CHANNELS DVR with Generic Pipe Capture (PLUTO TV as well)

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by garys255

Hi all,

Been using SageTV in a fairly vanilla way for many years. Running it on an Unraid box via docker for a year or two but now that Charter is close to killing cablecard support, wanted to spin up a new SageTV docker and see if i can get it working with Channels DVR...

I've read through the posts in this thread and think I've got things set up correctly, but I haven't been able to get Sage successfully capture/view a TVE stream from channelsdvr.

Sage can see the new tuners i've set up, and lets me add them, but when I set one up to use SD guide data and change one of the channels to use the number from Channels, I still can't get it to tune.

Looking for ideas as to where it might be going wrong.

Here's an example of one of my tuners in opendct:
sagetv.device.110742372.consumer=opendct.consumer.RawSageTVConsumerImpl
sagetv.device.110742372.custom_channels=
sagetv.device.110742372.delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0
sagetv.device.110742372.device_name=tve01
sagetv.device.110742372.encoder_listen_port=9000
sagetv.device.110742372.encoder_merit=0
sagetv.device.110742372.encoder_pool=generic_pipe
sagetv.device.110742372.exclusive_server_address=
sagetv.device.110742372.fast_network_encoder_switch=true
sagetv.device.110742372.last_channel=6073
sagetv.device.110742372.stopping_executable=
sagetv.device.110742372.streaming_executable=ffmpeg -i http\://192.168.1.92\:8089/devices/ANY/channels/%c%/stream.mpg?format\=ts -c copy -f mpegts -
sagetv.device.110742372.transcode_profile=
sagetv.device.110742372.tuning_delay_ms=0

I think SageTV sends a 2-1 Instead of 2.1 you have to remap the channels. or better yet use the XMLTV from Channels DVR.

https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66899

[getchannels]

FYI, you can cut out ffmpeg and it will probably speed up tuning.

sagetv.device.110742372.streaming_executable=curl.exe -s http\://192.168.1.92\:8089/devices/ANY/channels/%c%/stream.mpg

[hvymetal]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I think SageTV sends a 2-1 Instead of 2.1

If you are using Linux then you can use a .sh so remaping is not required. It will convert 2-1 to 2.1.

1. Copy to OpenDCT /opt dir HDHR_TUNER.sh
2. chmod 777 HDHR_TUNER.sh
3. Also required is in OpenDCT /opt dir ffmpeg

#!/bin/bash
ch_num=$1
ch_offset=$2
ch_num="$(echo $ch_num | tr - .)"

/opt/opendct/ffmpeg -fflags +genpts -v 3 -hide_banner -y -threads 2 -i http://192.168.10.116:5004/auto/v$ch_num -map 0  -c:v copy -c:a copy -c:s copy -threads 7 -tune zerolatency -mpegts_service_type advanced_codec_digital_hdtv -f mpegts pipe:1

ch_offset=
ch_num=

opendct.properties

sagetv.device.70760.streaming_executable=./HDHR_Tuner.sh %c%

Nice thing about using a script you can modify the tunning command without having to restart OpenDCT. All that is require is just a retune of a different channel for testing

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by getchannels

FYI, you can cut out ffmpeg and it will probably speed up tuning.

sagetv.device.110742372.streaming_executable=curl.exe -s http\://192.168.1.92\:8089/devices/ANY/channels/%c%/stream.mpg

What exactly does ffmpeg do for us and is it necessary?

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by getchannels

FYI, you can cut out ffmpeg and it will probably speed up tuning.

sagetv.device.110742372.streaming_executable=curl.exe -s http\://192.168.1.92\:8089/devices/ANY/channels/%c%/stream.mpg

Going to try this ... Much faster tunning thanks.... but had problems tuning some channels.... so will stick to ffmpeg.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

What exactly does ffmpeg do for us and is it necessary?

You have to have some writer to get the Streams from Channels DVR ffmpeg does that, but you can also use curl.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

You have to have some writer to get the Streams from Channels DVR ffmpeg does that, but you can also use curl.

Just to confirm, with the suggested curl implementation, we can abandoned ffmpeg entirely? Will that create problems?

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Just to confirm, with the suggested curl implementation, we can abandoned ffmpeg entirely? Will that create problems?

I posted above that I had Problems tuning some channels with Curl so I am sticking with FFMPEG.

https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/sho...&postcount=265

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I posted above that I had Problems tuning some channels with Curl so I am sticking with FFMPEG.

https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/sho...&postcount=265

Yeah, I saw that, but I'm struggling to understand why the curl method would introduce "problems tuning," or how ffmpeg would resolve that.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Yeah, I saw that, but I'm struggling to understand why the curl method would introduce "problems tuning," or how ffmpeg would resolve that.

Try it for yourself you might not have a problem ... I am just stating my experience.... I could not tune Gettv 6.2 and Rewind TV 6.3 using Curl. They work fine using FFMPEG.

[nyplayer]

I am watching TVE 4K FS1 big east tournament in SageTV thanks to this setup.

[mgpaulus]

I have to say a huge shout out to you guys who have figured out how to get everything working with Channels DVR as well as you have. Comcast has very recently dropped ALL of the channels we watch (Hallmark, HMM, UP, OVATN, etc) from their Cablecard lineup, which means that my HDHR Prime-CC units are pretty much worthless to me. That leaves me with paying a whole lot of $$ to comcast for the 2 STB that I have attached via HDPVR / BMI-3001, and my ChannelsDVR setup with a subscription to Philo and FrndlyTV. So, I'm thinking that the occasional premium channel thing that I watch isn't worth it, and I'll probably drop the whole comcast TV thing, and use them strictly for Internet and Phone, until Ting gets rolling in town. Then I'll probably switch to Ting (unless Comcast drops their $30 / month unlimited surcharge) and have to find a solution for my landline (which I keep b/c my parents only use it....)

So, this ChannelsDVR solution has given my system new life at a time when comcast just wants more money for fewer perks for me.

[sic0048]

Originally Posted by mgpaulus

and have to find a solution for my landline (which I keep b/c my parents only use it....)

Look at PBX software and VOIP service. You can create your own PBX system using free software like FreePBX, PBX in a Box, etc. If you only have a couple phones, then you might just look at replacing them with digital phones. However you can get an analog phone converters that will connect to the PBX system as an extension and all the analog phones plug into that converter and then will work on the PBX system through that converter/extension.

Long story short, for the cost of the analog phone converter and an old computer (I actually run mine on a VM on my SageTV computer), you could drop your analog phone line and simply pay for VOIP service. I pay about $3.35/mo for my service (which includes e911 service).

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have or walk through my system and how I started with all analog phones using one of these converters and slowly made the conversion to digital phones over time.

[boukmandutty]

Been a bit. So as we all know NBC channels like USA and most importantly SYFY (Although not quite what it used to be.) are drm and no longer available via tve using Channelsdvr. You have to use the NBC and other such apps to get them on streaming devices.

This is a pain for me because I use USA for Premier League Football (soccer). I refuse to pay for Peacock premium, refuse to bear commercials if I dont have to; and above all, refuse to let drm crazy Cox cable back into my house.

I have gone back to using a nvidia shield with YoutubeTV for my stb and an opendct controlled bmi encoder device for my recorder. I use the following script in linux to automate the process of starting the nvidia shield and tuning particular channels. The device is in developer mode and I use adb to control it.

bmitune.sh

 #!/bin/bash
HOME="input keyevent KEYCODE_HOME; sleep 1"
PRIME1="input keyevent 19 19 19 19; sleep 1; input keyevent 21 21 21; sleep 1; input keyevent 22; sleep 1; input keyevent 23; sleep 1"
PRIME2="input keyevent 19; sleep 1"
PRIME3="input keyevent --longpress 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 67"
SEARCH1="input keyevent 66; sleep 2"
SEARCH2="input keyevent 66"

#USA
if [ $1 = "111" ];then
adb shell $HOME
adb shell $PRIME1
adb shell $PRIME2
#adb shell $PRIME3 
adb shell input text "stream\ usa\ channel\ on\ YouTube\ TV"
adb shell $SEARCH1
adb shell $SEARCH2
fi

#SYFY
if [ $1 = "135" ];then
adb shell $HOME
adb shell $PRIME1
adb shell $PRIME2
#adb shell $PRIME3 
adb shell input text "stream\ syfy\ on\ YouTube\ TV"
adb shell $SEARCH1
adb shell $SEARCH2
fi

My pretuning script looks like this:
pretunebmi.sh

 #!/bin/bash
CONNECT="connect 192.168.1.171"
WAKE="input keyevent KEYCODE_WAKEUP"
HOME="input keyevent KEYCODE_HOME"


adb $CONNECT
adb $CONNECT
adb $CONNECT
adb shell $WAKE
adb shell $WAKE
#adb shell $WAKE
adb shell $HOME; sleep 2
#adb shell am start com.google.android.youtube.tvunplugged; sleep 2
#adb shell am force-stop com.google.android.youtube.tvunplugged

And my post tuning script to kill youtube tv and turn off the box:
stopbmi.sh

 #!/bin/bash
STOP="am force-stop com.google.android.youtube.tvunplugged; sleep 2"

#Stop Video
adb shell $STOP
adb shell input keyevent KEYCODE_SLEEP

This all works smoothly in terms of automation. What I am trying to figure out how to do is to have Channels dvr execute the scripts so I can once again centralize my epg and tuners there and then feed them into Sagetv. It is much easier to access live tv away from home with channels dvr. I already know how to get Channels dvr to see the stream from the device. The thing is to get it to do the trigger the automation for YoutubeTV on the nvidia shield. Any ideas?

[Zogg]

Hi @boukmandutty, it's been a while. I've pretty much moved off SageTV for several reasons, but I kept one instance of SageTV running just in case for the occasional manual recording.

Take a look at THIS FORUM PAGE where you can see a couple of methods for parsing the Channels log file or HTTP API events and using that to send a message to your Shield.

I have been able to use the first method and run a tail on the log file and search for a recording start, then parse out the channel number and send it to my own streaming device. I still need to complete the script to parse out recording stops. I'll be using this to feed the NBC-owned channels back into Channels as custom stream channels, I hope.

[boukmandutty]

Here we go...

Just to be clear before we go down the rabbit hole, the network encoder discussed here is connected to my spare nvidia shield android box via hdmi cable.

The kind of automation suggested above with the channel changing script (bmitune.sh) can be replaced with direct adb commands to youtube tv (YTT) on the android box.

                                                   
#!/bin/bash

#USA
if [ $1 = "111" ];then
adb -s 192.168.1.171 shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d https://tv.youtube.com/watch/8xN3o2PSL5s?onboard=1
fi

#SYFY
if [ $1 = "135" ];then
adb -s 192.168.1.171 shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d https://tv.youtube.com/watch/uSfozGAsGMk?onboard=1
fi

#NICKTOONS
if [ $1 = "229" ];then
adb -s 192.168.1.171 shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d https://tv.youtube.com/watch/updG5RVnwk8?onboard=1
fi

A batch file can easily be whipped up for windows if you so desire.

The links are actually the links that appear in your address bar when you tune a YTT channel in a browser. The only problem with this method is that the addresses might change over time. Maybe there is a way to monitor the YTT website to keep up with the changes when they happen and update that section of the command for each channel automatically?

In any event, if you are simply using sagetv to record it will call the bmitune.sh file using opendct and execute the commands.

I route things through ChannelsDVR because among other things I want to view things like the Premier League remotely and I wont pay for Peacock. There are just too many of these streaming companies that want to have a hand in your pocket at the end of each month man and if you feed the gremlins they become monsters and demand more money after they think they got you.

If you monitor your hdmi network encoder via vlc while it is hooked up to your android device and that devices is acessible via adb you should be able to execute a command like:

./bmitune 111

You should see YTT change to USA


To get ChannelsDvr to call the three sh files I have above there is this little program that one of the Channels devs whipped up. The installation instructions are as follows:

Open your linux terminal or whatever you use to git. Execute the commands:

apt install git
git clone https://github.com/tmm1/androidhdmi-for-channels
cd androidhdmi-for-channels
go build
./androidhdmi-for-channels

It should spin up a server on port 7654

In channels dvr, make a custom channel for MPEG-TS as so:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1 channel-id="usa",USA
http://localhost:7654/play/tuner0/111

This will be added to your epg and you will now be able to record there as well as in Sagetv if you have it configured with ChannelsDVR feeding it.

[nyplayer]

boukmandutty I see your work is getting noticed ...


https://community.getchannels.com/t/...?u=edwin_perez

[boukmandutty]

Not my work man. The enduring SageTV community's work.

[KryptoNyte]

Nice

[KryptoNyte]

Ah what's the point.