Suggested Media Player - which plays Freeview and other streams

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xena7051

44 posts

Geek

#220343 6-Aug-2017 20:19

Hi All

Hoping you can please help me.

I am looking at moving off my current content provider.I am hoping to find a media player if there is one that will replace the functionality of my current recorder ( S plus)....i.e. but still deliver similar core functionality....e.g. so that I can still record content (through a friendly Gui), ideally with a mobile app so can do recording remotely from my phone (apple /android).... another example e.g. to completely record a TV series with one touch option etc.

I currently have TV in 2 Bedrooms + 1 in the lounge...that are connected to my recording unit( S Plus) via Coaxial cable(i.e. they connect into a splitter unit)...i.e. 2 are old TV's so are not WiFi capable....one is WIFI

Currently I can play a recorded program so all three TV's can see it at once ...and play and watch any TV channels via the satellite dish to the TV's. (one channel at a time only)

My main (lounge) TV is Wifi cable. I don't have a UHF aerial for Freeview. The TV feed comes through the Sky dish....i believe its 720 quality.

So if I was going for an Android box/media recorder, what is best one to go for?

Core functioanlity I need.

* NZ freeview capable - the feeds will come via the Internet (rather than via an aerial or dish)

* Record Content - including WiFi capable (setting up to recording via an app on phone), ability to record a series etc etc

* Steam other Content form overseas (NSTC/Pal etc)

* Ideally I will be able to connect the three TV's (using the current coaxial able that is currently wired to deliver this) and be able to play the recorded content plus FreeView channels etc to each TV.... bonus if it has multiple tuners so it could play different streams to different rooms (simultaneously).

* Content comes via the Internet (ideally) rather than coming via a UHF aerial /or satellite dish.... so hoping the content could be streamed at 720 up to 4K..the TV's of course may need to be upgraded....but want to make the solution future proof.

* Ideally the Unit would be able to record and store up 1TB.

Now I could go for Dish S8200 unit (but believe my feed needs to come via Satellite dish)...and I want to stream different content (from around he world) including freeview via an Internet feed.

It would be great If I could control the unit via voice Google Home ....plus it comes with a friendly physical remote....or I could use Harmony Remote which I believe you can control via Google Home

Appreciate any recommendations.....if there is a unit if you could please provide model and specs it will need to have to deliver the above.

Many thanks in advance

davidcole

6036 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1840256 6-Aug-2017 20:59

I don't think what you want exists. Certainly not a single recording ip device.

Playback devices yes. Can more that likely not fed by coax.

You'll have to rethink the priorities. Eg recording vs on demand. TVs fed via Coax or individual devices.

Previously known as psycik

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B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#1840276 6-Aug-2017 21:56

Something like this KII Pro will do most of that. Sat and UHF Tuners built in plus all the Android TV Box facilities. At $110 you could get one for each TV.

https://www.banggood.com/KII-PRO-Amlogic-S905-Quad-core-2GB-RAM-16GB-ROM-DVB-T2-DVB-S2-TV-Box-p-1090029.html?rmmds=search

I have the earlier model KI Plus and it works great on Sat and UHF plus online. Records to SD Card or USB HDD. Bought it to experiment with when I dumped Sky.

sub

358 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1840302 7-Aug-2017 05:46

The primary focus of NextPVR hasn't been IPTV, but it has recently started to include support for this, so it'd fulfil quite a few of these requirements. Probably worth giving it a go to see if it meets your needs.

The video below shows how to set it up with most NZ Freeview channels (via the Internet), including EPG. See the comments in the YouTube video for the URLs I entered for the m3u and EPG. It'd allow you to watch live TV, or do season recordings etc, and has an iPhone/iPad application. Also has a web app.

xena7051

44 posts

Geek

#1840307 7-Aug-2017 07:20

Thanks for you reply. so what Unit/s would I buy....and interested in the quality I would get.....can you set up e.g. a menu of all favourite channels, media streams etc into one easy to operate interface.....

The other question I have is how could I send this to other TV's with the house...currently connected via Coxial Cable.

Can you watch one channel and record another? Do these units come with in built in hard drive for recording...or do you connect an external unit to it.

Cheers

sub

358 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1840311 7-Aug-2017 07:52

NextPVR is just software, that you'd install on a Windows PC. Just try it out on your current PC. (I assumed this would be an acceptable option for you, rather than a standard alone appliance type device, since you posted the question in the "Home Theatre PC" forum)

Since it's just standard PC, you can have whatever size hard drive you want. Sure - you can record one channel and watch another. You could be recording them all simultaneously if your Internet connection can keep up.

In that example video, I was using official TVNZ etc streams, so quality is as good as their best streams.

I'm not sure the coax between devices will help you for networking, but there is several options for watching the live tv or recordings from different devices around the home (like using Kodi or nlite or iOS client)

xena7051

44 posts

Geek

#1840863 8-Aug-2017 05:18

This is very interesting....could I run this from an app on my TV.....e.g. I have Samsung SmartHub.....which I have Plex setup....could I go into SmartHub and run Freeview via an app....getting the TV via the internet...does the TV have to have any cards to be compatible for functions like recording programs

Cheers

sub

358 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1840897 8-Aug-2017 08:54

As I said above. NextPVR is really an application for running on a Home Theatre PC, so no - you can't install it directly on your TV. You can however run clients on various devices. There might be a Kodi client for your smart tv, which could act as a client for a NextPVR server running elsewhere.