DVBlast as backend with XBMC.
#1
Hi everyone.

Amazing job I must say. My first post and I hate it to be a question. I have searched the whole world over for over a month trying to find an answer to this question but I haven't found it. Perhaps I need to better my search skills but please pardon me if this has already been dealt with.


I stumbled upon Angry Technician's website a few months ago on how to multicast freeview channels unto a LAN. I decided to help a friend do this at their school over their LAN. I followed his instructions and I got it all working using TechnoTrend Tuner cards I had lying somewhere in some dead equipment I had been keeping for years. I used DVBlast as backend on a Dell PC running Ubuntu 12.10. I prepared a Channels .conf file and using udp multicast, the channels are streamed unto the network.(IGMP configured on LAN switch) I use minisapserver to announce the streams to the network and the channels are being viewed using VLC client. Further with upstart configuration, I make it all run with anyone attending to it. All is well.

Except now I want to take it to another level using XBMC as the frontend. No matter what I do, I can't figure it out. I am sorry I am not a programmer and I guess that is why I am being held back. However what I am is someone with ability to follow steps and research where necessary so I will really appreciate if anyone can help me in any way with these questions.

1. Does XBMC need a common backend, frontend architecture to display channels streamed into network?
2. Does XBMC work with udp multicast streams and how do I make the frontend see the streams coming through?
3. I want to stick with udp multicast streaming using primarily DVBlast as the backend because it works, what supporting front ends can I use? Can I use XMBC with any PVR addon to tune to the channels and watch?
4. If this is possible, has it been documented anywhere? Even if just a raw process, with a little more help, I will work hard and try to make it work.



There are about 50 different computers in different classes/hallways/offices so it is essential that I use multicast. Any help will do. Thanks.
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#2
Been a while since I used udp streaming with XBMC, but there was support for it so you should be able to get something working.

I haven't tried sap support for a long time, but I do believe it was ported - in theory, you should be able to add a video source using sap://yoursapannouncer and it should bring up your channel list.

Alternatively - you can create individual strm files for each stream. Create a file with the following in it:

udp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:1234 or udp://@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:1234 (can't remember exact format).

I doubt this will work with the PVR side of things, but you should be able to have live streaming.
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#3
Thinking about it, if pvr is required, you could feed the streams into tvheadend. You should be able to use the pvr front end then - this is purely thinking out loud and may or may not work ;-)
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#4
Thank you very much Prae5 for your response. I will give it a go using the .strm file and see how it turns out. My question though is, if I use TVheadend, do I have the option of sending the streaming unto the network via multicast and then receiving the multicast stream on XBMC?



Thanks.
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#5
(2013-03-04, 17:15)Darcourt Wrote: My question though is, if I use TVheadend, do I have the option of sending the streaming unto the network via multicast and then receiving the multicast stream on XBMC?

Honestly, not sure as I don't use it very much.

What is the long term goal? Do you need PVR support - if not then just using strm files / sap should give you everything....
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#6
(2013-03-04, 17:19)prae5 Wrote:
(2013-03-04, 17:15)Darcourt Wrote: My question though is, if I use TVheadend, do I have the option of sending the streaming unto the network via multicast and then receiving the multicast stream on XBMC?

Honestly, not sure as I don't use it very much.

What is the long term goal? Do you need PVR support - if not then just using strm files / sap should give you everything....

At the moment, PVR is not in the picture.
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#7
That being the case, just go for strm files.
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#8
(2013-03-04, 17:44)prae5 Wrote: That being the case, just go for strm files.


Hi,

I have taken one or two days off XBMC but I will work on making the .strm files work. In the mean time, can you (or anyone else who may know) please help interpret this? I am not a programmer but it looks like an Openelec/XBMC frontend addon for DVBlast. Am I right in suggesting that?


https://github.com/stefansaraev/openelec...ia/dvblast



I appreciate your input.


Thanks.
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DVBlast as backend with XBMC.0