My 'Whole House' media distribution Update

Johnboy1951

I have previous threads on my set up with this one being the more comprehensive
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057826211&page=5

As I am a tinkerer and really concentrate on functionality with the least possible outlay, I have continued to change my set up over time.

I had bad experiences with hdhomerun devices and became very annoyed with their price increases for such simple hardware, so this caused me to look about for alternatives.
During this time I used a TBS dual DVB-T tuner in a dedicated PC in place of the failed hdhomerun device.
I temporarily replaced this bulky unit with two DVB-T USB dongles (cost me ~€8 at the time of purchase) but was not happy with those although they worked well enough for some months.
My digibit R1 quad DVB-S tuner box continues to operate after it was replaced.

I recently had a re-think about how I might change/replace the hardware and landed on Zgemma boxes ...... used of course for cost reasons.
Zgemma H3.2TC and H5.2TC both have two DVB-T tuners which can be used by tvheadend as Sat>IP tuners, once minisatip is running on the Zgemma.
I bought a H5.2TC for £35 plus postage. It has OpenATV 6.4 and additionally minisatip.
It also has one DVB-S tuner. All three tuners are available to TVH.

I had also received, over a short period of time, three Zgemma H.2S boxes, donated to me for no cost. Each of those has two DVB-S tuners.

The Zgemma boxes provide seven DVB-S tuners and two DVB-T tuners between them. OK, I do not need them all but would intend to use at least one of the H.2S boxes (and maybe two) along with the H5.2TC box.
These would then replace both Digibit and HDHomerun boxes.

I haven't yet implemented all the changes, but have introduced the H5.2TC to provide the DVB-T and one extra DVB-S.
Next step should be to replace the Digibit with one H.2S which will give me three DVB-S and two DVB-T tuners.
I expect that will provide all the tuners I need presently, but I would have the ability to add a second or third H.2S if I need more tuners in the future.

The Digibit R1 quad DVB-S and the TBS dual DVB-T tuners could then be sold should I wish.

I expect the electricity use should rise a little from the most recent (using USB DVB-T dongles) but still be a lot less than using the TBS card in a dedicated PC. The Zgemma devices when in standby use 1W, although I doubt I will bother to try to use that, as in the overall household use the whole system is not using much.

For the moment I will continue to use the Digibit, as it is fed from a Unicable LNB which is the most convenient method for now.

Well those are my thoughts on what might be done, at minimal cost, if setting up the system from scratch.

With all this new (to me) hardware it remains fun to tinker with it and keeps me amused in the absence of social activity.

Hopefully the above will give others some food for thought on how they might do something similar.

I would just add that there are other used boxes available with two DVB-T tuners and once they can use an Enigma 2 operating system they should be suitable in similar manner to the Zgemmas.

EDIT: I have set up a second TVH server box (another ARM device) which uses one of the 'spare' DVB-S tuners and have made that avaiable over WAN limited to one username and one IP address (settings in TVH) and done some tests which proved to be successful.

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Johnboy1951

While mucking about with the Zgemma boxes today, caused by me considering what my options might be in future, I discovered that they were compatible with Unicable input.

In essence between the four Zegemma boxes, I have 7 DVB-S tuners with this capability in addition to the 4 in the Digibit, as well as the 2 DVB-T tuners.

So I have the option of disconnecting the Digibit and using two Zgemma boxes to get three DVB-S and two DVB-T tuners, and should I need more DVB-S tuners I have the 'spare' Zgemma boxes with two DVB-S in each.

I have some interesting playtimes ahead it appears.

I will need an 8-way Unicable compatible splitter to see how all this works out.

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Johnboy1951

Small update ....... if using OpenATV 6.4 or newer it is now possible to install TVH server to the Zgemma using opkg.
If one of the Zgemmas prove to be sufficiently powerful it could replace the TVH server box as well as providing 2 or 3 tuners on the LAN.
Heck it might even drive a TV as well!

I have one box, without tuners connected, running TVH and serving out some of the available tuners from a Zgemma and the Digibit which have their tuners connected.
Thus far, it appears to work but there are some 'glitches' which I have yet to work out ...... possibly caused by reception issues on the dish.

I have a few things to prepare before I get a fitter out to fix the dish/lnb alignment.
I am rather pleased with what I have experienced so far.


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Johnboy1951

Had a look this morning at a Zgemma H.2S I had left running on my test bench overnight.
The damned thing reported 99°C for CPU temperature!!!!!!
Wow!
I opened the case which has really minimal vents for airflow, and the temp dropped to 82°C within a short space of time.

The heatsink is small.
There is little or no airflow through the case.
No wonder it is (IMO) overheating badly.

It looks like some hardware changes might be in order if I want to use these boxes in the long term ......... larger heatsink (yes there is room) and holes for air ventilation.

Maybe I will sacrifice one of the boxes to hardware experimentation ...... but not immediately as I still have to work out some stuff for minisatip when using Unicable LNB to feed the box.

Wanderer78

Johnboy1951 wrote:

Had a look this morning at a Zgemma H.2S I had left running on my test bench overnight. The damned thing reported 99°C for CPU temperature!!!!!! Wow! I opened the case which has really minimal vents for airflow, and the temp dropped to 82°C within a short space of time.

Recently experienced a laptop temp of around the same, seemed to be related to an update issues, but to be fair, the laptops on its last legs

Johnboy1951

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Recently experienced a laptop temp of around the same, seemed to be related to an update issues, but to be fair, the laptops on its last legs

TBH I am not inclined to believ this value

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Wanderer78

Johnboy1951 wrote:

TBH I am not inclined to believ this value

That could be the case, but I suspect mine was true, the fan was in near meltdown a lot of the time, something had to done, seems to be okay now, but the laptop doesn't have much time left

lowbatt07

I’ve bring following your posts fir a while johnnyboy

Whilst I’ve pretty tech savvy and follow most of what you’re saying I think in most household a media server over headend / kodi isn’t a viable option as partners / children not as savvy - I could be mistaken here

HDHomeRun isn’t a bad piece of kit , biggest frustration is that they don’t have a dual dvb-t / a option

I know you know of vbox also (you had an older model which was of huge frustration) - my personal opinion is that the most workable solution is for an app on android box hooked up to a dual source dvb-t / a box works

Between that Kodi & Iptv , you’d have everything

Johnboy1951

lowbatt07 wrote: »

I’ve bring following your posts fir a while johnnyboy

Whilst I’ve pretty tech savvy and follow most of what you’re saying I think in most household a media server over headend / kodi isn’t a viable option as partners / children not as savvy - I could be mistaken here

HDHomeRun isn’t a bad piece of kit , biggest frustration is that they don’t have a dual dvb-t / a option

I know you know of vbox also (you had an older model which was of huge frustration) - my personal opinion is that the most workable solution is for an app on android box hooked up to a dual source dvb-t / a box works

Between that Kodi & Iptv , you’d have everything

There is no doubt that a system such as I describe is not for everyone, but it is one option for those interested, and can be achieved very cheaply and reliably.
I know of people who have had installations done in their homes which cost thousands of euros, and provide even less functionality.
I guess it is the cost/benefit that attraccts me to this.

HDHomerun do have a dual tuner model alongside the quad model. Both are seriously over priced to be used simply as Sat>IP tuners.
I have had both and have returned them both for full refund, as not fit for purpose - although the quad model did last a while before crapping out.
There are triple tuner pre-owned STBs available, some with dual DVB-T tuners. Those I have seen advertised are priced at £35 to £45.
I bought one and am very happy with the DVB-T tuners in it. I have not tried the DVB-S tuner as yet - no LNB connection available presently.
There is also the option of the dual tuner Sony PlayTV device which is a USB connected dual tuner DVB-T and available used also for about £20.
So there are more options available now than when I started out with two dual tuner TBS cards - DVB-T and DVB-S cards.

EDIT: I just realised you might have means DVB-t and DVB-S combo device from HDHomerun, in which case maybe one of the used combo receivers would be an option.

On the matter of use in a household ...... there are no more requirements (I reckon less) on the user than any other STB, when Kosi is run at the user station/TV/whatever.
Yes there is some effort involved in doing the set up initially, as well as a little for maintenance irregularly. For me the benefits far outweigh the effort it takes; for others that might not be the case, but it does not impact on the user experience at all.
All users here see the same screens and have the same options accessed in the same way, regardless watching on TV, monitor, laptop, tablet or phone or anything else.

Kodi does IPTV very well (plugin) and those channels can be integrated with the channels from the tuners used. I did it briefly as a test and it was good ....... I even integrated the display of security cameras in Kodi (just because I could).

Bottom line is that it can be done very cheaply, with excellent results for users, and lots of functions available, with effort from one person to search out and learn something new (to most) for the benefit of the rest of the household.
If the effort is not available from someone, then do not even consider this scheme as an option.