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[TheBoy]

One of my tasks for my time off between Xmas and NY was to find a suitable replacement for Microsoft's long abandoned Media Center, which most of you will know has been my device of choice to sit under the telly to deal with everything TV related.  Well, actually, the search began a couple of years back, by getting a Humax TV recorder and a gay-ray player.

Well, the Humax is just about dead now - not that I mind, because it was shite really.

So a concerted effort to find a replacement PC based solution.

So, hear is the summary of all my trials:

Kodi: Shite
Plex: Expensive and Shite
Media Portal 2: OK but unreliable
MythTV: Didn't support my tuners
Win 8.1 Media Center: "Just works"


So after several days, I'm back where I started, and still using a product that got its last update over 13 years ago.

I think Win8.1 goes out of support in early 2023, so I guess I'll either have to do it all again next year in the hope something has improved, or just yank the network cable out of the back of the damn thing next year, and all streaming will have to be via another device.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Are you moaning again. You're as bad as the gobby scouser.

[Andy H]

I got mythtv working with a dual Hauppage tuner card (on Linux) about 15 years ago. It needs to have the firmware installed each time it is restarted. Can't remember what I had to do to make that happen - I think 'hotplug' was involved

I haven't tried Kodi

[Varche]

Amazon firestick? . £40

[Shackeng]

Been using 2 x Humax 1100s in different rooms OK for some years, though what idiotic design with the indicator light underneath necessitating sticking a piece of silver paper under the light so it is visible.

[Mr Skrunts]

Amazon firestick? . £40

You cant record and save for later though.


Or can you?

[STEMO]

Amazon firestick? . £40

You cant record and save for later though.


Or can you?

No need to record Amazon content, it's available at any time. There are no 'live' programs anyway, only football now and again, and that can be viewed anytime later.

[STEMO]

You have to be a prime member to use it, though. £7.99 a month.

[Varche]

Gi sunbird?

[Andy B]

the trouble with More4 etc is that you still have to endure adverts before & during the programme. At least they can be skipped through when recorded.

[TheBoy]

I got mythtv working with a dual Hauppage tuner card (on Linux) about 15 years ago. It needs to have the firmware installed each time it is restarted. Can't remember what I had to do to make that happen - I think 'hotplug' was involved

I haven't tried Kodi

Yeah, I want something that is faff free. It has to be Mrs TB friendly.

[TheBoy]

Amazon firestick? . £40

Thats purely a streaming device.

[Andy B]

....
Yeah, I want something that is faff free. It has to be Mrs TB friendly.

I'm not sure that there has been anything that is woman friendly when it comes to watching telly via anything other than directly through an aerial. There's been load of conversations at work with respective partners along the lines of the telly needs to be on blah blah & the Humax on blah blah and ....

[TheBoy]

....
Yeah, I want something that is faff free. It has to be Mrs TB friendly.

I'm not sure that there has been anything that is woman friendly when it comes to watching telly via anything other than directly through an aerial. There's been load of conversations at work with respective partners along the lines of the telly needs to be on blah blah & the Humax on blah blah and ....

There was. Its called Media Center.  Though sadly needs additional thought about continued use beyond Jan 2023

[STEMO]

When I leave the sky box recording late at night, I put both the sky box and tv on standby. The reason is that both of them, and other stuff, are plugged into one extension block so one flick of a switch at bedtime turns everything off.
You can turn both the tv and box back on in the morning from the sky remote, but try telling wifey how to do it. The most simple of operations but, no, far too technical.