Recommended Windows backend (priority - simple)
#1
Hi,

I'm looking for a easy to use pvr backend that is easy to configure and use together with XBMC.

Tvheadend looked interested but I am unable to use it since it seems you must compile it yourself (which I dont know how to do).

What is the recommended tool?
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#2
By the way using windows
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#3
If you want to, you could try openelec on a usb stick. Tvheadend can you downlod as a addon in openelec/ xbmc
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#4
What I can find on the wiki, the only PVR back ends of windows are: ARGUS TV, NextPVR, MediaPortal, DVBLink.

I also have the same question, for a windows platform what are the pros / cons of the listed back ends above, what would experienced users recommend I start with for PVR back end software?
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#5
I'd like some answers on these questions too. I just built a new HTPC and I don't know where to start. These forums seem like a mess when it comes to the PVR stuff. I just would like some sort of easy tutorial to get started, but that seems impossible here. Just a quick few answers would help a lot.

1. What is a decent TV tuner card to get?
2. What backend should I use when I am using Windows 7? (I live in the USA, apparently there are different ones for regions or something)
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#6
If you go to XBMC's wiki help page, there's a complete walk-through guide about Live Tv and XBMC. Here's the link: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=PVR

Click on the "setting up the backend" link at the bottom and it will take you to a page that will list the different backend types for your OS and region.

For Windows it's: Argus, NextPVR, Media portal, and DVBLink. I use NextPVR and it works pretty well (don't forget to install the update patch). I used the guide when setting it up and it was easy.

I use a Hauppauge 2250 and I like its dual tuner capabilities with hardware encoding. It also supports NextPVR as a backend.

As for the Pros and Cons of each... I think it would be a great thread since I wonder about the differences myself.
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#7
Thank you very much, that helps quite a bit. I'm still on the fence about what TV tuner to get though. I'm trying to find one on amazon, hopefully I'll find one that isn't too pricey.
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#8
I'm in the same boat. I have a Silicone Dust HD Homerun and 2 Ceton InfiniTV4 internal tuner cards. The Ceton cards run on my Server/transcoder/Current PVR for the house, running windows media center with 6 Xbox 360s as extenders. I bought the HDHome run specifically to use with XBMC. I'd prefer a windows solution as that PC is already on 24/7, i do have another pc that was running windows home server before I got the synology Diskstation but at ~380watts idle I'd rather not re-purpose that just for a backend for XBMC.

I tried NextPVR initially but it appeared I needed to manually map EVERY channel (I get every channel possible from Comcast) and that was going to be a large task. Perhaps I did something wrong but I followed the guides that I could find. NextPVR appeared to have the best feature set. DVBLogic looked decent but guide data seemed to be lacking no no matter which of their options i chose (never set it up, just looked at their info on their website). I also tried the tvheadend on synology, but it wouldn't find my silicone dust tuners due to not having the proper drivers i'm assuming.

Basically, looking for the best windows setup to run on my current 24/7 PC. It's an i7-3550K with 16GB ram and Win 7x64, so unless i'd run into a problem having to programs acting as a headend (from different tuners completely) - it should be able to run it.
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#9
I have NextPVR running OK on my Windows Home Server 2011 machine. It's a Athlon 64 3800 2.4GH.

You shouldn't have to map all the channels by hand. Make sure you get the patch for NextPVR. That makes a big difference. I'm also running the latest beta software/ for the HD Prime.

it's not perfect but very usable.
Paul
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#10
(2013-01-02, 23:33)Tripplesixty Wrote: What I can find on the wiki, the only PVR back ends of windows are: ARGUS TV, NextPVR, MediaPortal, DVBLink.

I also have the same question, for a windows platform what are the pros / cons of the listed back ends above, what would experienced users recommend I start with for PVR back end software?

I can quickly compare between DVBlink and Argus as that is all that i have used.

Firstly DVBlink is a paid for product. It works great with WMC. The official add on for XBMC is rubbish. There are unofficial add ons which work great for the most part but these are created by hobbiest so you may have a add on that is updated every other day then you get nothing for a month or longer. This product was extremely stable for me until they moved the GUI to web browser based. Since then I had problems with the GUI not loading and random channels loosing all EPG data. It is easy get setup though and the EPG data extras are good.

I am now using Argus. It is a free product but donations are welcome. They seem to update the XBMC plugin regularly and are quick to make changes if something breaks in it. The programmer also has a lot of input into XBMC and has made changes to XBMC that I see as beneficial for everyone. It has been very stable for me, maybe more so than DVBlink ever was. My only problems with it at the moment is radio channels are forever buffering and no one is 100% sure if it is XBMC or Argus. My other major gripe is that the plugin does not send TV categories to XBMC (get it sorted and I will donate!!). The setup is very complicated. I could set it up fairly quickly now but that is only because I have done it 3 times for various reasons.
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#11
(2013-01-18, 01:54)Codee Wrote: I tried NextPVR initially but it appeared I needed to manually map EVERY channel (I get every channel possible from Comcast) and that was going to be a large task. Perhaps I did something wrong but I followed the guides that I could find. NextPVR appeared to have the best feature set.

No, you shouldn't be manually mapping every channel - That's definitely the hard way. If you use Schedules Direct, you can select which channels you have for your region and provider and it'll only import those into the list. Even with XMLTV, you download the Channel list for your region and provider, then simply remove the channels from your list that you don't get.

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