Android TV N DVR function coming

[christoph86]

Looks like Android N for Android TV will include DVR like function capabilities. This requires apps to include this ability, but if this happens, good bye HTPC. Nvidia Shield TV and HD Homerun with this capability would completely rid me of any need of HTPC and WMC.


http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/03/11 ... tionality/

[Scallica]

This requires apps to include this ability, but if this happens, good bye HTPC.

And also goodbye to your copy-protected channels.

[bob_p]

For those of us who've invested in WMC as a "whole home DVR" (we have 6 Xbox 360 extenders), there's more to a DVR than having an a DVR/viewer app that runs on Android or Windows 10. And for those of us using cablecards to access copy protected programs, DRM support adds even more complexity - the ability to record copy protected programs and watch them on multiple devices.

As of now, it doesn't appear anyone has yet stepped up to the plate to provide a full WMC replacement. While SiliconDust is planning to have DRM support, they have a simplified DVR solution which has multiple restrictions that will limit migration from WMC (no program guide grid, no support for shared tuners, requires continuous access to SD's tuners to do anything, lack of integrated application for all operations using a 10 foot user interface, ...). And while there may be other DVR solutions that provide more functionality, they don't (yet) have plans to integrate DRM support.

At least as of today, even with plans by Microsoft (on Xbox One), Google (Android N) and SiliconDust to release new DVR apps, it looks like WMC remains the best home DVR solutions, as long as we can keep it working...

[adam1991]

Tivo comes the closest. For those who just want the functionality that the cablecos provide, but on a superior platform, Tivo is the answer. DVR plus Netflix/Hulu/Amazon or whatever, in a centralized recording tank with remote streamers--Tivo is a great solution.

If you want to store your movies as well, Tivo doesn't help with that. So get Roku and Kodi or something.

[christoph86]

Android TV has support for Playready DRM.

[Ed]

If you want to store your movies as well, Tivo doesn't help with that. So get Roku and Kodi or something.

Tivo has Plex. It even does 1080p on the Roamio Plex app now (used to be only Bolt Plex did 1080p, Roamio Plex did 720 - but an update changed that).

[bob_p]

Among the alternatives available to WMC, TiVo does appear to be the best option. When the Bolt was released, they added semi-automatic commercial skipping (only works on the prime time shows on the top channels, and requires one button press per commercial block) and 1.x playback with audio - these are both features we use on WMC (which has automatic commercial skipping of all shows, using plug-ins).

If they come out with a 6 tuner version of the Bolt (which also has UHD streaming support), that would allow us to drop one of our cablecards (costing $100 per year from Comcast), which pays for most of the annual TiVo subscription fee.

Plex helps to close the gap on some of WMC's functionality (ability to view your own media files), plus TiVo provides integration with major streaming services and supports Comcast's "On Demand" - features we don't have with WMC.

One hole is that TiVo dropped official support of their TiVo-to-PC software, though there are several 3rd party options for copy non-DRM programs from TiVo to PC (and then put into a Plex library).

For most of WMC's lifetime, it really was the only game in town. Since Microsoft stopped developing WMC, the cable/satellite companies and TiVo have continued to make progress - making a transition less painful than it would have been several years ago.

Unfortunately, for those of us wanting to record copy protected programs, WMC remains the only option for a DIY DVR (where you control what hardware is being used). And Android N TV, Xbox One's OTA or SiliconDust's new DVR software will likely only provide a subset of WMC's features.

[DavidinCT]

Didn't we already have "MythTV" a Linix/Android flavor DVR? I tried it a few years ago, although I got it to work (clearQAM at the time), it was NOT wife friendly at all. Way too many options but, even the basics we not always there...

I guess a new flavor, if it gets cablecard DRM support (with out me needing to buy a new tuner), it has a CHEAP extender option that plays ALL CONTENT (Pi ?), and most of all is very easy like WMC to use but, can be advanced if wanted to be. If it meets these needed, I will give it a shot...It needs to have at least the same feature set as WMC but, offering more (like full MKV support over extenders, etc)

WMC still does 95% of what it did 5 years ago, so it's still a stable DVR if configured right... (Removed features from 5 years ago...Internet TV (sucked anyway)and Sports)

Android TV has support for Playready DRM.

Really ? can you show facts that it has Playready DRM ?

Right now as far as I know, WMC is the only game in town for a DIY DRM DVR....STILL (HDR's option is joke)

[cwinfield]

Didn't we already have "MythTV" a Linix/Android flavor DVR? I tried it a few years ago, although I got it to work (clearQAM at the time), it was NOT wife friendly at all. Way too many options but, even the basics we not always there...

I guess a new flavor, if it gets cablecard DRM support (with out me needing to buy a new tuner), it has a CHEAP extender option that plays ALL CONTENT (Pi ?), and most of all is very easy like WMC to use but, can be advanced if wanted to be. If it meets these needed, I will give it a shot...It needs to have at least the same feature set as WMC but, offering more (like full MKV support over extenders, etc)

WMC still does 95% of what it did 5 years ago, so it's still a stable DVR if configured right... (Removed features from 5 years ago...Internet TV (sucked anyway)and Sports)

Android TV has support for Playready DRM.

Really ? can you show facts that it has Playready DRM ?

Right now as far as I know, WMC is the only game in town for a DIY DRM DVR....STILL (HDR's option is joke)

Android TV has had playready since version 5.0 I believe. Here is the first post that reported this. http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 192#p77192

[kd6icz]

If you want to store your movies as well, Tivo doesn't help with that. So get Roku and Kodi or something.

Tivo has Plex. It even does 1080p on the Roamio Plex app now (used to be only Bolt Plex did 1080p, Roamio Plex did 720 - but an update changed that).

TiVo has PLEX? Hmmmm.... I didn't know that. I might just have to take a another look at TiVo. I could just convert my current WMC server to a dedicated PLEX server.

[Ed]

It's had it for a while now.

[adam1991]

If you want to store your movies as well, Tivo doesn't help with that. So get Roku and Kodi or something.

Tivo has Plex. It even does 1080p on the Roamio Plex app now (used to be only Bolt Plex did 1080p, Roamio Plex did 720 - but an update changed that).

TiVo has PLEX? Hmmmm.... I didn't know that. I might just have to take a another look at TiVo. I could just convert my current WMC server to a dedicated PLEX server.

yeah, that's what I was thinking. Tivo could solve all the problems at once, while letting me repurpose the old unit as you say.

Hmmmm.

[kd6icz]

Tivo has Plex. It even does 1080p on the Roamio Plex app now (used to be only Bolt Plex did 1080p, Roamio Plex did 720 - but an update changed that).

TiVo has PLEX? Hmmmm.... I didn't know that. I might just have to take a another look at TiVo. I could just convert my current WMC server to a dedicated PLEX server.

yeah, that's what I was thinking. Tivo could solve all the problems at once, while letting me repurpose the old unit as you say.

Hmmmm.

The ease of use for everyone else in the house is a huge plus. For me switching between Roku and Xbox is no big deal. But the other half is always confused by the 7 different remote controls. Everything in one box and one remote might be worth the price of TiVo.

Maybe once the Bolt Pro comes out along with WD 8TB hard drives I'll make the switch.