:: building HTPC, NAS and want freeview built in too

realBabelfish

realBabelfish

realBabelfish

Soldato
Joined
23 Oct 2002
Posts
3,177
Hi guys. (if this is in the wrong section can someone move it please?)

im trying to save some cash by ditching virgin tivo but want something similar in terms of usability, but using PC bits (i have enough stuff laying around to build a basic one but could splash out a bit to incorporate NAS facilities - my NAS is getting quite old now, is only a single disk version so worried about it dying)

so, im looking for ideas of what s/w or even OS to use for this.

im possibly thinking xbmc and windows 7. but open to ideas of others (not that familiar with linux but happy to give it a go)

i would like to be able to:

  • access footy streams (i know i can via xbmc)
  • watch freeview HD and catchup stuff (basically similar to virgin tivo/youview where i can record 2/3 programs at once and series link etc and view 4od/iplayer etc). i know i will need a card for this - any recommendations?
  • NAS facilities with DLNA, possibly 2 disk raid setup
  • needs to be controllable via a remote of some sort (or even my win8pro tablet :))
  • EPG thats nice to use (so the wife can use it :))

this will plug into my AVR and HC setup.

im happy to use my pioneer BDP for movie watching etc but i guess its cheap enough to stick in a BR drive (even a BR writer i guess)

thanks all!
 
XBMC will give you all that you need.

This can run on pretty much any operating system - I prefer sticking with Windows rather than delving into Linux-based stuff.

Check out the XBMC thread and ask any questions there - many people (me included) are monitoring that thread, and a lot of questions, especially regarding TV stuff, have been answered - you'll gain a lot of info on XBMC by taking a look through the thread.
 
Blackgold BGT 3620 - Twin Freeview HD tuner

I use Windows Media Centre as the interface is way easier to use then XBMC for live TV, currently. The rest I used XBMC for though.
 
out of curiosity, i take it the amount of tuners is down to the card? i.e sky+ can record 2 things and tivo can do 3 (which is useful on friday evenings due to all the decent programs on)
 
As reccomended XBMC will give you all you need, I have a 30gb ssd as the main drive which is connected to a synology disk station (cracking bit of kit).

I don't use it to watch live TV, we just watch everything on demand.
 
Another advantage is that using a TV tuner card, you're not always limited to just 1 tuner = 1 recording.

For example, I can watch/record all 4 FreeviewHD channels from a single tuner. I then have another tuner which can tune other channels - this is due to how the channels are arranged on the multiplex.
 
installed xbmc this weekend but struggled to find any decent streams of footy (the 3pm ones, i have sky sports & bt sports for others).

mbmc crashed a few times too, which was annoying.
 
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