TVHeadend

Mdar

I'm not sure if I've got the concept or setup requirements right in my head for Skybox.

Can the Skybox client in Samsung VR Gear get streams from anywhere, or does it have to be from a PC instance of a Skybox server?

My reason for asking is that I'm looking for a way to view TS streams from a TVHeadend server, direct from a DVB-T2 signal.

In this use case either Freeview antenna or a DVB-T2 multiplexed feed from a HDMI source. We can view the HDMI source on any connected TV using Freeview within our home's RF distribution system.

Andy

Mdar

Hi Mdar,

SKYBOX support DLNA protocol through local network.
You can try to find the device in our DLNA Channel in the main dock.
If you cannot find it, that means this server is not DLNA compatible.

If that is the case, do you know any Android apps that CAN stream from this server?
Please give us some app names and we will look into this.

Thanks.
Andy

Mdar

Hello Andy

Thank you for your extremely prompt reply.

I can confirm that TVHeadend isn't a DLNA server, as explained in this thread - https://tvheadend.org/boards/5/topics/12850?r=14151

(I should probably point out that I'm just a user / supporter of TVheadend, rather than a coder or contributor)

As for standard apps that are happy to stream from TVHeadend, I can tell you that VLC does it seamlessly with the playlist file that TVHeadend exports (I'm happy to send you a copy to look at, including an externally accessible version)

VLC on a desktop just loads the .m3u file and shows the channels in the playlist window.

Where as VLC on an android device must have the stream URL pushed into it, or entered manually.

There is a TVheadend app for Android that shows ever channel and program (including recorded shows) available within TVHeadend - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.tvheadend.tvhclient

This app has a "Play" option that pushes the URL (for the channel, the URL for individual live broadcast programs or recorded content) into the user's chosen video player.

There are various other TVHeadend clients :- https://play.google.com/store/search?q=tvheadend&hl=en

I have tried the following players on a Samsung S7 phone and Samsung Note 10.1 tablet ----

MXPlayer - which reports "This video format (mpeg2video) is not supported for standard definition streams, but plays the HD streams perfectly
VLC - Just works perfectly with standard definition and HD streams
Samsung Video player - which reports "Failed to play video. An unknown error has occurred" for all streams
Plex - It does strange things with the URL, but does play it smoothly, after being bounced to different UI screens within the app.
Samsung Photos - I didn't expect anything to happen, but it gives a black screen and plays the audio for standard def streams and just show's it's rotating "buffering" icon for HD streams
Video Player All Formats by InShot Inc - Plays the URLs happily
K Lite Video Player No Codec by Long Logics - Plays the video (SD) stream but is very jumpy and pixelated, I didn't try the HD Streams
UM Player (Ultimate Media) by Advanced Media - Takes a few seconds to settle down, but does play the streams

An example of the channels.m3u file that I can export from TVheadend looks like this :-

the whole channels.m3u file can easily be obtained from a TVHeadend server by using a similar URL to this:-

http://192.168.178.23:9981/playlist

If you would like remote access to my TVHeadend server for testing, please send me a private email so I can give you the URL

Many thanks

Stuart

Mdar

Extra info

Even though I'm testing TVHeadend on a tiny Samsung Netbook, it seems to be transcoding recordings into MKV files quite happily.

I've also realised that recorded content can be accessed by downloading a separate *****.m3u file for each recording.

like this one :-

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1,Crocodile Dundee II
http://192.168.178.23:9981/dvrfile/12c94fa7034cc92745d81ce7814709c8?ticket=33F2F90B61BD7BD0B8682259850B4195584F34FC

Is there a way to have a folder that *.m3u files could be dropped into and the contents added to a playlist within your app?

Thinking about this further..

That would be a really nice way of adding support for other media sources too.

For example, one option I'm looking at is a little box that directly creates a H.264 stream from a HDMI source. (I've even found a 4 channel box, which has 4K inputs and can create a separate Picture-in-Picture stream)

Cheers

Stuart

Andy

Mdar

Hi Mdar,

Thanks a lot for this helpful feedback.
We appreciate this message. Our engineers will look into it.
I will get back to you shortly.

Andy

Mdar

Andy
Hello Andy

Would your team like me to continue permitting remote access to my TVHeadend server or have they completed / stopped their research / development?

Cheers,

Stuart

Andy

Mdar

Hi Stuart,

I'm sorry that we were too occupied to come to TVHeadend.
You do you have to keep the remote access if it is any trouble for you.
We will contact you once we have time to look into it.

Thanks
Andy

Mdar

Andy

Good morning

It's no problem to keep it open, its all password protected. :-)

I know linking to TVHeadend is far from a high priority :-)

I'll leave my little server accessible for you and your team to take a look at when you have time.

All the best,

Stuart

Andy

Mdar

Thank you very much for understanding.

Andy