Suggestions for Freesat style HTPC recording

dodge586

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I'm contemplating a return to satellite TV watching after ditching it around 2015. I think I was frustrated with the hassle of constantly shifting program positions, half empty EPG's and dozens of duplicate channels. I think back then I was using Windows Media Center, then ditched it for a Foxsat HDR with modified firmware, but then ditched that because it was so slow and only had a 100Mb LAN connection which made transferring recorded programs painful.

My hand is now being forced somewhat as I've moved and the Freeview reception is so dire.

I'd like to know if things are any easier/better, or there are now more elegant solutions available for operating outside of the Freesat environment, but still enjoying it's benefits.

My chief requirement is the ability to make unencrypted HD recordings to my NAS and a easy to manage EPG that doesn't need constant attention. The host PC will likely be tucked away out of sight somewhere and I'll use the TV's inbuilt Freesat tuner/EPG for live watching. I'd also like to be able to record 4HD which I think falls outside the Freesat environment?

In the 7 years that I've not been paying attention, are there better ways to achieve this, any suggestions on software/hardware.
I've still got my old mini-dish and dual LNB I can throw up on the wall.

Cheers
 
Havent really used them in some time but whats left is on the PVR server for Kodi page.

So PVR server runs on network somewhere with USB tuner for DVB-S and record everything to the server, clients can connect to the server for live TV or manage recording.

TVheadend and NextPVR works across a variety of systems, NextPVR might be the easier of the two to start with, see their EPG set up guide and has its own active web forum. You will get some listings free with DVB, it's also possible to pay money for a commercial EPG service called schedules direct and use it with NextPVR.

Mediaportal is its own media player and PVR server for windows only.

The handy thing about these PVR servers is your not limited to one front end, Plex/Emby and others can use them.
 
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Thanks. I'm still up with DVB-T2 HTPC stuff, and run Mediaportal to that end. I just didn't know if by even entertaining the idea of a move back to DVB-S I was setting myself up for much of the same constant annoyances I experienced last time.

If it's all a bit less maintenance and headaches now I'll delve in again...
 
My advice would be to ditch the PC and use in enigma2 receiver, get one with a FBC tuner and get a unicable lnb. This with give you 8 tuners to share around the house (using kodi as clients again). Enigma2 does not encode any channels and you can pick where you want to record to so the nasty is not an issue
 
Agreed I have an old Mutant 2400 which has three DVB-T2 and one DVB-S2 LNBs (old type). Right now I don't have a dish but I can still record all channels from any three DVB-T/T2 muxes. I have no idea where it sources its EPG but there was never a problem with C4HD on satellite.
 
Thanks for the info. I've been looking into Enigma 2 boxes and quite like the idea of a dedicated low power device for the task rather than making a PC do it on the side. I only need a cheap n cheerful as I only need 2 HD tuners and won't stray outside of Freesat
 

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