchase solely for DVR use. Thanks!

#4

If you want you can install it on an existing computer to try it out, and then move all your stuff over to a NAS when you’re ready to commit

#5

Meh. My PCs are older (i.e. slow), and I don’t have a spare one I could set up as a standalone specifically for Channels DVR. I’d rather get a NAS just for DVR and be done with it. I need to go over to the Hardware sub-forum and see what folks are recommending. Luckily, my family’s show watching is not terribly demanding, and therefore, would not require any sort of Super NAS. However, I also don’t want to go super cheap and end up with something that drags and has constant hiccups.

#6

Even an old computer should let you run the DVR and see how you like it, and then spend a few hundred dollars on a NAS… unless you just need an excuse to buy a NAS then go for it :stuck_out_tongue:

#7

Hmm. If that’s the case, I do have an old PC that I used as a WHS server back in the day. I don’t remember the CPU or HDD specs on it at the moment. I’ll have to pull it up from the basement when I get home from work tonight and check it out. If I’m only going to use it for Channels DVR, maybe that will be good enough.

#8

So I pulled my old WHS server up from the basement. It has an AMD Athlon 64 7850 dual-core processor @ 2.8GHz, 4GB memory, and (2) 2TB HDDs. I had to do a clean install of Windows 10 since WHS is no longer supported. However, I got it up an running last night, installed the DVR software, enabled my DVR subscription, and recorded my first test show on the ATV4. So far, everything appears to be running smoothly and exactly as I would like. Thanks!

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