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I'm desperate for help figuring this out. Dish Network whole house PVR

post #1 of 10
3/25/10 at 2:30pm
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone.

So I have spent the past 6 hours searching the web without a definitive answer so I figured I would ask the pros... you guys!

I want to build a media server that will enable me to record / stream Dish Network channels. I want to be able to have an extender/ Xbox 360 / or small HTPC at each TV (3 of them) to be able to do the following:
1. Watch HD TV live with time shifting
2. See the dish Network Guide
3. Be able to access the recorded HD shows and watch them.
4. FF/RW/Pause recorded shows
5. Set shows to record
6. Be able to do this from multiple TV’s at the same time.

The hardware at each TV will be hard wired into the network. No wireless. Also, I already have two Xbox 360’s. If the software you smart folks recommend can be used as a plug-in within WMC then I would just buy a 3rd Xbox 360 and be set.

I know that WMC7/WMC XP can do this with cable, as can MediaPortal, MythTV, XBMC, and SageTV. But I cannot seem to find any program that would allow me to do this. I am willing to use any software you can think of. It does not have to be free or open. I am willing to buy the right software.

I did find this and thought it could be part of my answer:
http://www.buydvb.net/pcie-dvbs2-dua...ard-p-180.html

My secondary goals of streaming Blu-Ray movies and DVD’s to multiple TV’s can be accomplished using TONS of software. In fact I assume that whatever software is recommended for this will be able to stream my movies.

I am going to post this on the HTPC forum as well in case someone there hsa experience with this.

Please, allow me to thank you in advance for the time and effort you may put into helping me. I can’t express how grateful I will be if I can solve this dilemma.

John
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post #2 of 10
3/25/10 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bocce3 View Post

Hi everyone.

So I have spent the past 6 hours searching the web without a definitive answer so I figured I would ask the pros... you guys!

I want to build a media server that will enable me to record / stream Dish Network channels. I want to be able to have an extender/ Xbox 360 / or small HTPC at each TV (3 of them) to be able to do the following:
1. Watch HD TV live with time shifting
2. See the dish Network Guide
3. Be able to access the recorded HD shows and watch them.
4. FF/RW/Pause recorded shows
5. Set shows to record
6. Be able to do this from multiple TV's at the same time.

The hardware at each TV will be hard wired into the network. No wireless. Also, I already have two Xbox 360's. If the software you smart folks recommend can be used as a plug-in within WMC then I would just buy a 3rd Xbox 360 and be set.

I know that WMC7/WMC XP can do this with cable, as can MediaPortal, MythTV, XBMC, and SageTV. But I cannot seem to find any program that would allow me to do this. I am willing to use any software you can think of. It does not have to be free or open. I am willing to buy the right software.

I did find this and thought it could be part of my answer:
http://www.buydvb.net/pcie-dvbs2-dua...ard-p-180.html

My secondary goals of streaming Blu-Ray movies and DVD's to multiple TV's can be accomplished using TONS of software. In fact I assume that whatever software is recommended for this will be able to stream my movies.

I am going to post this on the HTPC forum as well in case someone there hsa experience with this.

Please, allow me to thank you in advance for the time and effort you may put into helping me. I can't express how grateful I will be if I can solve this dilemma.

John

Dish is currently a closed system and there is no way to get content off their DVR's or build your own DVR to record their content without going analog first. Cable is a another story but what you want to do is not remotely possible today on dish or directTv.
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post #3 of 10
3/25/10 at 5:34pm
The supported way of doing this with Dish Network is with the 922 Slingloaded DVR pointed at either a new networked HDTV with flash support or the TV Everywhere Extender (like a Slingcatcher). We will also soon be able to retrofit at least the VIP "k" series, if not all VIP receivers, with the TV Everywhere Adapter (aka Slingbox 700U). This basically makes existing receivers Slingloaded. The problem with all of this equipment is that it's not yet available. Rumor has it that the 922 will come out in mid April. It is arriving at warehouses now.

So... Right now today you can plug in any placeshifting device, such as a Slingbox or Hava, and do what you want. The Hava has the advantage of having unencrypted streams, and being able to feed at least 5 local LAN clients with the same program. (Current Havas are not HD, though mine looks pretty darn good for SD plugged into my 722.) External place shifting devices definitely go through an analog stage, if that's an important consideration.

Finally, and this is a long shot, you can mod your receivers (if you own them) with the R5000. This physically intercepts the unencrypted mpeg2 or mpeg4 streams and sends that out a USB connector to a properly-configured PC.
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post #4 of 10
3/25/10 at 5:51pm
interesting is the in my experience even a slingbox on a LAN (6 meg stream) looks really poor compared to the original signal...... Its not even a close comparison.... and on my stand alone sling box there is no way to place shift any bit rate 1920x1080 stream. Its simply not an option.... so using the analog out would be better than that....

Sean
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post #5 of 10
3/25/10 at 6:11pm
One solution is to locate a computer next to your dish receiver box(s) that is running SageTV. Attached to the Sage based computer would be as many HD PVR 1212 HD USB capture boxes as you want to be able to record at one time (you need to have that many sat boxes too.)

Sage will control the sat boxes to tune to the correct channel at the correct time and capture the 1080i signals (and dolby dig audio) with the HD PVR1212 cards.

These recordings can be watched live (a second or so delay) time shifted paused, etc.

The sage server can play back on one TV and you can get Sage HDTheater extenders for your other TVs allowing full DVR control at all the TVs throughout the house.

You will not get the sat provider menu interface, but SageTV will have the EPG data for your sat channels and you can pick/schedule shows from there.

I have no experience with the HD PVR1212s but from reading some feedback on the Sage forums, it appears that while they are not completely without fault, they do provide image quality that is very good, with minimal degradation from the capture process.

Another option for sat users would be to run SageTV with an R5000 modded sat receiver, but in truth I don't know if a person can even get those anymore and if they even work with sat signals anymore. (Obviously, google for "R5000 Mod" for more info.)

-Suntan
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post #6 of 10
3/25/10 at 11:23pm
Thread Starter 
WOW. Let me start off by saying thank you to everyone who has replied.

I have looked into the R5000 quite a bit but as you mentioned I have not found anything recent on them. I went to the manufacturer website and it looks as though it has not been updated since late 2008.

The 922 sounds like the best option for me right now, although I have to wait! ha ha

I looked heavily into the SageTv approach but I just cant see having so many of the little boxes and everything. I think I will wait until the end of this year and see what happens at CEDIA and if Dish Network works on their WMC "Draco" project discussed here: http://hd.engadget.com/2009/09/10/di...uner-hands-on/

Lastly, anyone heard of this tuner?
http://www.buydvb.net/pcie-dvbs2-dua...ard-p-192.html

I am shocked to think software doesn't exist to make your PC into a Satellite STB so that it could decode the streams. I found this software but I can't figure out if it will work with American satellite or not: DVB software like ProgDVB, DVBDream, DVBViewer, AltDVB. The card above states that it can be used with those programs. Anyone ever heard of these or used them?
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post #7 of 10
3/26/10 at 7:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bocce3 View Post

I am shocked to think software doesn't exist to make your PC into a Satellite STB so that it could decode the streams. I found this software but I can't figure out if it will work with American satellite or not: DVB software like ProgDVB, DVBDream, DVBViewer, AltDVB. The card above states that it can be used with those programs. Anyone ever heard of these or used them?

It won't really work. Those are for free to air satellite reception (used to be quite a bit of it available in the US, but mostly just the sat feeds sent out by the national broadcasters to each of their local affiliates, who would then broadcast in their regions. Now it is mostly foreign language stuff that is available, or so I have read from others.)

As far as dish and direct TV, their feeds are encrypted, which is why you need their sat boxes to decrypt the signal. The reason there isn't an easy computer solution for their service is because they don't want there to be one. They want you to rent their boxes and DVRs from them (can't really say as I blame them though.)

Fwiw if you did use Sage, the sage server, sat boxes and 1212 capture cards can be completely remote from all the TVs. Many people put all that stuff down in the basement and then just have extenders hooked up to each TV. You can completely control the system from each of the extenders so you only need to access the PC very rarely for maintenance, etc.

-Suntan
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post #8 of 10
3/26/10 at 1:25pm
There's a thread around here someplace on the R5000... Here it is! You don't necessarily want to mod a brand new receiver anyhow, so 2008 is not exactly ancient history for web page updates. Note that this is a digital capture, so the PQ you get is as good as it gets (from the satellite), and doesn't need the latest/greatest receiver. For HD, an old 211 would do.

I own a Twinhan DVB-S PCI tuner which I originally bought for the unencrypted music formerly coming down from 119. Unfortunately, before I got my TSreader act together, Dish started encrypting all but the Hawaiian music channel, so I lost out on that one. At the time, I could still tune in anything that was FTA, including GolTV, all the Dish info channels of course, the mosaic channel (100?), the NASA channel, and a few religious channels such as Angel 1. GolTV long ago exited Dish. And within the last month they started encrypting all the rest, with the exception of the info channel on 119.
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post #9 of 10
3/26/10 at 3:38pm
Thread Starter 
TheKrell and Suntan, Thank you both for your input. Looks like I am just going to have to wait or get a CETON and go back with Comcast. You guys were very helpful.
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post #10 of 10
3/26/10 at 7:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bocce3 View Post

I looked heavily into the SageTV approach but I just cant see having so many of the little boxes and everything.

No system on the planet (digital that is) will save you from that. Instead of SageTV boxes at each TV, the link you provided would have Win7MC clients or so many little Sat boxes 'and everything'.
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