Any Issues With Channels/Apple TV Along With WMC

[gary94080]

just thinking of trying Channels and was wondering if there are any issues with it coexisting with WMC.

[Ed]

Only thing you would have to worry about is the Channels app using a tuner WMC might need to record (if all other tuners are in use) and vice versa (WMC is using all tuners so no tuner free for Channels app to tune to a live channel).

There's no software to install to a PC for Channels app yet (their DVR backend that will need to be installed on a device is not out yet - and they are no longer supporting/integrating the HDHR software in their app due to issues with SD the company and their lack of progress, support and communication with the HDHR DVR program - so the HDHR DVR software you could install on a PC is actually depreciated when it comes to the Channels app), there is only the app on the Apple TV itself to install - so nothing to conflict really.

[gary94080]

I actually supported the SD Kickstarter campaign ($349 level), but I didn't see the point of installing it until they had a working DVR program. since SD has been getting less and less forthcoming with status information I have been looking elsewhere for an eventual WMC replacement. it is really sad too. the success of the campaign showed that they had a lot of support, but they are losing all that good will with their lack of transparency.

I'm not generally an Apple supporter, but the Channels folks seem to be more willing to enter into a dialog with their users and the Apple TV is more affordable than an Xbox One or PS3.

[Ed]

Yeah, I backed at the $149 level and was hyped for it too - but quickly saw problems once the beta went live in their implementation of/things they intentionally left out of the kickstarter/problems with their communication and support - and was able to get a refund/chargeback on my card used for the kickstarter when I provided all the said evidence to my credit card company. They (SD) even tried to take punitive action against me when they found out/read I had done and received a chargeback. I got that all resolved though after lodging complaints with the BBB and FTC against them. While their tuners are still the best out there IMO (partly due to being one of the last remaining games in town - but also because the tuners themselves are just better - in all fairness) they've completely lost any good will with me they once had. Shame. I've since switched to Tivo for my strictly DVR needs, and Android TV for everything else.

[RyC]

What did SD try to do to you?

[Ed]

Cut off the free 4 hour guide data you're supposed to get with their tuners out-of-the-box (for use with HDHR View app and/or Android TV) on all my HDHR tuners (the one I had received as part of the Kickstarter, as well as multiple ones I had purchased and owned from well before the Kickstarter campaign was ever a thing/announced) in an attempt to extort me to send just the Kickstarter tuner back to them, or reverse the chargeback, or eventually telling me they'd send me an invoice for the tuner if I did none of the above (after I had already offered to send it back in my initial refund request to them - but they never responded in any form - not even a 'no' - so I was left with just the chargeback option which was resolved in my favor - and I had even told the credit card company at the onset I got a physical product as part of the Kickstarter - if I need to send it back to them to get the chargeback processed/approved let me know - I'd be more than willing to - but when it was resolved in my favor after they investigated my claims they said I didn't need to do so). I didn't care if they were gonna do it/they were doing it to the Kickstarter one - it was the fact they were doing it to other ones I owned from before the Kickstarter ever existed that was really messed up - especially after I had offered to send the one tuner back to them in my refund request but they decided to never reply (as they do with a lot of things). Plus - they didn't take this punitive action when had I started the chargeback process, when the chargeback claims were being investigated by the credit card company, or even when I had received the chargeback/refund - but only months and months later when they saw a post of mine over on AVS Forum saying I had successfully done/received a chargeback to another forum member. Once SD admitted to me what they were doing (I submitted a trouble ticket when I realized I was not receiving guide data in Android TV thinking it was a legit bug), I got the BBB and FTC involved and submitted a plethora of evidence to them about everything and it was all eventually resolved (though SD fought it profusely lol) and they turned back-on the guide data to the non-Kickstarter tuners without me reversing any chargeback, sending anything back to them or paying for anything. All but one of the tuners has since been sold as I don't need all of them for WMC anymore and the Kickstarter tuner was eventually sold to some guy - I told him everything and how it wouldn't get guide data from SD and offered to cut him a bit of a price break for it/because of that - but he said he was using it for NextPVR or MediaPortal or something, can't recall - and that he didn't let devices like that online if they didn't need to be anyway - so it wouldn't affect him as he wouldn't be allowing it net access - and he even declined my offered price reduction - hell of a guy .

[RyC]

Yikes, well I don't blame the Channels people for giving up on SD and going at it alone then

[Ed]

Yeah, the Channels guys couldn't allow themselves to be reliant on a company with the lackluster support/communication/etc of SD - it would just turn around and reflect poorly on the Channels guys to their own customers.