Multiple Tuner Cards

[dhayzen]

Hi forum.

Apologies if I have placed this question in the wrong area...

I am currently looking at building a media server that can act as a pvr for both Freeview and BBC/ITV freesat.

My ideal would be to have the media server in the loft with the appropriate tuner cards installed.
Then in each room I wish to watch etc to have another box that gives me access to the media server for not only streaming recorded/live tv from either Freeview or freesat but to gain access to the epg's to setup future recording etc.

Has the world of Media Servers got to the point where I can have tuner cards for both Freeview and freesat installed beside each other or is this just a straight no and never situation ?

The freesat system includes BBC HD and ITVHD, so I would like to know if these can be recorded and streamed in HD to a client by GBPVR.

I'm sorry if this has been asked before in the forums here, but I can't seem to find the answers using the search.

Hopefully someone out there has either done what I am trying to do, or knows the answers...

regards
Dave

[martint123]

Piece of cake

I have an old, screenless, 3gHz P4 up in the shack. In it is (most of the time) A Hauppauge nova-t-500 dual DVB-T for freeview. A pinnacle dual DVB-S for Freesat. A Hauppauge PVR150 used to capture from a Sky box. Something like a Pinnacle 7010x pcix card with two dvb-t and two dvb-s tuners would do all you want.
I have a couple of PopcornHour PCH-a100's which are networked media boxes and these small boxes sit under the TV to give access to the server - giving exactly what you want - EPG, recordings, all tuners. Not forgetting the facility of recording multiple channels is needed in the same tuner if they are on the same Freeview mux.
Also available is web-based EPG, show scheduling and viewing for PC's. The software also can run in client mode on PC's.

I would look at the N-PVR side of things, as GBPVR is an excellent piece of software, but is frozen in development and NPVR is it's similar replacement (but easier to setup).

Have fun

Martin

[dhayzen]

Martin,

Many thanks for your reply - you have answered my questions exactly and I am now filled with enthusiasm to explore N-PVR further...

I shall take a look at the hardware you mentioned.

Cheers
Dave

[martint123]

Most digital tuners will work so long as they have manufactures BDA drivers (and 99% will). So a cheap USB freeview thing could get you started and see what you think .
With Freesat, BBC and ITV HD work fine, but if any others come up for free viewing, then the format may well be DVB-S2 rather then the more common DVB-S - so if buying new, then bear that in mind. (most of my tuners came from ebay).
The same applies for Freeview HD - although there are no DVB-T2 (or whatever they call it) tuners available as yet.

[dhayzen]

Thanks for that.
I'll probably end up buying new, so I would make sure the capture card supports DVB-S2.

You've hit the nail on the head as to why I am looking into this.... which is the expandability of the system.

I like the idea that if something changes in the future in terms of transmission, all I need to do (in theory) is change the capture card.
The rest of the infrastructure remains the same, ie the client end.

A few more questions if you don't mind......
How may channels can be recorded at the same time ? Quite often we have 2 recordings going on the freesat and one on freeview. Would this be possible with N-PVR?
Is there a maximum number of capture cards allowed or is it down to the motherboard support for pci?
Is there a download I can try of GB-PVR or N-PVR?
I take it that GB-PVR is now replaced by N-PVR ?

regards
Dave

[martint123]

How many channels recorded simultaneously ??? No limit really, bandwidth of the PCI bus and drives would be the limiting factor I guess. I've had 8 simultaneous records when I first played around (to impress little brother!).

Maximum capture cards - I'm doubtful there is one - a hardware limit rather than software. There may be a limit by the driver though - I haven't come across this, but I think I have heard of someone finding out that only a single tuner was supported by their driver. (I think it may be rare though and not with mainstream manufacturers.

Downloads - follow this - I would certainly go straight for npvr, although still in beta, is much easier to setup and very much as usable as gbpvr.

A thread from one of the users, hopefully making life easier for the first steps.

http://forums.gbpvr.com//showthread.php?47686

Martin

[dhayzen]

Thanks Martin. Downloaded.... will have a play... :-)

[johnsonx42]

Be aware that DVB-S2 card suport was limited in GB-PVR to just a few cards (Hauppauge). I don't know if it's the same in N-PVR, but you'll want to check into that before purchasing any cards. I don't know further details, but wanted to alert you.

[Reddwarf]

There may be a limit by the driver though - I haven't come across this, but I think I have heard of someone finding out that only a single tuner was supported by their driver. (I think it may be rare though and not with mainstream manufacturers.
Martin

I ran into trouble when I tried to put two Cinergy C capturecards (from Terratec) in the same computer, after contacting their support it became clear that the driver only supports one card at the time. I'm now running a Cinergy C and a Cinergy HTC-USB tagather with Technotrend C1500 and C1501 and an ATI-550 in the same computer and that works just fine.

[dhayzen]

Good information guys... many thanks.

I have another couple of newbie questions....

When using the BBC/ITV freesat system, does N-PVR give you the full 7 day EPG from the satellite feed, or do I have to run scripts to collect that information from the internet and import into N-PVR? From what I understand of the freesat system, if the hardware is not specifically approved for freesat use (bearing the freesat logo) then it will not support the EPG.

I currently use a Humax PVR for freesat. It (most of the time) manages to track slight changes in timing for recordings, ie extensions and running late programmes.
Does N-PVR do this?

regards
Dave