Internet access necessary?

[PeterM]

Is it correct that GB-PVR needs to have internet access in order to function?

If I block internet access in ZoneAlarm then the MediaMVP cannot display Live TV (error message: No connection to recording service). As soon as I allow internet access and restart the recording service, everything is fine...

Why is internet access necessary? What is being sent or received?

Thanks,
Peter

[sub]

GB-PVR doesn't go out across the network with the exception of:

- retrieving Zap2it/Bleb tv listings
- streaming net radio stations
- retrieving comics for the comics plugin
- retrieving weather info for the weather plugin.

The GB-PVR client uses TCP/IP to communicate with the GB-PVR Recording Service. It uses this connection to request recording and access the TV tuners etc.

Since you posted this question in the MVP forum, its probably also relevent to point out that GB-PVR uses TCP/IP to communicate with the MVP across the network.

[colin]

GBPVR and MVP work over TCP/IP - essentially they are a client/ser ver setup so this is what your firewall is complaining about.

GBPVR does not need to go out onto the Internet unless it is updating the EPG, or you have some of the plugins which require internet access

Colin.

[jsouza]

It's also worth noting that when ZoneAlarm or another firewall program alerts you that a program is requesting internet access, it really means that the program is opening a TCP/IP (network) port. It doesn't know whether your machine is connected directly to the internet or just to your local network. If you want the MediaMVP to be able to connect to the GB-PVR server (i.e. if you want to use the MediaMVP to watch programs on your GB-PVR machine), then you need to allow ZoneAlarm to open the port, or allow internet/network access to GB-PVR.