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[hoyt]

Hey all,

Need some troubleshooting help here I guess.  I noticed this past weekend that if I set something up to record in MC21, it looks like it's recording (red dot in the guide, if I try to record something else at the same time it tells me I'm out of tuners, etc), but nothing is written to my hard drive where it should write.  I can watch the program and pause it, come back 2 hours later and watch it, but recording itself seems to just not be happening.

I'm on an HTPC that is connected to a server.  The server doesn't have a TV card, but the HTPC does.  The preference in the HTPC for the location of the files hasn't been changed (it's something like c:\users\<user name>\videos\JRiver\tv).  Does the fact that it's attached to a remote library, but there's no tuner on that server have an impact?

Basically - not sure where to start in troubleshooting this...

Thanks!

[CountryBumkin]

A "client" machine can't record even if it has a Tuner card since the EPG/TV service is coming from the Server.

You would need to move the TV Tuner Card to the Server, or stop sharing the Server's Library with the Client (which then makes the Client a "Server" and then no shared data between them).

[Yaobing]

As CountryBumkin said, you can not record on a client.  You can watch a show live.

I am confused here.  If you are on a client machine that is connected to a server, you should see the library of the server.  That includes TV channels and programs.  So if you do see TV programming on the client, your server must have setup for TV already (thus you should have tuners on the server).  If MC shows that it is recording, it should be recording on the server.

[hoyt]

Damn.  Setting up TV on the server will be difficult.  It's physically located in a room with no coax...

I previously ran a different version of MC just for TV because I had some issues with 1080i channels where MC 18+ was choppy.  After installing Win10 and upgrading to MC21, I decided to forget that.  So this is the first time I've used a client PC with TV, while connected to a server.

I guess when I just setup TV on the client, it actually setup the guide on the server, because now when I RDP to the server, I do in fact see the guide data.  But there is no tuner on the server.  I wondered if it was recording to the server, but I have a different username on the server.  There are no recorded programs that I can find on the server.  Not in C:\Users\<server user name>\videos\JRiver\TV, nor in c:\Users\<HTPC user name>\videos\J River\tv.

Is my only option in this case (with no coax in the server room) to use a network attached tuner, like the HDHomeRun?

Thanks!

[JimH]

You might be able to use a network tuner from Cetoncorp.com or Silicondust.com.  The tuner could be somewhere else.

[Yaobing]

Network tuners should work.  The only thing you need to keep in mind is the network load.  Are your server and client computers on ethernet or wifi?  With gigabit ethernet, it should not be a problem.  If on wifi, you need a high speed one.  Of course it all depends on how you are going to use the TV tuners.  HD channels run at about 10 megabit per second.  If you plan to simultaneously record several shows, and at the same time have clients watching already recorded shows, this could add up.

[CountryBumkin]

Do you have a wired network? Is it possible to make the current Client computer (call it Computer1) the new Server with the library files coming from the other computer (the current Server, call it Computer2) via mapped drives? If this is possible then you would treat Computer2 as a sort of NAS for Computer1.
I don't know - just thinking out loud

[hoyt]

It's a wired network, gigabit, so should be fine.  I have successfully streamed Blu-Rays across it, so not too worried about the network load - just getting another tuner.  I can't really swap the computers because I have a server room just for that purpose (always on, nice and cool, different switch with the NAS, battery backup to ease power blips, etc).  I don't have cable TV, just OTA and really only ever use the TV tuner to watch sports.  So there's rarely a need for me to have >1 tuner.  

Guess I'll look into network tuners and put it out with the HTPC.  I already have a small switch out there because I hard wired my TV (for the smart TV Netflix app) instead of using wireless, and I think there's one slot open.  Just don't want another device if I could avoid it.

I'll start looking into those options mentioned for network attached TV tuners.  Thanks!

[RoderickGI]

You might want to look at the cost of having a coaxial antenna cable installed into your server room. In Australia the installation of an extra antenna outlet point cost around AU$60 when done at installation time. A little more, around AU$105, if done later on. That may be cheaper than buying a network tuner and setting it up out with your HTPC.

With a good antenna and professional splitter installed on the antenna line in, you should still get a strong enough signal for the tuner. I have an unpowered three way splitter that works fine, and it only cost about AU$15 from the installer. I did need to get a new Digital antenna when I installed the quad tuner into my HTPC, but that was because my old antenna was analogue, and from the early 1970's! Don't do the installation yourself though, as a professional antenna installer can test the signal strength and advise if a powered splitter is required. Also if you can, look up the signal strength required by your tuner and let the installer know. My quad tuner required quite a strong signal for all four tuners to work well.

It sounds like your server room is set up so well, it would be a shame to have to have the network tuner out with the HTPC, in the heat, cold, open etc.

[hoyt]

You might want to look at the cost of having a coaxial antenna cable installed into your server room. In Australia the installation of an extra antenna outlet point cost around AU$60 when done at installation time. A little more, around AU$105, if done later on. That may be cheaper than buying a network tuner and setting it up out with your HTPC.

With a good antenna and professional splitter installed on the antenna line in, you should still get a strong enough signal for the tuner. I have an unpowered three way splitter that works fine, and it only cost about AU$15 from the installer. I did need to get a new Digital antenna when I installed the quad tuner into my HTPC, but that was because my old antenna was analogue, and from the early 1970's! Don't do the installation yourself though, as a professional antenna installer can test the signal strength and advise if a powered splitter is required. Also if you can, look up the signal strength required by your tuner and let the installer know. My quad tuner required quite a strong signal for all four tuners to work well.

It sounds like your server room is set up so well, it would be a shame to have to have the network tuner out with the HTPC, in the heat, cold, open etc.

That's a very good point.  The downside is that I don't own the building, so dropping a coax line would be an extra pain for me.

I've ordered an HDHomeRun, so hopefully I can set it up quickly.  Thanks all for the advice!