Freeview AND Freesat

[R1Dave]

Hi,
I am an ex-GPBR user and I've just starting using it again having ditched my Sky box. NPVR looks great.

I currently have a dual tuner DVB-t PCI tuner (Hauppauge but can't remember the model). I'm now looking at HD options and I'm thinking about adding a dual tuner PCIe DVB-s2 card (e.g. TBS6981).

I'm just wondering how these will work together?
1. Will it recognise common channels and list them only once in the guide?
2. Will the EPG download automatically for the freesat channels as it does currently for the freeview channels?
3. Are there any other complications i should consider?

It sounds a good idea but i want to keep it simple.

Dave

[sub]

1. Will it recognise common channels and list them only once in the guide?

By default channels from differenty types of device (dvb-s vs dvb-t) will be listed separately, but you can tell it to merge them.

2. Will the EPG download automatically for the freesat channels as it does currently for the freeview channels?

I think they encrypt the freesat EPG, in which case you'd probably have to use xmltv.

3. Are there any other complications i should consider?

Nothing springs to mind.

[imilne]

It's very easy to use the broadcast EPG for freesat (and freeview if you want) using an external tool called DVBGuide. It downloads the data to an xmltv file that can then be imported into NPVR.

Iain

[R1Dave]

Thanks for the feedback, very helpful. Just one more question then, if i get a DVB-T2 card (if / when they are available) to get the HD channels (the channels are available in my region) will that be simpler? Will i be able to use the transmitted EPG rather than downloading seperately and merge with the DVB-T EPG easily?

Any supported cards available yet?

[sub]

I dont really know anything about the EPG used on DVB-T2. Someone else may be able to advise if it's usable.

I think all the DVB-T2 devices work with NextPVR. I know people have used the PCTV T2 stick, and some BlackGold T2 device.

[imilne]

I could be wrong, but I believe the DVB-T2 EPG for Freeview (in the UK) uses the same huffman encoded crap that the Freesat one does, so NPVR won't be able to use it directly. That obviously only affects the HD multiplex though. If you've got access to satellite (in particular a card with DVB-S2), then I'd go with that for HD channel access, as there's currently (slightly) more choice and it'll hopefully only get better with time. Freeview is *severely* limited in the number it can carry.

Iain

[martint123]

I too think the HD Freeview EPG is "made difficult to use". But it can be extracted with DVBGuide.

My test box is currently using a nova-t-500 (dual DVB-T) PCTV microstick (DVB-T2) and a USB Q-BOX2 (DVB-S2) and they all work well together.
I have merged (as per subs post) the channels, so there is only 1 bbc1 for example, and NPVR picks the next free tuner. The only problem with automatic merging is the part-time channels that share MUX's on freeview (I think this is less common than before).

I'm still using xmtlvgui to grab the radio times EPG listings.

[Spidermonkey]

I use a PCTV USB ministick to watch and record Freeview HD channels in NPVR, I'm quite impressed by this stick, and the Freeview HD for that matter, it works flawlessly with Windows 7 64Bit and NPVR, athougth I had a bit of fun trying to get the right decoders for HD. It took me a while to realise the EPG data is as martint123 put it "made difficult to use", I think there are some threads on AVFourms.com about it. I ended up using xmltv GUI and a UpdateEPG batch file to grab the HD channel EPG data automatically when the normal freeview channels guide updates.

Nige

[imilne]

One other thing to keep in mind is that the audio codecs used for Freeview HD can be more fiddly to get to work than on Freesat.

Iain

[R1Dave]

Lots to think about....but its all good fun. I'm considering ditching the Freeview cards in favour of a TBS PCIe quad tuner DVB-S2. I've already got 3 cables from the Sky dish. It would be a neat solution and would free up my only PCI slot. I haven't looked but i'm assuming there is little or no benefit in having Freeview as well as Freesat?