Some questions about what's currently up there and how to receive it

[anik]

I have been out of the FTA scene since my Diamond 9000HD took a power surge (or something happened) and now it simply will not power up. Now that spring-like weather is almost here (I HOPE!!!) I'm debating on whether to try to get back into FTA. This would be partly so I could record certain programs for someone else in my family, which explains my second question below. So...

- Is there currently a HIGH DEFINITION feed of CBS in the clear?

- Is there currently a HIGH DEFINITION feed of the CW in the clear? If so, is it a primetime-only feed or a 24 hour feed?

- Is there any FTA receiver available that has a network connection jack that will allow you to steam either live programming or recorded programs (preferably both) to other computers or similar devices in your home? And if so, which one(s)?

- Or, is there any hardware device (PCI card, USB connected device, etc.) that you know of that integrates well with MythTV (which is Linux-based software) and does NOT require that you have a Windows box available? It's frustrating to read about hardware devices and then find that they are really only useful with Windows Media center, or some other piece of Windows-specific software?

I posted this in this forum because of the first two questions, but if they would be appropriate for the main FTA forum then I don't mind if the moderator moves this post there. Take a guess which two networks we can't get reliably with an OTA antenna!

 

[Mr Tony]

Is there currently a HIGH DEFINITION feed of CBS in the clear?

yes...C-Band. I think (its been a while) 89 or 97W C-Band
edit: 97W

- Is there currently a HIGH DEFINITION feed of the CW in the clear? If so, is it a primetime-only feed or a 24 hour feed?

yes
There are 2 sets
-prime time only is on 97W C-Band
-The CW+ feeds are on 91W in HD. 4 time zones worth and its a 24/7 schedule

 

[Mr Tony]

moved thread to main area since CW & CBS info is usually posted on sites

 

[anik]

Thank you, Iceberg, I much appreciate that information!

 

[Mr Tony]

the other questions I dont have the answer

 

[Anole]

alternatives

- Is there any FTA receiver available that has a network connection jack that will allow you to steam either live programming or recorded programs (preferably both) to other computers or similar devices in your home?

I ask this same question from time to time.
So far, no one seems to appreciate the elegance of the idea.

You may have to go with a card & computer based solution.
I get my OTA via a laptop running Vista Media Center, and sharing it's drive onto my home network.
Playback is through a Western Digital TV Live Plus (inexpensive media player) in the living room.

IF you can impose a one delay, what about swapping between two small USB drives?
One could record your shows on something like a microHD from SatAV.
The other drive could be plugged in anywhere so it's on your LAN.
Actually, my WD box has two local USB connectors...

 

[Keith Brannen]

- Is there any FTA receiver available that has a network connection jack that will allow you to steam either live programming or recorded programs (preferably both) to other computers or similar devices in your home? And if so, which one(s)?

I ask this same question from time to time.
So far, no one seems to appreciate the elegance of the idea.

The AZBoxes allow you to stream from the receiver to a PC, but only live channels. You can also stream (live or from a file) from a PC to the AZBox. As well, you can FTP to and from the AZBox, or even play files through the network connection from the AZBox on a computer, or from a computer on the AZBox, but it would be easier just to transfer the file to whatever device you are going to use to view.

 

[Cham]

Anik, something to consider..the CBS HD signals on 97W are 4:2:2, the only receiver (unit) that I know of that can decode this real time is the azbox. I have an Ultra, but I have never been able to get the streaming to work on my network though... The PC tuners have software that can do the decoding fine and stream. I believe the Azbox Premium+ does stream live, others have it working for sure.
I like having the CBS on satellite, it's the only US network I have trouble picking up over the air from my location.

 

[anik]

Thank you to everyone for all the comments so far. The Azbox looks interesting, but I note there are several models. Cham, you say that the Ultra will not stream over the network but you believe the Premium+ will. Can anyone else confirm that? What I am trying to figure out is, if I were to buy an Azbox, which model would get me closest to what I want to do?

At the very least I would hope it would be able to record programs and then allow you to come in from another machine and access the recording via FTP or HTTP. Better yet would be the ability to add to or modify the recording schedule from another machine on the network, perhaps through some sort of web page interface. Sadly, I'm not expecting great things because so many of these receiver manufacturers seem to be designing as if it's 1999 (at least in terms of network accessibility) but before I spend good money on a new receiver I'd at least want to know that I could pull the recorded programs to another device on the network and watch them there. So would the Premium+ be the best receiver for that purpose, or is there another model (Azbox or otherwise) that I should consider?

(And Cham, I'm with you about CBS being the one network that I can't receive reliably. What is it with CBS stations, do they all have old decrepit transmitting antennas or something? I note that even the Galaxy 16 Caribbean feeds, which I guess I can mention those here because they are listed on LyngSat, don't include CBS. Strange!)

 

[Keith Brannen]

My AZBox Ultra does stream both directions, Cham may be using a software version where the streaming to a PC was "broken" (versions later than 5306). Versions 5400 and 5402 fixed the broken streaming. I use 5402 and can stream. However, the streaming can be limited by the computer you are streaming to, and other factors. For example, HD channels are a problem, but most SD (including a 4.2.2 feed) and DVB-S2 SD channels are fine. Don't know whether the streaming is better with the newer models (ME and MiniME) or not. The Premium Plus also streams.

 

[danristheman]

CW is also on 99w on c band.

dan rose

 

[pwrsurge]

At the very least I would hope it would be able to record programs and then allow you to come in from another machine and access the recording via FTP or HTTP. Better yet would be the ability to add to or modify the recording schedule from another machine on the network, perhaps through some sort of web page interface. Sadly, I'm not expecting great things because so many of these receiver manufacturers seem to be designing as if it's 1999 (at least in terms of network accessibility) but before I spend good money on a new receiver I'd at least want to know that I could pull the recorded programs to another device on the network and watch them there. So would the Premium+ be the best receiver for that purpose, or is there another model (Azbox or otherwise) that I should consider?

The AzBox miniMe American Edition does have a web interface which allows you to choose and stream a channel or change channels directly from your web browser. You can also currently add, modify or delete recording timers directly using the web interface as well. You currently can't stream recordings via the web interface at this time but we will be adding that feature in the near future. However, you can transfer recordings via FTP or SAMBA to another computer in order to playback.


Best regards,

PwrSurge
AzBox Canada

 

[anik]

The AzBox units definitely sound interesting, especially the miniMe American Edition. If at all possible, please consider adding the functionality to make it work as a PVR backend for XBMC. If it could do that, I'd be much more likely to buy one! Although I suspect the biggest challenge there might be populating a schedule grid, since most North American stations don't feel the need to send any program data along with the signals.

Basically I am looking at this and at the TBS MOI, assuming they ever actually start shipping the thing and someone reviews it. But what I don't know is if the MOI will do 4.2.2. If it won't, that will really be a dealbreaker. Anyway, I'll just wait a while and see if one of those two actually does what I want. I wish the AzBox weren't quite so high in price (almost double the price of the MOI), because it looks like a really nice unit, but anything higher than about $100 is a bit rich for my budget.

I assume the AzBox supports DiSEqC and 22 kHz tone switches, correct?

I have a feeling that the next time I get a receiver I'm going to have to update my C-band dish feedhorn (it's still one of the old C/Ku units with the little blue polorotor thing on it) and also get a new positioner controller that can be controlled by the receiver (still using an old analog C-band receiver just to move the dish). It's one of those old 10' Winegard perforated metal dishes so with a modern feedhorn I'd probably not have any issues with signal strength on the C-band signals. If only half of the arc were not obstructed by trees that are not on my property! Seems like so many of the big oak trees are dying around here and yet the one oak I'd really like to see die never does. I THINK I can still get that 91W bird okay but anything east of that pretty much goes away when the leaves come out. But anyway, it won't be just the cost of the receiver, it will also be the new feedhorn and positioner too, and that's a pretty big gulp to swallow all at once.

 

[Anole]

Basically I am looking at this and at the TBS MOI, assuming they ever actually start shipping the thing and someone reviews it. But what I don't know is if the MOI will do 4.2.2. If it won't, that will really be a dealbreaker. Anyway, I'll just wait a while and see if one of those two actually does what I want. I wish the AzBox weren't quite so high in price (almost double the price of the MOI), because it looks like a really nice unit, but anything higher than about $100 is a bit rich for my budget.

with the MOI going for $140, your demands seem a bit unrealistic.
4:2:2 for $100, is a pipe dream as well.

There were two recent threads on $50-ish S2 receivers.
I found them both lacking polish and sophistication.
Several members jumped on 'em, and I'll let you read about their exploits.

I assume the AzBox supports DiSEqC and 22 kHz tone switches, correct?

we have a whole AZ sub forum...
but you can be sure it xxxx well better! :up

It's one of those old 10' Winegard perforated metal dishes ....

if I were looking for a 10' dish, that'd be high on my shopping list.