GBPVR, NMT and WHS?

[wickchucker]

I have a PCH-A 100, a home built Windows Home Server, a Silicon Dust HD Homerun dual tuner . What is the best way to combine these 3 devices into a set up that can:

- watch live OTA HD channels picked up from antenna
- record HD programs from those OTA channels (preferably to the WHS, but my PCH has a 100gb hard drive in it if that needs to be used).

This is all going to be run on a hard wired network. WHS is in a closet, PCH hooked up via hdmi to my plasma. I would really like to not have to have another computer in this mix if possible.

Please help me get to the point wher eI can use the NMT to watch live TV and shows that had been recorded. Thanks!

[Jaggy]

I really can't help you hugely as I don't have almost any of the hardware apart from the A100 myself, but I do know users are using both GB-PVR & NPVR with WHS even if some of them have to run mvpmcx2 off a USB drive because of/to get around some of the security they have in place, so you should be able to get it to work......maybe someone with more knowledge than me can chip in with some suggestions??

[mvallevand]

All your components are reasonable you should have no major snags running OTA, assuming of course you can use your HDHR with other applications. The toughest decision now is choosing between NPVR and GBPVR. NPVR is the future, so I'd start by downloading NMTInstall2 and trying it out even if there are still some bugs in the beta.

For me LiveTV is more power using GBPVR, you can navigate freely, save LiveTV if you want to watch it, and schedule LiveTV but if those are not significant NPVR is the way to go.

Martin

[wickchucker]

All your components are reasonable you should have no major snags running OTA, assuming of course you can use your HDHR with other applications. The toughest decision now is choosing between NPVR and GBPVR. NPVR is the future, so I'd start by downloading NMTInstall2 and trying it out even if there are still some bugs in the beta.

For me LiveTV is more power using GBPVR, you can navigate freely, save LiveTV if you want to watch it, and schedule LiveTV but if those are not significant NPVR is the way to go.

Martin

I would like which ever option is the easiest to set up and watch live TV on the PCH.

I am not clear what the difference is between GBPVR and NPVR. Do they both work with the PCH as a client?

Also, for an EPG, is there a free resource for that data or is a subscription to a provider required? I am fine if there is a cost, but it does not mention it specifically on the Wiki.

[mvallevand]

Based on "easy" I suggest installing GB-PVR with NMTInstall for your PCH, and I also suggest that once installed you get the 14 day Schedules Direct trial to get EPG data. If you like the way the system works you then could consider subscribing to SD or looking at other EPG alternatives.

Martin

[mikeh49]

I think your best choice at the moment is PVRX2 (GBPVR), especially if Live TV is critical. Live TV is not solid yet in NPVR, so if you want something that works now, PVRX2 is your choice. While NPVR is the future, it is still a work in progress, as you can see by reading the NPVR forum. On the other hand, PVRX2 is solid, and should do what you want. The NMT connection seems pretty well wrung out, and it looks like support for the HDHR tuners is solid as well. That said, Sub cannot support PVRX2 any more, and the plug-in developers are moving the NPVR and support of their plugins for PVRX2 is questionable. Another point is that some parts of the Net Radio feature in PVRX2 don't work because of a change in Shoutcast, and cannot be fixed. However, the Web Radio plug-in does work in PVRX2 (except maybe on Win7 )and provides even more features.

NPVR is intended to be easier to setup, so in the future, it will be the choice. PVRX2 is not as easy to setup, but if you are willing to tinker a bit, and read the forums, you should be able to get it going. The fact you're using over the air ATSC is a plus; clear QAM from cable seems to be more tricky.

Disclaimer on the above is that I have not used WHS, HDHR, or NMT. I just read the forums and believe most of what I see.

BTW, your server will need to have a decent video card (Geforce 6200 or above) to run the PVRX2 program if you access it from a local monitor and keyboard, I'm not sure how well remote access would work. Others on the forum can help with that.

Good luck.

[wickchucker]

Thanks for the guidance. I have been reading the Dummies install guide. Should I follow that and run the install on my WHS (I would remote desktop into it as I have for installing many other programs)? Or is this something I run on the PCH - either through telnet or the community software installer?

Also, in the Dummies guide, there is a caveat about needing to set up a guest share on the server. I already have a share on the WHS set up on the PCH, works flawlessly. It is the only share I have set up on the PCH. Do I need to create another for GBPVR?

[wickchucker]

So I have got it working to the point where the GBPVR loads through the PCH network browser and the Mayhem 3 skin comes up. But when I try to watch Live TV either through the menu or pushing the TV mode button on the pch remote, i am taken to a blank, gray colored screen (sort of has a denim like textured pattern and a gray horizontal bar at the top).

One thing I did notice is on the WHS desktop the GBPVR tray icon, under status, says HG Homerun is "sleeping" but on that same computer I can watch live tv on its desktop using the hdhr quick tv software, so I know there are channels and the hdhr is working.

I am guessing now that there is something wrong in my GBPVR config at the server level, not the PCH end.

Any ideas on how to get live TV on the PCH now?

[mvallevand]

Compress and upload your logs and I will have a look, and if this belongs in the main support forum I will let you know.

Martin

[wickchucker]

Thanks a ton Martin, logs attached: