Watch/Record multiple channels with a single dvb tv card?

[hasso]

From http://www.team-mediaportal.com

Watch/Record multiple channels with a single dvb tv card?
Monday, 29 January 2007
Update: this feature is now placed in svn


The most requested feature for the tvserver is to be able to watch/record multiple tv channels at the same time with just 1 tv card

Impossible?... no, the upcoming tvserver does it!


Wouldn't that be nice for GBPVR?

[sub]

I've thought about it the past, but its probably not something I'll be adding. Not worth the extra effort in my opinion, especially given the limitations that go with it.

Most capture devices are pretty cheap, so just buy another one if you need to be able to record multi channels.

[martint123]

I'd guess it would make conflict management a nightmare.

[bgowland]

To put it into perspective from a UK Freeview (DVB-T) point of view.

If I only had one card and I wanted to record BBC1, BBC2 and BBC THREE all at the same time (or watch one and record the others etc), this would work out nicely as they're all on the same MUX.

But if I just wanted something as simple as BBC1 and Channel 4, for example, they're not on the same MUX so I'd still need 2 cards (or a dual tuner card).

If I want to record BBC1, BBC Four, Channel 4 and Five at the same time I'd need 4 cards/tuners.

Cheers,
Brian

[Bathman]

I am sure this would be a very handy feature for UK DVB-T uses just look at the number of channels on the same mux

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/mux/

[Techno79]

So, can the latest version of GBPVR record multiple channels on the same MUX using one tuner? Can the Windows MCE software do this?

TIA

[sub]

So, can the latest version of GBPVR record multiple channels on the same MUX using one tuner?

No. As I said above, it was a feature I didnt think was worth implementing.

Can the Windows MCE software do this?

No, I dont think so.

[johandm_be]

I've thought about it the past, but its probably not something I'll be adding. Not worth the extra effort in my opinion, especially given the limitations that go with it.

Most capture devices are pretty cheap, so just buy another one if you need to be able to record multi channels.

Hi sub,

with all due respect, I do think it is slightly more complicated than that : adding extra capture devices will also mean : replace LNBs with ones that have more outputs + run extra coax from the dish to the computer, so certainly not cheap/convenient.

I have been using SageTV (with analog cable TV) for 4 years now and that setup learned me that with 3 tuners, I often have to do conflict resolution and compromise on what programs not to record.

Since beginning this year I am trying to bring a new PVR system based on DVB-S up and running. In my setup I have 4 quad LNBs connected by a 4x4 diseqc switch, that would allow me to record 4 services at the same time. Knowing that I will have more than twice the amount of channels than I used to have on analog cable, I bet conflicts will happen more oftenly.

But... more than half of the channels I subscribed all reside on two transponders. In fact 90% of the channels that I will be recording of are all on the same transponder.

So in my opinion recording multiple streams of 1 transponder is very appealing. With that feature, one DVB-S capture card could do the same load as my 3 analog cards could and then the remaining 3 cards can record the "extra's".


I have been "shopping" for a new PVR setup that will work for DVB-S since beginning this year. (It does not have to be a free application).

Sage is taking forever to come up with native DVB-S with CAM/CI support, I think it is starting to show now, but still very restricted.

Mediaportal has all the features, but I have been trying it and it is just not stable and reliable enough. Not even basic operations such as tuning a channel etc. (DVB Dream works perfect with the same hardware BTW)

I'm tempted to try gbpvr, hoping that this system is more reliable than Mediaportal, but the fact that Mediaportal supports the "decode multiple channels of 1 transponder" feature makes me want to keep troubleshooting that until it works...


I realize that recording multiple services of one transponder may not be appealing to everybody. It depends on what services you're subscribed to and how these are grouped on transponders, but for people that it does work out for... it can make a big difference. In my case, I would have my 7 most frequently used services all on one capture card...

Thanks,
Johan.

[stustunz]

i guess thats the difference
stablity over recording many channels on less hardware

take your pick

[martint123]

with all due respect, I do think it is slightly more complicated than that : adding extra capture devices will also mean : replace LNBs with ones that have more outputs + run extra coax from the dish to the computer, so certainly not cheap/convenient.

I think sub was refering to DVB-T where multiple tuners are cheap and easy to install.