Tvheadend

Do you mean VIDEO decoding (or rather rendering)? or decoding of the encrypted dvb signals?
I think you will hardly find any new dvb card with hardware based video decoding included, and certainly not for MPEG4. Most modern hardware should be able handle it, even using software only.
(on one screen you will only be able to watch one program anyway)

If you are talking about hardware based decoding/decrypting dvb signals then I can say that tvheadend does not support hardware based decrypting (smartcard + CAM in CI slot) at the moment.

Hein

Hi thanks for the reply.

In the UK our HD streams are H264 encoded I believe) and hoped there would be a hardware decode solution as opposed to a software one.

But that is not the job for Tvheadend surely? You will normally want to save the stream in h264 (especially if HD), and also send over the network in h264. Only when viewing/rendering the video should it be decoded, something most graphic chipsets does easily nowadays. The exact box you have only has on board Intel graphics, which may struggle presenting these streams under load - normally a atom/ion combo is used/recommended for hd video presentation, which normally works fine. Haven't tested the NM10 my self though.

If you already have the box, it is easy enough to try by playing a hd video while loading the box. Tvheadend itself does not use much resources. If the disk is heavily in use, I'd go for a SSD.

Yeah really need to know whether your intention is just one of serving the content from the box or also playing it on this box.

If its the former you should have NO trouble at all, my own TVH server isn't much diff from your box in spec, and even an old via 800Mhz box was able to keep up. Apart from some very basic stream processing (NOT video/audio decoding) its basically just IO, so very light on the CPU.

If its playback on that box then "might" be ok, but I wouldn't want to count on it.

Thanks for the responses.

I believe I was either misinformed or was just plain stupid (probably the latter) when researching these cards and tvheadend.

The box wont be playing back content at all, just serving/recording to other xbmc clients around the home. From what I hear above this should work just fine which is great.

Another question would be what is the best dvb-t2 card currently that works with tvheadend?

One more question does tvheadend support interactive channels? Some BBC channels have red-button features to display alternate streams (in the case of the olympics for example)

Thanks for the great help guys.

Craig,

I'm not sure about DVB-T2 hardware, I personally use a TBS (DVB-S2) card which I'm quite happy with and I know some people are using a TBS T2 equivalent without issues.

You'll definitely be fine with that hardware for serving content, almost ANY modern PC will be capable of that

TVH does NOT currently (and no intention at this time) support interactive content. However most of the interactive streams are simply just standard services that aren't NORMALLY in the channel list (but nothing stopping you including them), of course you still won't get the interactive menus etc...

With regard to the olympic streams, I don't know how this works on DVB-T, but although they are accessible via red button they're also standard channels in their own right (i.e. they're in the standard channel list).

Adam

Thats great, I'm not worried about the interactivity aspect but was hoping I could still retain access to the other streams the service provides.

I haven't found too many dvb-t2 receivers, I'm using a pctv nanostick t2 which works well in my current (tvheadend) server. However, prior to having it in my server, I had it for a while in my desktop, where I had issues with it. Not sure if it was an issue that was later fixed, or something else. Now I am contemplating getting another one, since it would be nice to get rid of the FireDTV-T so all receivers can do t2.

I have been looking at the following

1. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/blackgold-bgt3630-dvb-t2-dvb-c-dvb-s2-analogue-composite-s-video-component-video-pcie-product
2. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/blackgold-bgt3620-high-definition-pcie-card-dual-dvb-t-and-dvb-t2-dual-digital-dvb-c
3. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/blackgold-bgt3650-quad-dvb-t2-dvb-c-dual-analogue-composite-s-video-component-video-pcie-product
4. http://www.scan.co.uk/products/blackgold-bgt3600-dual-dvb-t2-dvb-c-dual-dvb-s2-analogue-composite-s-video-component-video-pcie-prod

I don't believe there is any difference between 1 + 2 or 3 + 4 except that both 2 + 4 support dvb-s/dvb-s2 (which I wont be using but I suppose it cant harm to be future proof if I ever change my setup)

Are these decent cards?

Does anybody use one currently with tvheadend and can vouch for it?

Are cards 3 + 4 worth the extra money for my setup?

Sorry for all the questions, but thanks very much for all the help.

Those looks nice! Have no idea if they have drivers under linux etc.

The number 3 has quad dvb-t2 which is nice, and the one that I'd go for. 4 receivers is more than enough (in my world) normally.

If you decide to try them out keep us updated on your progress!

Googling them gives mixed experience, I'm reading that blackgold has released binary drivers, which I personally hate, but maybe there are opensourced alternatives. Somewhere I read that the 3620 uses Sony CXD2820R DVB-T/T2/C demodulator, which is the same as in my nanostick.

Edit: it was the 3620 who had CXD2820, not sure about the 3650..

If you're in the UK then there is only a single DVB-T2 mux being broadcast - so AIUI there is no point having more than a single T2 tuner (the other 5 muxes are all DVB-T - which can be received more cheaply)

TV Headend is cleverly engineered to use a single tuner for all stations being broadcast in the same mux (so you don't need a separate tuner for each HD channel - as they are all on the sam mux in the UK)

I have played with a single PCTV 290e USB DVB-T2 stick, and can happily stream BBC One HD and ITV1 HD from it at the same time using TV Headend on a Pogoplug. I've tried streaming 3 services and they start to break up, but I think that may be the PogoPlug running out of steam?

For the other 5 SD muxes, DVB-T tuners are fine. If there isn't a major cost difference - then obviously T2 futureproofs you a bit. In other countries there are more T2 muxes (In Sweden there are 2 ISTR) - and in those situations you do need more than one T2 tuner to be flexible in recording multiple T2 channels.