Multi-Channel TV Tuner for the Cloud?

[threehappypenguins]

Here is the situation. I'm trying to wean my in-laws off of cable. They like the mindless zombie flipping through channels thing.

In Nova Scotia here, we only have 2 channels that we can get by way of antenna. So pretty much everybody out here is subscribed to cable (except those like my husband and I).

My Dad, however, lives in Ontario and he has one of those digital boxes hooked up to his antenna and he gets a gazillion free channels both from Buffalo and Toronto. Is there any kind of device that he could hook up his antenna cable to, which then is connected to his network, and then we can log into that and stream from here?

I read about Simple TV, so that got me thinking. But it's really expensive and requires the premium service for what we want to do. And even then, I don't know how well it would work and it seems like an awful lot for a big experiment.

I'm pretty technologically inclined so I could set up an SSH server and connect to his home network so I can connect to the device perhaps (some cheaper tv tuner that allows each user to choose their own channel?). Or even a cheap cloud service that can do the job. I don't know.

I'm planning on buying a TV stick for my in-laws (like we have), but I want to emulate as much as possible the "TV experience" for them.

[clarkss12]

Here is the situation. I'm trying to wean my in-laws off of cable. They like the mindless zombie flipping through channels thing.

In Nova Scotia here, we only have 2 channels that we can get by way of antenna. So pretty much everybody out here is subscribed to cable (except those like my husband and I).

My Dad, however, lives in Ontario and he has one of those digital boxes hooked up to his antenna and he gets a gazillion free channels both from Buffalo and Toronto. Is there any kind of device that he could hook up his antenna cable to, which then is connected to his network, and then we can log into that and stream from here?

I read about Simple TV, so that got me thinking. But it's really expensive and requires the premium service for what we want to do. And even then, I don't know how well it would work and it seems like an awful lot for a big experiment.

I'm pretty technologically inclined so I could set up an SSH server and connect to his home network so I can connect to the device perhaps (some cheaper tv tuner that allows each user to choose their own channel?). Or even a cheap cloud service that can do the job. I don't know.

I'm planning on buying a TV stick for my in-laws (like we have), but I want to emulate as much as possible the "TV experience" for them.

The most important factor to do what you wish to do, is upload bandwith. What is his upload speed?

[threehappypenguins]

The most important factor to do what you wish to do, is upload bandwith. What is his upload speed?

Right now not good. But he would need to upgrade in order to make this work, and my in-law's could always pay the difference. The difference would be cheaper than paying for cable TV.

So I just want to know how this would work and what is feasible.

[clarkss12]

Right now not good. But he would need to upgrade in order to make this work, and my in-law's could always pay the difference. The difference would be cheaper than paying for cable TV.

So I just want to know how this would work and what is feasible.

I don't have one, but I believe the simplest method for streaming live TV over the internet would be the Slingbox. For HD channels, you will need at least a 10meg upload speed.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/slingbox.htm

[threehappypenguins]

I don't have one, but I believe the simplest method for streaming live TV over the internet would be the Slingbox. For HD channels, you will need at least a 10meg upload speed.

I looked into the Slingbox. Looks like it won't work for what we want to do. My dad has over-the-air antenna (OTC), and Slingbox only supports cable boxes. I'm not sure if my dad's box thing that converts his antenna signal to digital (he has to have that now or the signal won't work?) then it's either my Dad's turn to watch TV or my in-law's turn. My Dad would *have* to watch TV through the Slingbox, but Slingbox only allows one person at a time to stream video, TV viewing included.

Really dumb.

[clarkss12]

I looked into the Slingbox. Looks like it won't work for what we want to do. My dad has over-the-air antenna (OTC), and Slingbox only supports cable boxes. I'm not sure if my dad's box thing that converts his antenna signal to digital (he has to have that now or the signal won't work?) then it's either my Dad's turn to watch TV or my in-law's turn. My Dad would *have* to watch TV through the Slingbox, but Slingbox only allows one person at a time to stream video, TV viewing included.

Really dumb.

I use a dual OTA networked tuner, HDHomerun, for my live TV streaming. I have read that it MAY be possible to stream over the internet, but it is quite complicated.

[clarkss12]

I looked into the Slingbox. Looks like it won't work for what we want to do. My dad has over-the-air antenna (OTC), and Slingbox only supports cable boxes. I'm not sure if my dad's box thing that converts his antenna signal to digital (he has to have that now or the signal won't work?) then it's either my Dad's turn to watch TV or my in-law's turn. My Dad would *have* to watch TV through the Slingbox, but Slingbox only allows one person at a time to stream video, TV viewing included.

Really dumb.

I am sure my method would work for you, with a similar setup, but it requires a significant investment, if you don't already have these devices. I use a NAS, because I don't want to leave my computer running all the time, and a dual networked OTA tuner, connected to my roof mounted antenna. With this setup, I get a real PVR with a fantastic guide. Last week I was doing some diagnostics with the tech support in Germany, by using his IP address, I had complete control of his TV signals using my XBMC. I have not tried it using my PVR backend on my system remotely, because I only had 1 meg upload. The tech had a much faster upload speed, so I was able to watch his HD streams (in German) on my XBMC. I had full control, pause, play, search channels, etc.

Anyway, here is a video of my setup using Kodi as my PVR client.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cfuE41iFF0&list=UUGsEJXTn2OM8NZPUNeGJKjQ

Edit: I just verified that with my setup, you can access your live TV stations from any where in the world if it has internet speeds fast enough to support up to 19 Mbps for HD channels. Unless, you get the HDHomerun that converts the signal to h264. If one dual tuner is not enough, you can add more tuners.

[threehappypenguins]

What do you use as your launcher on your TV stick? I like it!!!

How would I be able to view remotely with the Public IP address without compromising security. Secure Shell, maybe? Please specify how you did this.

Also, would 1 Mbps upload still work? It doesn't matter whether it's in HD or not. In Ontario, you pay BIG MONEY if you want 10 Mbps. Or really just anything more than 1 or 2, for that matter.

I am sure my method would work for you, with a similar setup, but it requires a significant investment, if you don't already have these devices. I use a NAS, because I don't want to leave my computer running all the time, and a dual networked OTA tuner, connected to my roof mounted antenna. With this setup, I get a real PVR with a fantastic guide. Last week I was doing some diagnostics with the tech support in Germany, by using his IP address, I had complete control of his TV signals using my XBMC. I have not tried it using my PVR backend on my system remotely, because I only had 1 meg upload. The tech had a much faster upload speed, so I was able to watch his HD streams (in German) on my XBMC. I had full control, pause, play, search channels, etc.

Anyway, here is a video of my setup using Kodi as my PVR client.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cfuE41iFF0&list=UUGsEJXTn2OM8NZPUNeGJKjQ

Edit: I just verified that with my setup, you can access your live TV stations from any where in the world if it has internet speeds fast enough to support up to 19 Mbps for HD channels. Unless, you get the HDHomerun that converts the signal to h264. If one dual tuner is not enough, you can add more tuners.

[clarkss12]

What do you use as your launcher on your TV stick? I like it!!!

How would I be able to view remotely with the Public IP address without compromising security. Secure Shell, maybe? Please specify how you did this.

Also, would 1 Mbps upload still work? It doesn't matter whether it's in HD or not. In Ontario, you pay BIG MONEY if you want 10 Mbps. Or really just anything more than 1 or 2, for that matter.

I am using the stock launcher that came with my Beelink R89 box. Yes, you do have to open ports on your router in order to access PVR server which does give concern for security.

If you can only get 1 Mbps upstream, then this would never work. Also, some providers cap the amount of data you can use per month. I just checked my SD channel using my HDHomerun PLUS which converts the TS stream into H264 format, it is streaming around 2 Mb/s.

There was a startup company (can't remember their name) that did exactly what you needed, but the gov. shut them down.

[threehappypenguins]

Perhaps in the future when 2 Mbps upload is more standard. I will definitely refer to all this later. For now, it's already hard enough to convince my in-laws to use a TV stick. I was over there last night and they just couldn't wrap their minds around it. It's like voodoo for them, LOL!

My mother-in-law already doesn't understand how to use a DVD player. My father-in-law is the one who does it, and even he has a hard time. He can hook the laptop up to the TV and can get around Windows (switching from XP to 7 was a *huge* change for them). So they will have a hard time learning an Android OS.

I brought my air mouse and hooked up the TV stick to their TV and they had a hard time with the air mouse. I tried to pair their Logitech Mediaboard Pro to the stick and it wouldn't detect it. I tried on my laptop and it detected it fine. But not on the stick. So there goes another point with them. Then the stick froze for some bizarre reason (it's never froze on me before). Point number 2 lost.

Oh well, I will try again later.

I am using the stock launcher that came with my Beelink R89 box. Yes, you do have to open ports on your router in order to access PVR server which does give concern for security.

If you can only get 1 Mbps upstream, then this would never work. Also, some providers cap the amount of data you can use per month. I just checked my SD channel using my HDHomerun PLUS which converts the TS stream into H264 format, it is streaming around 2 Mb/s.

There was a startup company (can't remember their name) that did exactly what you needed, but the gov. shut them down.

[budgetgeek]

There was a startup company (can't remember their name) that did exactly what you needed, but the gov. shut them down.

I think it was Aereo.

I would like to connect a tv tuner to my tv stick, but all the ones I see online are not for US tv. I think that will be the next thing I invest in.

[clarkss12]

I think it was Aereo.

I would like to connect a tv tuner to my tv stick, but all the ones I see online are not for US tv. I think that will be the next thing I invest in.

Yes, Aereo, that was the name, it is hell when you get old like me...

The best tuner is the HDHomerun networked tuner. Just attach your co-axial antenna cable to the tuner, plug in the Ethernet cable and almost every device can use it. The new tuners all have UnPn capability and DNLA.

Here is my video showing how to use the HDHomerun tuner with XBMC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-avJPRCK6k&list=UUGsEJXTn2OM8NZPUNeGJKjQ