Server Version#: 1.24.2.4973-2b1b51db9
Player Version#: 4.62.1
Tuner Make/Model: TBS 6984
Guide/Lineup name: N/A
Using XMLTV?: No
Channel number/Name: Channel 4 HD, BBC One HD, BBC Two HD
I’m trying to move away from TVHeadend to Plex DVR but its not tuning in BBC1 HD, BBC2 HD and Channel 4HD ( Its tuning ok but saying protected on Ch.4 but I know theres and freeview version as I’ve used it on TVHeadend ), Using freesat through a quad sat tuner.
Using UNRaid with plex as a docker - other channels are working ok.
TVHeadend could pick up the channels ok so I don’t think its the hardware.
I’ve tried different postcodes and retuning it multiple times but still no luck.
I tried a couple of things before I ended up with my current setup.
A DVB S2 PC tuner card , not officially supported - it tuned OK and Plex recognised as a tuner but not all channels showed correctly like you have found with channels protected when they shouldn’t be. Also difficult to line up the channels to the Plex EPG lots of manual editing to match them up to the correct region of channels e.g ITV local channel 103 you had to find the right channel to get Meridian South East and have no way of knowing which of the 5+ available channels would be the right one. If there was any change to the channel line up (like a new channel had been added to Freesat) you have to go through the same setup so very tedious.
Also tried another unsupported 4 tuner Digibit R1 IP to TV tuner, again recognised as a tuner but had the same issue with channels shown as protected, when tuning the tuner picked up some 600 plus channels but setting up with Plex Freesat only showed some 70 plus with channels missing. Same issue when trying to match channels to the EPG.
My current and preferred setup is to use 2 x Enigma2 set top boxes (Zgemma H9S and a different one but in hindsight I would have used 2 of the Zgemma H9s as I record everything to my server PC) each having twin tuners giving me the four tuners I wanted. Set them up to my region of Freesat (South East), use a plugin installed on them called hrtunerproxy which allows Plex to see the tuners over my network. Plex works very well with them and matches all channels to the EPG. I have them both in standby and they have proven to be very reliable.
By the way Channel4 HD was removed from Freesat a while ago.
The reason we use Freesat rather than Freeview is because where we are in the South East we have unreliable freeview/ terrestrial reception. During the summer with high pressure weather we can lose almost all freeview channels or they become pixelated etc. Tried different antennas but still had the problem. Would even get channels from France where the UK ones should of been. Would often lose recordings because of it.
Using a Satdish is more reliable for us so we use Freesat.
I prefer the freesat picture quality - I don’t know if it has more bandwidth but SD on freeview seems very poor compared to freesat (and have less picture breakups on freesat). I’ve also using 2 quad tuners through freesat which can handle everyones TV feeds in the house - seems a waste to ditch them.
I’m still getting Channel 4HD on TVHeadend but I want to switch as it was getting a system you would have to maintain quite a bit.
Plex DVR still seems like its in Beta to me, I’m getting quite slow channel changes (8-10 seconds, about 1 second on TVheadend) and hitting all the problems you mentioned about channel management.
SouthCoast - can you use the ZGemma boxes through HDMI whilst connected over the network? Just thinking I could use the box straight to the tv for quickness then jump into plex to setup recordings.
8-10 seconds is about right for channel changes, HD channels tend to take longest as Plex has more transcoding to do. I did try Emby as you can turnoff the transcoding and use the direct view which is quicker but I did run into reliability issues like ‘the circle of doom’ as I’ve heard it called, just waiting for it to switch over. Plus I just prefer Plex to Emby.
The ZGemma boxes are HDMI so you could plug in to your TV and have Plex running as well. The only caveat would be that if you are watching through your TV you’ll be using a tuner so Plex would lose the use of one of them. For example if you only had one ZGemma with twin tuners and Plex happened to be using them both you wouldn’t be able to change the channel your watching on the TV, or if you had set two programs to record at the same time on Plex you might lose one recording because the other tuner was in use for the TV.
Plex will assume it has exclusive use of the tuners.
I have to say though after a while you do get used to the slow channel switching.
Just tried a fresh install of windows with Plex and got No Signal detected when scanning. Downloaded media portal and pulling the full list - looks like plex doesnt like my tuner cards.
I had the same issues with PC tuner cards. Actually wasted a lot of time on it but I was determined to make it work - turns out they just aren’t compatible.
Once I’d setup the ZGemma, as in tuned it to my region, setup the epg to my liking i.e. remove religious and shopping channels and installed the HRTunerproxy plugin it was like night and day in ease of use. You only need to setup the ZGemma once. Then add it to Plex, run the Plex tuner for the Freesat option and you’ll see all the channels without any issue.
Any time there is a change to the channel line up (which isn’t very often) you just retune the Zgemma, retune Plex and you’re good to go.
Happy to help with setup if you choose to take that route.
