PVR
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As of v12 (Frodo), XBMC supports Personal Video Recorder (PVR) controls and features when paired with a PVR "backend". This allows you to watch live TV, listen to radio, view an EPG, schedule recordings and enables many other TV related features.
A PVR backend is a second process/application that performs the task of tuning and recording over-the-air and cable television programming, as well as radio. The PVR backend can either run on the same machine running XBMC, on a stand-alone device (able to feed several XBMC machines), or completely by itself with XBMC only running when needed. When paired with a backend, XBMC handles the interface, or frontend, allowing the user to watch live TV, scheduled recordings, time shift (not yet supported), etc.
Due to the somewhat complicated nature of setting up PVR for XBMC, this guide was created to help users from start to finish. At least until Frodo is officially released, this guide should be considered a work in progress with potentially large gaps.
Supported Backends
If you want to use a PVR addon with XBMC, there are a few prerequisites. First, you need a TV tuner or IPTV source, and a working backend to connect to XBMC. Below is a list of currently supported backends. The source for these addons can generally be found in the XBMC PVR Addons Repo (with some exceptions, as noted in the individual add-ons, below).
| Name | Backend OS | Addon OS | Homepage | Addon Maintainers | Addon Support | Backend Installation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTS Tvheadend | Linux | lonelycoder.com | dushmaniac | XBMC Forum | lonelycoder wiki | ||
| VDR | Linux | tvdr.de | FernetMenta | XBMC Forum | linuxtv.org | ||
| MythTV | Linux | mythtv.org | fetzerch, janbar, tsp, dteirney | XBMC Forum | mythtv.org | MythTV add-on not yet merged into XBMC PVR Addons Repo, but is available in fetzerch's branch | |
| MediaPortal | Windows | Windows, Linux, iOS | team-mediaportal.com | margro | XBMC Forum | mediaportal wiki | Backend XBMC Plugin (Required) |
| For The Record | Windows | Windows,
Linux, OSX, iOS |
4therecord.eu | margro, red-f | ForTheRecord forum | 4therecord.eu wiki | |
| DVBLink TV Server | Windows | Windows | dvblogic.com | zeroniak | DVBLink forum | dvblogic.com | |
| VU+ / Enigma2 | Linux (Enigma2) | Windows, Linux, OSX, iOS | jdembski | PVR Support forum | |||
| NextPVR | Windows | Windows, Linux | sub3 | NextPVR XBMC Forum | nextpvr.com |
PVR FAQ
- See: PVR/FAQ
Testing
Testing PVR before Frodo final (this section won't be needed in the final version, more or less)
- See: PVR/Testing
Configure XBMC
- See: PVR/XBMC
Using PVR/Live TV
- See: PVR/Usage