In New Zealand: external tuner which can get EPG?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › In New Zealand: external tuner which can get EPG?

kingdragonfly

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#166183 5-Mar-2015 10:31

I'm in New Zealand.

I have an Intel "NUC" with Windows 7.

A Intel NUC is basically small fanless PC, a laptop without a screen. Like a laptop it has no expansion card slots. It does have plenty of USB connections.

I have both DVB-T and DVB-S connections, ready to pull into a yet-to-be-bought USB box.

The EPG is more important to me than HD recording, since I only use Freeview NZ for the news and occasional comedy show.

I like Windows 7, because I use the NUC for Internet crusiing, and various streaming video services.

I can't find a digital DVB-S external tuner (USB box) in NZ.

For recording Freeview NZ, any suggestions for the USB box, and how to get the week long EPG?

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#1251577 5-Mar-2015 11:28

http://sourceforge.net/projects/epgcollector/ will work with any USB tuner I believe. What software are you using for TV playback?

kingdragonfly

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#1251596 5-Mar-2015 11:58

For playback, I'm not picky. I am mostly watching streaming video, through Internet Explorer.

It's the week-long local scheduling that's a concern.

Any suggestion on a DVB-S external tuner (USB)?

Jaxson

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#1251612 5-Mar-2015 12:42

As geekiegeek suggests above, Freeview NZ uses a proprietry EPG broadcast format, from which only certain approved products can extract the program info.

this is unfortunately nothing new.

kingdragonfly

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#1251621 5-Mar-2015 12:59

I was just hoping I could record in "low definition" PAL, and get a weekly schedule over the satellite, without pulling the EPG from the Internet.

--------------

I might be getting off subject, but I thought a HTPC with

* a PCIe card
* with both DVB-T and DVB-S tuners
* plugged into a satellite dish, and antenna

could grab EPG from the satellite, and record in HD from the other antenna tuner , using something like Microsoft's Media Center, again without pulling the EPG from the Internet.

Am I mistaken?

Killerkiwi2005

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#1251624 5-Mar-2015 13:12

dvb-s - has an epg that most backends can use
dvb-t - you can extract the epg using the link tool

Chis

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#1251657 5-Mar-2015 13:30

Once you've got EPG Collector up and running, check out Argus TV (www.argus-tv.com).

It's an excellent, flexible scheduling program that hooks into your tuner.

Apple TV

Stream your favourite shows now on Apple TV (affiliate link).

SJB

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#1251683 5-Mar-2015 14:24

NZ DVB-T only broadcasts 7 day EPG in MHEG5 format. There is 12 hours of EPG available in EIT format.

NZ DVB-S broadcasts 7 day EPG in both MHEG5 and EIT formats.

WMC can collect the EIT data without any third party software. EPG Collector can collect MHEG5 and has features for enhancing the data with cast/crew/thumbnails etc.

There are several USB tuners available, generally DVB-T. I have a USB DVB-S tuner from Avermedia but I'm not sure if it's still available. As far as I know there are no USB tuners that combine both DVB-T and S.

There are any number of cards that combine both.

Jaxson

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#1251695 5-Mar-2015 14:33

kingdragonfly: get a weekly schedule over the satellite, without pulling the EPG from the Internet.

Yes you can do this. Pull the full EIT data EPG from the freeview satellite service and use it schedule recording on the HD terrestrial service.

freitasm

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#1251747 5-Mar-2015 15:22

The original question was WHICH TURNER?

No one answered that.

Silicondust HDHomeRun is what you need if you can get DVB-T.

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geekiegeek

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#1251760 5-Mar-2015 16:05

freitasm: The original question was WHICH TURNER?

No one answered that.

Silicondust HDHomeRun is what you need if you can get DVB-T.

HDHomeRun is network isn't it or does it do USB as per the OPs original question?

freitasm

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#1251761 5-Mar-2015 16:06

But it would be no different than a USB one - and probably better performance. The PC will be connected to a network anyway.

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geekiegeek

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#1251772 5-Mar-2015 16:16

Except you also need a switch or router port for the HDHomeRun or does it support wireless?
$185 is quite steep for a cheap solution.

This could work - http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=TVNMYG0803

$66

Jaxson

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#1251804 5-Mar-2015 16:50

And the home run won't give you an epg off the satellite service either.

SJB

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#1251868 5-Mar-2015 18:10

Here's a USB DVB-T receiver.

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=TVNAVM2622&name=AverMedia-H830-AVerTV-Hybrid-Volar-HD-DVB-TAnalogF

JoshWright

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#1251871 5-Mar-2015 18:14

While they're obviously not as high quality and don't come with the same level of support as more expensive DVB-T options, many generic USB DVB-T receivers can be bought for less than $10 on sites like eBay and dx.com (downside is they'll take a while to come) and they work just fine with software like Windows Media Centre. In fact, many of the generic cards have the same chipset as more expensive brand name tuners, and are compatible with the software that comes with the brand name ones. This could be an option for OP if the price of higher end receivers is too steep.

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