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The_Smurfman · 2015-03-31, 15:39

My understanding is that if use ServerWMC with Kodi the following limitations would be the following:

1. Using Kodi PVR ServerWMC client connected to ServerWMC you would not be able to view live or recorded content that was encrypted or copy once like HBO.

2. Is this the same behavior if WMCServer is running on the same maching as the Kodi ServerWMC Client?

I am asking since from a live TV perspective I want all my channels available at one place. If this is the case then using WMC would be the best choice for live TV and switch between the two via WMC Kodi Plugin.

Looking for help thanks.

jdlive · 2015-03-31, 16:53

Yes it's the same whether the client is local or remote to the ServerWMC app. And it's the "copy once" limitation rather than "encrypted". You can view encrypted channels that are flagged "copy freely" using the Kodi client, assuming you have the proper hardware installed to de-crypt them, i.e. a CableCard tuner.

hoopsdavis · 2015-03-31, 17:34

I've been using WMCServer from the beginning and I've never had an issue with watching HBO, StarZ or ShowTime.

I'm running a system using Hauppauge HD PVR (I believe first generation) http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html
I'm running my main system in the basement with an internal Hauppauge 1600 (for QAM channels) and HDPVR for set-top-box connection.
My second system is running upstairs with the HDPVR for set-top-box connection and I'm sharing the channels from the main systems in the basement just for the Qam channels. Never had an issue with viewing anything on any pay channels. No special settings and no special software. I started using WMCServer from the launch and have never looked back.

The_Smurfman · 2015-03-31, 22:08

(2015-03-31, 17:34)hoopsdavis Wrote: I've been using WMCServer from the beginning and I've never had an issue with watching HBO, StarZ or ShowTime.

I'm running a system using Hauppauge HD PVR (I believe first generation) http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html
I'm running my main system in the basement with an internal Hauppauge 1600 (for QAM channels) and HDPVR for set-top-box connection.
My second system is running upstairs with the HDPVR for set-top-box connection and I'm sharing the channels from the main systems in the basement just for the Qam channels. Never had an issue with viewing anything on any pay channels. No special settings and no special software. I started using WMCServer from the launch and have never looked back.

Thanks All,

I will give it a try but with FIOS I do know that some channels are copy once. Best way to find out is try. If everything does not show up in PVR client then I will WMC for live TV.

Thanks Again for your feedback.

Dilligaf · (This post was last modified: 2015-03-31, 22:44 by Dilligaf.)

I'm pretty sure that the HD PVR takes advantage of the "analog hole" to do its recording and thus bypasses copy protection

jdlive · 2015-04-01, 01:41

(2015-03-31, 22:08)The_Smurfman Wrote: Thanks All,

I will give it a try but with FIOS I do know that some channels are copy once. Best way to find out is try. If everything does not show up in PVR client then I will WMC for live TV.

Thanks Again for your feedback.

I'm on FiOS also. Everything except premium channels like HBO should be copy freely, so everything but those will be available via Kodi. You'll need to use WMC for the premium channels.

krustyreturns · 2015-04-01, 02:26

Just for completeness sake, serverwmc can run along side wmc. So if you can't view your premium channels in kodi, you can always run wmc on the same machine and view them with it. Use kodi/swmc to distribute the other channels to client machines.

Lastly you can use clients and serverwmc to do schedule and start recordings on premium channels, just not watch with them.

hoopsdavis · 2015-04-01, 16:29

(2015-04-01, 01:41)jdlive Wrote:
(2015-03-31, 22:08)The_Smurfman Wrote: Thanks All,

I will give it a try but with FIOS I do know that some channels are copy once. Best way to find out is try. If everything does not show up in PVR client then I will WMC for live TV.

Thanks Again for your feedback.

I'm on FiOS also. Everything except premium channels like HBO should be copy freely, so everything but those will be available via Kodi. You'll need to use WMC for the premium channels.

I'm also on FiOS and I have no problem watching my premium channels.

krustyreturns · 2015-04-01, 17:05

You have a unique setup my friend. I'm sure its like dilligaf says, you are doing an analog recording with your older card. Just enjoy it and take good care of that card.

jdlive · 2015-04-02, 17:50

(2015-04-01, 16:29)hoopsdavis Wrote:
(2015-04-01, 01:41)jdlive Wrote:
(2015-03-31, 22:08)The_Smurfman Wrote: Thanks All,

I will give it a try but with FIOS I do know that some channels are copy once. Best way to find out is try. If everything does not show up in PVR client then I will WMC for live TV.

Thanks Again for your feedback.

I'm on FiOS also. Everything except premium channels like HBO should be copy freely, so everything but those will be available via Kodi. You'll need to use WMC for the premium channels.

I'm also on FiOS and I have no problem watching my premium channels.

As pointed out, you're using a set top box and doing an analog conversion. While that certainly gets around the copy once problem. most people are using WMC/Kodi to avoid renting those set top boxes from the cable company.

cylonmind · 2015-09-11, 05:40

(2015-04-01, 01:41)jdlive Wrote: I'm on FiOS also. Everything except premium channels like HBO should be copy freely, so everything but those will be available via Kodi. You'll need to use WMC for the premium channels.

I am also on FiOS (Northern VA) and in addition to the premium channels like HBO, some of the other channels like the National Geographic and Fox News channels are now tagged by FiOS as copy-once. Although they play just fine with WMC, they are rendered with a gray display and random tones via Kodi+swmc, which is running on the same machine as WMC.

I find this unfortunate because I was hoping to setup a single HTPC with WMC and Kodi+swmc and then use an Amazon FireTV Stick on each of the TVs throughout the house in order to view content. The only viable solution I can see now is to setup a mini PC running WMC Extender on each TV in the house. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on how to be able to receive these copy-once channels on multiple TVs throughout the house without having to rent a FiOS set-top box for each TV?

krustyreturns · 2015-09-11, 06:27

It depends on what tuner you have. If you are using silicon dust tuners they are working on a pvr solution which will work with copy-once. Otherwise wmc is the only option.

cylonmind · 2015-09-11, 08:01

I am using the HDHomerun Prime as my only tuner. The system is running Win7-64. WMC plays fine but copy--once only plays on WMC not on Kodi. I also noticed that the channel numbers are really different on Kodi versus WMC, especially in the higher numbers (low hundreds)

jdlive · 2015-09-11, 14:55

(2015-09-11, 05:40)cylonmind Wrote:
(2015-04-01, 01:41)jdlive Wrote: I'm on FiOS also. Everything except premium channels like HBO should be copy freely, so everything but those will be available via Kodi. You'll need to use WMC for the premium channels.

I am also on FiOS (Northern VA) and in addition to the premium channels like HBO, some of the other channels like the National Geographic and Fox News channels are now tagged by FiOS as copy-once. Although they play just fine with WMC, they are rendered with a gray display and random tones via Kodi+swmc, which is running on the same machine as WMC.

I find this unfortunate because I was hoping to setup a single HTPC with WMC and Kodi+swmc and then use an Amazon FireTV Stick on each of the TVs throughout the house in order to view content. The only viable solution I can see now is to setup a mini PC running WMC Extender on each TV in the house. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on how to be able to receive these copy-once channels on multiple TVs throughout the house without having to rent a FiOS set-top box for each TV?

Yeah, that's a change since my post back in March, Fox seems to be enforcing their copyright protection on FiOS now. I've been flipping back and forth between Kodi and WMC for now, I did find a way to launch WMC from within Kodi, but the file needed to do that was throwing off all kinds of security warnings so I didn't get too far. Of course, that wouldn't work with your FireTV idea, either. I may look into switching back to Comcast, I don't think they are flagging the Fox channels yet, though they may change as well at some point.

cylonmind · 2015-09-11, 16:16

I am now looking into the HDMI stick computers that run Windows 8.1 for Bing -- attaching one to each remote TV. They have only 2G RAM and only 32G storage at about $130. I was thinking of running WMC Extender on it. I realize that Kodi will not be involved anymore in this setup but I don't see any other way. Does anyone have any experience with this type of setup?