Best HTPC software ?


jbrodriguez

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9 minutes ago, Dieseldes said:

Right my motherboard has Intel virtualization in the bios switched on and should be good to go. It's a Asus p8z77-v so it looks like I could have a project brewing. Thanks guys. 

 

Just to throw more stuff into the mix, could always have a Mediaportal backend and use LibreELEC as clients.  Take a look here.  Benefit of that is you can run a perfectly functional HTPC on a RPi3.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just to throw another option out there... SageTV. For me, it has the best UI for PVR and a personal library of media. With the release of the source last year, we now have a new version 9. If you can get your hands on an Extender (ebay?), you have a very nice set-top box. So here's my setup:

  • HDHomeRun with an Antenna to capture HD over-the-air and convert it to MPEG
  • 3TB drive mounted with Unassigned Devices
  • Docker container running SageTV server, passing the mounted 3TB in for recordings. Configured the HDHomeRun as the PVR input, and to snarf in my media library from /mnt/user/Media.
  • SageTV extender from like 2007 in the living room. SageTV clients on computers.

I converted over from a VM to the Docker container this weekend, and it was easy-peasy. Man, I remember buying custom HTPC cases for SageTV back in like 2004.

 

Downsides: the extenders aren't for sale from Frey, since they were bought by Google. SageTV isn't very strong on streaming media, but hopefully that will catch up now that it's open source.

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When I last tried Sage it couldn't handle copy controlled HD content -- is that still true?     Currently for DVR purposes I use a Windows 7 system running Windows Media Center with 3 HD HomeRun Primes -- so we can record 9 channels at a time and effectively an unlimited number of shows [I simply add more storage as needed].     My other media is all stored on a dedicated media server, which also contains recorded content I want to keep (moved from the HTPC that functions as our "super DVR").

 

Just curious what other options allow recorded content with restrictive CC codes.

.

 

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1 minute ago, garycase said:

When I last tried Sage it couldn't handle copy controlled HD content -- is that still true?     Currently for DVR purposes I use a Windows 7 system running Windows Media Center with 3 HD HomeRun Primes -- so we can record 9 channels at a time and effectively an unlimited number of shows [I simply add more storage as needed].     My other media is all stored on a dedicated media server, which also contains recorded content I want to keep (moved from the HTPC that functions as our "super DVR").

 

Just curious what other options allow recorded content with restrictive CC codes.

.

 

That is still true for any DVR software that doesn't implement DRM protection to the recordings like MediaCenter.  What I do with SageTV is use HD-PVRs and Colossus tuners to record protected content from a STB.

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I'm no expert on this, but the HDHomeRun Prime brags about supporting CableCard. And the SageTV user (and apparently UNRAID user) "fuzzy" has this in his signature:

 

unRAID Server: i7-6700, 32GB RAM, Dual 128GB SSD cache and 13TB pool, with SageTVv9, openDCT, Logitech Media Server and Plex Media Server each in Dockers.
Sources: HRHR Prime with Charter CableCard. HDHR-US for OTA.
Primary Client: HD-300 through XBoxOne in Living Room, Samsung HLT-6189S
Other Clients: Mi Box in Master Bedroom, HD-200 in kids room

 

Unfortunately I don't know what his userid is on these forums or I'd page him. :-)

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There's no problem using HDHomeRun Primes with any channels that are ClearQAM or that are have the CC set to "Copy Freely".    But for content with more restrictive CC codes, or encrypted content, you need a system that supports a CableLabs approved DRM system, such as PlayReady (which I believe is only supported by Windows Media Center at this time, although that's likely to change in the future).

 

One big problem is that some cable companies -- such as Time Warner -- mark virtually ALL channels with restrictive copy control codes ... even though most of these are considered "copy freely" by the content providers.

 

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18 hours ago, coppit said:

I'm no expert on this, but the HDHomeRun Prime brags about supporting CableCard. And the SageTV user (and apparently UNRAID user) "fuzzy" has this in his signature:

 

unRAID Server: i7-6700, 32GB RAM, Dual 128GB SSD cache and 13TB pool, with SageTVv9, openDCT, Logitech Media Server and Plex Media Server each in Dockers.
Sources: HRHR Prime with Charter CableCard. HDHR-US for OTA.
Primary Client: HD-300 through XBoxOne in Living Room, Samsung HLT-6189S
Other Clients: Mi Box in Master Bedroom, HD-200 in kids room

 

Unfortunately I don't know what his userid is on these forums or I'd page him. :-)

@CraziFuzzy.   But as garycase pointed out you can use a HDHR Prime with ClearQAM or CopyFreely channels.  Supposedly all channels on my local cable company are CopyFreely except the premiums.  I may be adding CopyFreely channels to my account in the future for my HDHR Primes currently they are ClearQAM only.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is like saying... which are better, blondes or brunettes.... steak or seafood...cake or ice cream...  I have my favorites but it is quite subjective. Read around, try a few things, evaluate based on your gear, budget, and needs.

 

I use Kodi (LibreElec) w/ centralized database for my HTPC's on each TV set. I use Plex for my iOS device both at home and away. I also share my Plex with some family members for their use.

 

Enjoy the ride... in the end, you will wonder how you ever lived without this.

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This is like saying... which are better, blondes or brunettes.... steak or seafood...cake or ice cream...  I have my favorites but it is quite subjective. Read around, try a few things, evaluate based on your gear, budget, and needs.
 
I use Kodi (LibreElec) w/ centralized database for my HTPC's on each TV set. I use Plex for my iOS device both at home and away. I also share my Plex with some family members for their use.
 
Enjoy the ride... in the end, you will wonder how you ever lived without this.


Blondes, steak, cake.... easy.
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