live tv software?
- Thread starter Glaucus
- Start date
As I imagine after a few months that the apps may have issue. Or that I might want w10 only apps.
I would rather upgrade asap.
Although if there's no satisfactory solution, I'll wait a few months until things start breaking or something else turns up.
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Oct 2005
- Posts
- 6,243
- Location
- North of Watford Gap
I've got a computer that does all of that thanks.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 1,281
a central server, that collects and streams broadcast,internet and local content, accessible from any device type on any network local and remote, syncs content to mobile devices; with benefits of user profiles (watched / unwatched / in flight), parental controls, internet fetching, fanart, tags and descriptions and nice ui.
far from being an old technology..id say its a massive improvement.
its a bit of premium if you store a large library but 8tb@£197 is probably cheaper than than most black box solutions for a lot less storage..
far from being an old technology..id say its a massive improvement.
its a bit of premium if you store a large library but 8tb@£197 is probably cheaper than than most black box solutions for a lot less storage..
Think about it, if Microsoft are killing Media Centre and there are no decent alternatives, doesn't that suggest the technology is a bit redundant
Microsoft are killing Media Centre because of their focus on Xbox One, hence the name. One device to do everything, why do you think they released a TV tuner addon for the console a few weeks back? They don't want you do use Media Centre, Sky, Virgin or the TV's built in tuner. They want you to use their one device to do all of that.
Yes I know that but that wasn't the point I was making.
Yes there is, if you no longer pay the Sky sub but keep the box for freesat only then you still need to pay Sky for the recording feature. £10.50 the last time to spoke to them about this. Try removing the Sky viewing card, switch to a freesat channel, try recording and see what happens.
This is why I moved to building a nice cheap HTPC compared to how much you pay for Sky or Virgin. Not only I can play all videos I need, all my freesat and freeview recording are unencrypted. So I can transfer them to any other device or move them to my file server so I can access them with any mobile or tablet. Yes there are apps like ITV player etc but apart from iPlayer they all have unskippable adverts which are annoying
Oh believe me I'm not uninitiated with how MCE works. I spent the best part of a decade using it. A few years back I was just like you, with a small Dell desktop sat next to my TV.
But having given up and resigned myself to having to use multiple devices I'm now wondering why I didn't do this earlier. Sky boxes are better 'just works' devices than any HTPC, plus dual HD receivers are expensive. The FireTV is better than any apps ive used, and Kodi and Plex are better for local media than MCE. Once I added a Harmony its become one seamless integrated solution though one remote that makes the fact its across more than one box irrelevant, and pretty invisible.
When you add it all up HTPCs are expensive too.
But each to their own. I suppose having a Sky or Virgin subscription would be the key turning point for most. Getting Sky was what made me start to move away from MCE.
But having given up and resigned myself to having to use multiple devices I'm now wondering why I didn't do this earlier. Sky boxes are better 'just works' devices than any HTPC, plus dual HD receivers are expensive. The FireTV is better than any apps ive used, and Kodi and Plex are better for local media than MCE. Once I added a Harmony its become one seamless integrated solution though one remote that makes the fact its across more than one box irrelevant, and pretty invisible.
When you add it all up HTPCs are expensive too.
But each to their own. I suppose having a Sky or Virgin subscription would be the key turning point for most. Getting Sky was what made me start to move away from MCE.
This or DVB Viewer Pro.
@Glaucus I would recommend MediaPortal if you're after pure TV. While Kodi and Emby handle other activities slightly better through their addons, nothing can beat MediaPortal for its TV interface.
I currently use a custom modified version that gives me access to Sky NZ through it (with my own card that I have a sub for), this allows me to record as many channels as I have DVB-S2 tuners but with the added bonus of free multi-room (can watch on any windows PC with MP client installed).
If Kodi can fix its TV interface then I suspect that will be better than the standard MP client, but I don't think it can beat the MP TVengine at the moment.
I currently use a custom modified version that gives me access to Sky NZ through it (with my own card that I have a sub for), this allows me to record as many channels as I have DVB-S2 tuners but with the added bonus of free multi-room (can watch on any windows PC with MP client installed).
If Kodi can fix its TV interface then I suspect that will be better than the standard MP client, but I don't think it can beat the MP TVengine at the moment.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2007
- Posts
- 1,281
the 'just works' accusation i dont think holds true...yes if your constantly tinkering your constantly fixing...but once you have your setup, a media server just works to the largest extent. Any tinkering requirement for the technically savvy is offset by the massive functionality improvement. agree its not 'for your mum' though.
I live with my GF who, while not a technophobe, isn't anywhere near the nerd I am. 'Just works' is an important feature.
Theres also a point where even the most nerdy nerd just wants to watch TV without faffage (my new favourite term).
MCE was brilliant a decade ago. But things have moved on and theres now simpler and cheaper ways to do the same thing. Primarily, the idea that you need 1 device to do everything is now redundant. I have Bluray, DVD, Sky+, PS3, Xbox, Netflix, Kodi, Plex, Chromecast, and Freeview all 1 button press away each, even though they are on 6 or so different devices.
Theres also a point where even the most nerdy nerd just wants to watch TV without faffage (my new favourite term
).MCE was brilliant a decade ago. But things have moved on and theres now simpler and cheaper ways to do the same thing. Primarily, the idea that you need 1 device to do everything is now redundant. I have Bluray, DVD, Sky+, PS3, Xbox, Netflix, Kodi, Plex, Chromecast, and Freeview all 1 button press away each, even though they are on 6 or so different devices.
Last edited:
There is no faffage and there isn't anything simpler, it's just as easy as any other box.
It's a modern guide like any other box.
Other than installing, running a channel search and making a favourite guide that has been it.
No different than any sky/virgin box.
It's a modern guide like any other box.
Other than installing, running a channel search and making a favourite guide that has been it.
No different than any sky/virgin box.
Indeed, but you will lose that with Windows 10.
My suggestion is rather than try to mould Windows into something its no longer properly equipped for, perhaps look at solutions outside of Windows software.
After all, you are asking for the best way to watch Live TV, and there are lots of options out there, most of which don't involve a PC.
What TV service do you currently have in the MCE PC? Freeview or Satalite? HD? Multiple tuners? What would you need for comparable viewing in a non MCE solution? I'm guessing you don't have Sky TV, but did I see you have Now TV?
My suggestion is rather than try to mould Windows into something its no longer properly equipped for, perhaps look at solutions outside of Windows software.
After all, you are asking for the best way to watch Live TV, and there are lots of options out there, most of which don't involve a PC.
What TV service do you currently have in the MCE PC? Freeview or Satalite? HD? Multiple tuners? What would you need for comparable viewing in a non MCE solution? I'm guessing you don't have Sky TV, but did I see you have Now TV?
Why is it not properly equipped for it?
There's several suggestion in here I will have a look at.
And again. It isn't just live TV.
Freesat
Xbox video
NowTV
Netflix
Amazon Prime
Youtube
ITunes for some legacy films I own from apple days.
Livestream
Nasa TV
Twitch
Patreon
Windows is still the best solution for that. And no other system can do it.
Yeah I could go multiple system like you, but why, it's more clutter, more expensive, harder to use. Time consuming to use - switching between devices.
Windows everything always on and I just switch between apps through top right corner, or in w10 it'll be through viewer. bit like pressing home button and seeing a screen of options. But instead they are all there. No load times like most slow boxes.
There's several suggestion in here I will have a look at.
And again. It isn't just live TV.
Freesat
Xbox video
NowTV
Netflix
Amazon Prime
Youtube
ITunes for some legacy films I own from apple days.
Livestream
Nasa TV
Twitch
Patreon
Windows is still the best solution for that. And no other system can do it.
Yeah I could go multiple system like you, but why, it's more clutter, more expensive, harder to use. Time consuming to use - switching between devices.
Windows everything always on and I just switch between apps through top right corner, or in w10 it'll be through viewer. bit like pressing home button and seeing a screen of options. But instead they are all there. No load times like most slow boxes.
Last edited:
As I said, the load times and multiple devices 'issues' don't exist with a decent remote, and the fact a Sky box turns on in 2 seconds and my Chromecast and FireTV are always on. The slowest device I have is my TV!
There is nothing hard or time consuming to using more than one device, you just think there is. I'm not saying ditch the PC, I'm saying get something else for TV and leave the PC for all the other stuff. Didn't you say you already had a Harmony remote?
Oh and I did lol at 'more clutter'. How bigs your PC? Compared to a Chromecast and a FireTV which aren't even visible
There is nothing hard or time consuming to using more than one device, you just think there is. I'm not saying ditch the PC, I'm saying get something else for TV and leave the PC for all the other stuff. Didn't you say you already had a Harmony remote?
Oh and I did lol at 'more clutter'
. How bigs your PC? Compared to a Chromecast and a FireTV which aren't even visible
Last edited:
I don't just think there is, I know it is. I have bedroom set up lovely, one tiny fatness pc. Lounge is multiple devices and horrible.
Lounge is set up as you describe. And frankly it's rubbish. Xbox 360, sky box, blue ray player. Not only is it rubbish and hard to use. It doesn't even have as much functionality as up stairs.
Yeas because a fire TV does all that. Oh wait it doesn't does it. You'll need a humax box as well. As well as Xbox 360.
Yes I already have a harmony remote and it doesn't solve a lot of the issues with multiple devices.
Lounge is set up as you describe. And frankly it's rubbish. Xbox 360, sky box, blue ray player. Not only is it rubbish and hard to use. It doesn't even have as much functionality as up stairs.
Yeas because a fire TV does all that. Oh wait it doesn't does it. You'll need a humax box as well. As well as Xbox 360.
Yes I already have a harmony remote and it doesn't solve a lot of the issues with multiple devices.
Last edited:
Why are you so butthurt. Do you miss your htpc?
Yeah so seamless you have to wait for Xbox 360 to boot up. It's slow. Harmony remote doesn't have a full keyboard.
No Xbox/fire TV etc has full browser for the few things without an app.
Obviously such a great solution. Or maybe it's not and you are just plain wrong.
Lol, because software and hardware has not moved on at all.
Did you even run it with windows 8 and apps,
Zero faf, no fiddling required, dies everything, far less load times, far easier.
Yeah so seamless you have to wait for Xbox 360 to boot up. It's slow. Harmony remote doesn't have a full keyboard.
No Xbox/fire TV etc has full browser for the few things without an app.
Obviously such a great solution. Or maybe it's not and you are just plain wrong.
Lol, because software and hardware has not moved on at all.
Did you even run it with windows 8 and apps,
Zero faf, no fiddling required, dies everything, far less load times, far easier.
So you built your HTPC for free?
Harmony remote + boxes designed to do the job. Simple. No need for all this 'multiple remotes' rubbish.
I struggled with a Media Centre PC for years until I gave up, got Sky+, a BluRay Player and an XBMC machine (now a FireTV) and have never looked back.
Actually, I should probably sell that Media PC. Its got some expensive low profile TV tuners and graphics cards in it which some fool still persisting with MCE might buy
If you're struggling, it sounds like you didn't set it up properly. I moved to a media PC BECAUSE of the issues I've had with things like Sky and so on. A media PC is by far easier and cleaner to run and watch media from, plus it'll play games better than any console (mine at least).
Lol, I'm currently using my HTPC as a coffee table 
How would using a Windows PC for TV make a 360 boot faster? Lol
You asked for simple elegant ways of watching Live TV, so I suggested one of the many simple and elegant devices designed for watching TV. Theres definitely butthurt here, but it isn't coming from me
How would using a Windows PC for TV make a 360 boot faster? Lol
You asked for simple elegant ways of watching Live TV, so I suggested one of the many simple and elegant devices designed for watching TV. Theres definitely butthurt here, but it isn't coming from me
Because I don't need a 360 with a htpc. That's my point.
Or have you missed the only need one device bit, I know you haven't you're just sprouting rubbish.
That's funny, I'm perfectly happy with my set up.
And won't be going back to multiple devices.
You suggested something that isn't suitable, well done. then got obsessed with it, even though you know full well it isn't suitable.
Or have you missed the only need one device bit, I know you haven't you're just sprouting rubbish.
That's funny, I'm perfectly happy with my set up.
And won't be going back to multiple devices.
You suggested something that isn't suitable, well done. then got obsessed with it, even though you know full well it isn't suitable.