HDHomeRun DVR Software

Brian

Brian

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I have Two HDHomeRun Flex Quatro HDFX-4DT devices, each one has a 1TB WD My Passport AV-TV 2.5" external HDD connected.

I have been using the SiliconDust DVR Software for the last two months, and am generally very pleased with it. There is a 14 day EPG, which is updated twice daily, although there was a problem with missing EPG for mainly ITV channels, after the names were changed just over two weeks ago. This was resolved after I contacted SiliconDust support, so it will be interesting to see what happens next time names are changed.

I can watch recordings on my phones, tablets, PC's, TV's, and Fire TV Stick, all using HDHomeRun apps. The firmware, apps, and UI seem to be getting regular updates, and all in all, everything seems to work well.

I have been following the development of DvrOnTime, but until recently I didn't have a suitable Windows PC, so that is why I chose the paid DVR software route.
 
Thanks for sharing. Another option for anyone who does not want to go down the Windows PC route is Channels DVR. It's more expensive than the Silicondust DVR but does have some nice features...
 
I thought I would update this thread. I have been using the SiliconDust DVR Software for just over one year, and have renewed my subscription for another year.

Since my original post, I have replaced both 1TB WD My Passport AV-TV 2.5" external HDD's with 2TB WD Elements 2.5" Portable HDD's.

I have been fully satisfied with this set up, and haven't had to use any of my PVR boxes as a back up.
 
Didn't realise the newer ones had a USB port, makes sense, they've really gone up in price though, £154 for the Quatro
 
peterh337 said:
That means it is fairly trivial to implement a PC based box, with an SDR receiver (like I use for ADS-B logging) which produces completely open HD recordings. Probably one could not sell it freely for fear of litigation? But that is how one would build a PVR nowadays.
Click to expand...
You don’t even need a PC, this is what I have been using.

Brian

Thread 'HDHomeRun DVR Software'

I have Two HDHomeRun Flex Quatro HDFX-4DT devices, each one has a 1TB WD My Passport AV-TV 2.5" external HDD connected.

I have been using the SiliconDust DVR Software for the last two months, and am generally very pleased with it. There is a 14 day EPG, which is updated twice daily, although there was a problem with missing EPG for mainly ITV channels, after the names were changed just over two weeks ago. This was resolved after I contacted SiliconDust support, so it will be interesting to see what happens next time names are changed.

I can watch recordings on my phones, tablets, PC's...
 
peterh337 said:
That's neat. So what stops somebody marketing this as a proper product in a nice box? Would there be litigation?
Click to expand...
It is already a proper product in a nice box, and has four tuners built in, and because it is not Freeview, it records everything unencrypted.
 
peterh337 said:
I had a look but it doesn't look like it can record Freeview.
Click to expand...
It isn’t Freeview certified, but it does record the free to air channels that are available on Freeview, and I have been using two of them for all of my TV recording for more than three years now, and as a result of how good they are, all of my Humax HD/HDR-Fox T2 devices have been disposed of quite some time ago, and with no regrets.
 
So it does basically everything on Freeview, except stuff like "adult" channels, AFAICT :) Amazing!

Another topic but I wonder if there will be a solution for Freely. It is obviously encrypted, with the key embedded in "authorised" player platforms.
 
peterh337 said:
That means it is fairly trivial to implement a PC based box, with an SDR receiver (like I use for ADS-B logging) which produces completely open HD recordings. Probably one could not sell it freely for fear of litigation? But that is how one would build a PVR nowadays.
Click to expand...
Brian

Thread 'HDHomeRun DVR Software'

I have Two HDHomeRun Flex Quatro HDFX-4DT devices, each one has a 1TB WD My Passport AV-TV 2.5" external HDD connected.

I have been using the SiliconDust DVR Software for the last two months, and am generally very pleased with it. There is a 14 day EPG, which is updated twice daily, although there was a problem with missing EPG for mainly ITV channels, after the names were changed just over two weeks ago. This was resolved after I contacted SiliconDust support, so it will be interesting to see what happens next time names are changed.

I can watch recordings on my phones, tablets, PC's...
 
Yes I saw that. Those posts were moved to the DIY PVR thread.

It appears that if you do not need the "Freeview" badge, you can build a PVR which does Freeview and lots of other stuff, does not encrypt the HD data, and does whatever you want. Perhaps it is not easy to sell for Freeview because the retailer may not be able to mention Freeview either? Even Amazon and every other seller very carefully avoids mentioning it. Reports suggest that this box doesn't do HD Freeview either.

It will be really interesting how Freely pans out. We have at least 10 years before Freeview gets turned off (practically and politically > 99% of the UK needs FTTP before they can do that) which should be enough time for Freely to get cracked so it can be recorded.
 
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peterh337 said:
Reports suggest that this box doesn't do HD Freeview either.
Click to expand...
Where are these reports, as I would be interested to see them. As I mentioned previously, the HDHomeRun device Does record Free to Air HD channels.
 
Feedback under

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 January 2024
Verified Purchase
So, I have been using a couple of USB tuner sticks for my Media server to give me 4 tuners, along with a signal amplifier to ameliorate signal issues and to allow me to split the feed between two devices. I had lost all the Freeview HD channels at some point though.

Enter the HD Home Run. (a best buy of 2023 for me!)

First minor issue was the instructions provided seem to be incorrect. They state you need to browse to my.hdhomerun.com to configure the device. This didn't work. Instead you need to browse to the device's IP (discovered from your DHCP server) or more simply, http://hdhomerun.local

Channel scanning is simple and fairly quick (and doing it once in the device's web interface prevents the need for a scan in my Media server.)

Second issue was I then discovered I still had no HD channels. Suffice it to say, this was a little perturbing. BUT! it would seem that the issue was, in fact, being caused by the signal amplifier as, with this removed, I now have a 100% signal strength and a full compliment of HD channels.

The fact that this discreet little box of tricks has a standalone app for Firestick & Chromecast means the Freeview channels are available locally, regardless of the status of my Media server. It's also got better picture quality than my Media server, certainly on the SD channels. For now, I'm reluctant to add HDHR's recording facility as I'll continue to use my Media server for this.

The HD HomeRun's app works on mobile but only on the local network (it scans the network on launch for the device) and will not work remotely which is where my Media server will work. There may be a way to use port forwarding (or VPN) and a third party video app, but that's a lot of trouble to go to when I have a Media server.

In summary, the HDHR is a great device; I wish I had got one sooner.
 
peterh337 said:
Second issue was I then discovered I still had no HD channels. Suffice it to say, this was a little perturbing. BUT! it would seem that the issue was, in fact, being caused by the signal amplifier as, with this removed, I now have a 100% signal strength and a full compliment of HD channels.
Click to expand...
This says that the reviewer has a full compliment of HD channels.
 
OK I didn't read it properly :)

It is funny how all the sellers (not just Silicon Dust, under its various guises) carefully avoid mentioning Freeview. Clearly there is a reason.
 
peterh337 said:
OK I didn't read it properly :)

It is funny how all the sellers (not just Silicon Dust, under its various guises) carefully avoid mentioning Freeview. Clearly there is a reason.
Click to expand...
That's simply because it isn't Freeview, and can't be called that.
 
In what way is it not Freeview? Isn't a Freeview recorder just a tuner (or 2 or 3) and some code decoding it and streaming it to a HD? And decoding the EPG (which is simple) and presenting that on a GUI.

Presumably the Freeview contract defines what you need to do to get the badge entitlement. Reading around here, it is stuff like HDD encryption, not exporting HD files, etc. But a firm making a box with the capability to receive Freeview and do anything with it, are they going to get sued? They never signed any contract, so which law are they breaking?
 
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